Job Description:
We are family farmers, and we've been exclusively growing and marketing certified organic produce since 1998. Founded on our pledge of stewardship to properly care for the land, we believe in returning what the soil abundantly provides. This requires an uncompromising commitment to safe food and a quality expectation that's second-to-none. And it means we only offer to you what we trust to our own families.
We have an immediate opening for a Grape Category Manager to join our team in Porterville, CA.
Compensation/Salary:
DOE
Responsibilities & Duties:
- Design and implement an annual Strategic Action Plan (SAP) for customer and volume growth.
- Nurture and build cross-departmental and service-partner teamwork.
- Implement and manage category team meetings that address sales and supply chain specifics.
- Understand the overall market-competitive strengths and weaknesses, economic trends, supply and demand drivers, etc. and knows how to sell against them.
- Formulate and execute long-term sales plans and strategic category growth plans.
- Implement internal tools and procedures to capture and continuously update knowledge of key customers’ procurement needs and strategies; utilize this knowledge strategically to develop solutions for existing and target accounts.
- Oversee and manage the outreach and relationship-building activities for customers and growers.
- Organize and participate in customer and grower site visits to expand account familiarity with HGOF product.
- Actively manage supply and quality issues for commodities; communicate with growers and the HGOF Grower Relations team member, as necessary; create and distribute updated supply information to other sales team members.
- Oversee inventory and daily volume estimates and work in conjunction with other HGOF personnel to reconcile any concerns in a timely manner.
- Identify any arrival issues or discrepancies and initiate necessary changes.
- Communicate with grower and accounting concerning any arrivals.
- Work in conjunction with the Accounting and Administrative teams to promptly resolve any outstanding A/R issues or other concerns.
- Investigate and resolve company deficiencies and areas of concern in conjunction with the HGOF Strategic Leadership Team.
- Represent HGOF at select industry conferences, events, and gatherings.
Qualifications:
- Basic knowledge of crops and varieties currently represented by the category.
- Demonstrated interest in advancing knowledge and understanding of issues related to sustainable agriculture.
- Knowledge of grower concerns and farming issues.
- Ability to communicate well with others.
- Understanding of the needs and quality concerns of “high end” retail customers.
- Capable of working with Microsoft Office application software (Outlook, Word, and Excel), desktop design and publishing software, and relevant components of FAMOUS software or other industry-specific software packages.
- 3-5 years produce industry experience, preferably involving customer and product contact.
- Prior exposure to a fast-paced environment.
- B.S. in Agriculture or related field, or equivalent experience.
- Possesses and practices the conviction to perform their work in a manner consistent with HGOF’s mission/vision/core values statement.
