Agronomy Sales & Business Development Manager

Innovative Ag Services; Monticello (IA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Retirement plan

Paid time off

Company holidays

Professional development

Job summary

Innovative Ag Services (IAS) in Southeast Iowa seeks an experienced Agronomy Sales & Business Development Manager to lead seven Agronomists across the Eastern Iowa territory. You will shape sales strategy, coach talent, and drive growth while strengthening customer relationships.

This role blends leadership, business development, and territory planning. You will recruit, develop, and support agronomy sales professionals, collaborate with operations, and advance customer growth initiatives to

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Agronomy, Agricultural Business, Business Management, Marketing, or related field.
• Minimum of five years of agronomy sales leadership, sales management, or related agricultural leadership experience.
• Demonstrated success leading high-performing sales teams and achieving growth objectives.
• Strong understanding of agronomic products, crop production systems, and customer relationship management.
• Excellent leadership, coaching, communication, and relationship-building skills.
• Strong financial acumen with profitability, pricing strategies, and business planning.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications and CRM systems.
• Ability to analyze market conditions and adapt sales strategies to support business goals.
• Ability to effectively communicate information and ideas in written, verbal, and presentation formats.

Responsibilities

• Recruit, coach, mentor, and develop agronomy sales professionals to achieve individual and team performance goals.
• Conduct regular performance reviews, field coaching, and development planning to strengthen technical expertise, business acumen, and sales effectiveness.
• Establish clear expectations and accountability measures related to sales activity, customer growth, profitability, and customer retention.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement, teamwork, professionalism, and customer service excellence.
• Identify training and development opportunities to prepare future leaders and high-performing sales professionals.
• Maintain regular contact with Agronomists and provide timely coaching and support.
• Develop and execute territory growth strategies that increase market share and profitability.
• Prepare individual and team action plans to prospect new business and expand existing customer relationships.
• Assist in the development and implementation of agronomy marketing plans and sales initiatives.
• Monitor customer trends, market opportunities, and competitive activity to support business growth.
• Identify opportunities to increase customer engagement and strengthen long-term business relationships.

Skills

Leadership

Agronomy sales

Coaching

Communication

CRM proficiency

Financial acumen

Education

Bachelor's degree in Agronomy

Tools

CRM software

MS Office

Job description

Agronomy Sales & Business Development Manager

Location: Southeast Iowa Territory (Andrew, Cascade, Central City, Farley, and Monticello)

Grow with a Leader in Agriculture

Innovative Ag Services (IAS) is seeking an experienced and motivated Agronomy Sales & Business Development Manager to lead and develop a high-performing team of seven Agronomists serving Eastern Iowa. This leadership role provides the opportunity to influence sales strategy, develop talent, expand market share, strengthen customer relationships, and drive growth across one of IAS's most important agronomy territories.

This opportunity is ideal for a proven agronomy leader who enjoys coaching others, building winning teams, and creating a culture of accountability, performance, and customer-focused solutions.

Position Overview

The Agronomy Sales & Business Development Manager is responsible for the development, coaching, accountability, and performance of a team of seven Agronomists within the assigned territory. This role provides leadership to maximize profitability, customer growth, and market penetration while supporting IAS's mission, vision, and values.

The successful candidate will recruit, develop, and support agronomy sales professionals while collaborating closely with agronomy operations and leadership teams to deliver an exceptional grower experience.

This position combines sales leadership, business development, strategic planning, and team development. The successful candidate will spend significant time coaching Agronomists in the field, developing customer growth strategies, identifying new business opportunities, and building strong partnerships with operations teams to drive success throughout the territory.

Key Responsibilities Sales Leadership & Team Development

• Recruit, coach, mentor, and develop agronomy sales professionals to achieve individual and team performance goals.
• Conduct regular performance reviews, field coaching, and development planning to strengthen technical expertise, business acumen, and sales effectiveness.
• Establish clear expectations and accountability measures related to sales activity, customer growth, profitability, and customer retention.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement, teamwork, professionalism, and customer service excellence.
• Identify training and development opportunities to prepare future leaders and high-performing sales professionals.
• Maintain regular contact with Agronomists and provide timely coaching and support.

Business Development & Market Growth

• Develop and execute territory growth strategies that increase market share and profitability.
• Prepare individual and team action plans to prospect new business and expand existing customer relationships.
• Assist in the development and implementation of agronomy marketing plans and sales initiatives.
• Guide Agronomists in preparing proposals, recommendations, and customer presentations.
• Monitor customer trends, market opportunities, and competitive activity to support business growth.
• Identify opportunities to increase customer engagement and strengthen long-term business relationships.

Strategic Leadership & Financial Performance

• Communicate and manage accountability for pricing, profitability, and go-to-market strategies.
• Monitor sales activities, customer portfolio performance, and territory growth objectives.
• Maintain accurate sales activity records and performance metrics.
• Assist in budget management and expense control to meet financial objectives.
• Provide timely feedback and recommendations to senior leadership regarding sales performance, opportunities, and challenges.
• Promote sound economic decision-making and financial accountability throughout the sales team.

Operational Collaboration & Customer Experience

• Partner closely with Operations Managers and Location Managers to ensure seamless coordination between sales and operations.
• Promote effective communication between departments to improve efficiency and service delivery.
• Support account management activities, including customer onboarding, account setup, and accounts receivable expectations.
• Work collaboratively with operations teams to deliver an outstanding customer experience.
• Ensure all team members adhere to company policies, procedures, safety standards, and ethical business practices.

What Success Looks Like First 12 Months

• Build strong relationships with Agronomists, operations teams, location managers, and key customers throughout the territory.
• Increase sales team effectiveness through coaching, development, and accountability.
• Grow market share and strengthen customer retention within the assigned geography.
• Improve communication and collaboration between sales and operations teams.
• Develop future sales talent through structured coaching and professional development.
• Drive measurable improvements in sales performance, profitability, and customer engagement.
• Create a culture focused on accountability, continuous improvement, and customer success.

Qualifications Required

• Bachelor's degree in Agronomy, Agricultural Business, Business Management, Marketing, or a related field.
• Minimum of five years of agronomy sales leadership, sales management, or related agricultural leadership experience.
• Demonstrated success leading high-performing sales teams and achieving growth objectives.
• Strong understanding of agronomic products, crop production systems, and customer relationship management.
• Excellent leadership, coaching, communication, and relationship-building skills.
• Strong financial acumen with the ability to manage profitability, pricing strategies, and business planning.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications and CRM systems.
• Ability to analyze market conditions and adapt sales strategies to support business goals.
• Ability to effectively communicate information and ideas in written, verbal, and presentation formats.

Preferred

• Previous experience leading and developing agronomy sales teams.
• Certified Crop Advisor (CCA) designation or ability to obtain.
• Experience working within a cooperative or multi-location agricultural organization.
• Knowledge of precision agriculture technologies and data-driven agronomic solutions.

Why Join IAS?

• Competitive salary and performance-based incentive opportunities.
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision benefits.
• Retirement savings opportunities.
• Paid time off and company holidays.
• Professional development, leadership training, and career growth opportunities.
• Opportunity to lead an established team of seven Agronomists in a progressive agricultural cooperative.
• Ability to make a meaningful impact on growers, employees, and the communities we serve.

Physical Requirements / Environmental Adaptability

• Ability to lift, push, pull, or occasionally carry up to 50 pounds.
• Ability to bend, stretch, twist, reach, and perform repetitive movements as needed.
• Agricultural work environment with exposure to seasonal weather conditions, outdoor environments, and agricultural products.
• Frequent travel throughout the assigned territory to support employees and customers.

Join a team committed to helping growers succeed while developing the next generation of agronomy sales talent. At IAS, our success begins with our people, strong customer relationships, and a commitment to delivering value every day.