Grain Merchant

Consolidated Grain and Barge; Waterloo (IN); On-site; USD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Consolidated Grain and Barge (CGB) is seeking a Grain Origination professional to originate grain purchases from growers, negotiate contracts, and manage producer accounts. The role involves farm visits, market analysis, and collaboration with origination and management teams to improve profitability and service levels.

Ideal candidates have a Bachelor's degree (Master's preferred), 3+ years in trading/logistics, and strong communication skills.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent education and experience.
• Master's degree in Agricultural business preferred.

Responsibilities

• Originate grain purchases from growers; coordinate with origination staff to maximize commercial and producer origination.
• Conduct annual farm/business visits for major accounts.
• Add new business accounts to manage/service.
• Document new accounts and track success.
• Analyze three-year handle information on producer/commercial accounts to evaluate market share and growth/retention.
• Identify underperforming accounts and develop marketing strategies to improve performance.
• Execute and manage contracts including signing and terms delivery.
• Review facility and region profit and loss statements with management.
• Receive inbound calls and assist other buying groups in servicing the customer base.
• Gather and review commodity market analysis and information for location/regional positioning.
• Input customer information into CRM.
• Other duties as assigned.

Skills

Grain merchandising

Contract negotiations

Trading/logistics knowledge

Microsoft Office

Interpersonal communication

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent education and experience

Master's degree in Agricultural business

Tools

CRM software

Job description

Thank you for your interest in joining our team! At CGB, you can contribute to meaningful work, grow professionally and personally, and belong in a place where everyone has a voice.

Founded in 1969, CGB Enterprises, Inc. is known as an innovative and progressive leader in the grain and transportation industries. Today, CGB operates an enterprise with over 100 locations and nearly 2,000 U.S. employees overseeing a diverse family of businesses that provide an array of services for producers and logistics services for an international base of customers. The combination of our assets provides a growing organization that is celebrating over 50 years of strength and stability!

This job is primarily responsible for originating grain purchases from growers while promoting company products and services. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, determining customer requirements, executing contracts and agreements, and resolving customer related issues.

In this job, you will:

• Originate grain purchases from growers; work with origination staff to maximize commercial and producer origination thru team communication and execution.
• Conduct annual farm/business visits for all major accounts.
• Add new business accounts to manage/service.
• Document new accounts and track success.
• Work with manager and others to analyze three year handle information on all producer/commercial accounts assigned to evaluate customer market share and growth/retention.
• Identify accounts that are underperforming and develop a marketing strategy to correct.
• Execute and manage contract including signing and execution of terms, conditions and delivery.
• Review facility and region profit and loss statements; discuss findings and ideas/issues with Facility Manager and Commercial Manager.
• Receive in-bound calls and assist the other buying groups in servicing the facility's customer base.
• Gather, review, and contribute commodity market analysis and information in support of location/ regional position.
• Input customer information into the CRM product.
• Other duties as assigned.

Here's what you'll need to be considered:

Education

• Required - Bachelor's degree or equivalent education and experience.
• Preferred - Master's degree in Agricultural business.

Experience

• Required - 3 years' experience in trading, logistics, or related field.
• Preferred - Prior contract negotiation and grain industry experience.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Diverse knowledge of how the company generates revenue and creates profitability and an advanced understanding of the intricacies of our customers' businesses and functionality of their operations.
• Knowledge of grain merchandising, facility cost structures, mix and blend analysis, carry, interest, freight, FOB and CIF marketing/sales, as well as a basic knowledge of facility operations.
• Working knowledge or ability to learn contract negotiations and grain industry.
• Basic computer skills, including working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite.
• Effective interpersonal, oral and written communication skills with the ability to interact with all levels of people within and outside the organization.
• Strong decision making, negotiation, and conflict management skills.
• Contract and customer management skills; including ability to relay accurate information concerning contract balances and settlements.
• Strong time management and prioritization skills, with ability to remain flexible to changing priorities.
• Ability to take direction and willingness to assist where needed and take on new tasks.
• Ability to read/analyze domestic and global industry information.
• Ability to work effectively both autonomously and in a team environment.

Here's additional information you need to know:

Physical Demands & Requirements

Light work. Exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects. If the use of arm and/or leg controls requires exertion of forces greater than that for sedentary work and the worker sits most of the time, the job is rated for light work. Hearing. Perceiving the nature of sounds at normal speaking levels with or without correction. Ability to receive detailed information through oral communication, and to make the discriminations in sound. The employee is required to have close visual acuity to perform an activity such as: preparing and analyzing data and figures; transcribing; viewing a computer terminal; extensive reading; visual inspection involving small defects, small parts, and/or operation of machines (including inspection); using measurement devices; and/or assembly or fabrication parts at distances close to the eyes.

Environmental Conditions

The work environment described here are meant to be representative of those an employee would normally encounter while performing the essential functions of this job. The physical environment requires the employee to work inside where there are limited extremes to heat a