Technical Advisor Dairy & Extensive Ruminants

PURPOSE OF JOB

To promote the sale of our range of Animal Feed products, and to provide technical and product support as required by De Heus, customers and prospects. End goal is to achieve annual budgets / objectives for the region and to increase sales volume and margins as well as improving the viability of farms and farmers

KEY PERFORMANCE AREAS 

Selling 

• The selling and supporting of De Heus Animal Feed range to current and prospective clients
• To achieve monthly & yearly sales budget per customer and 5 level classification
• The building and maintaining of customer relationships.
• To maintain a regular visit schedule with customers and potential customers in order to keep current monthly sales and grow sales with prospects.
• Monitor opposition trends on pricing on a monthly basis
• To add value to the customers. Identify needs and goals from Top 20 clients in each area on a quarterly basis
• To understand and keep abreast of Animal Feed industry news and developments

Technical

• To understand the principles of Animal nutrition
• To understand all technical aspects of De Heus feed ranges
• To understand the fundamentals of forage production which will include dryland and irrigated pastures as well as other forage crops, where applicable
• To maintain effective communication with customers and in-house personnel
• Writing of quarterly articles
• Monitor the performance of De Heus products, to gather production figures from species specific feedlots & supplemented farms on a monthly basis
• To play an active role in study groups & Trade shows.

Administration

• To handle the necessary administration and liaison with relevant customers/potential customers and in house personnel.
• Non-conformance reporting (External) and control thereof
• To manage and control outstanding debtors.
• Accurate and on time reports to direct Superior and Product Manager – week reports, monthly sales reports
• Accurate and professional customer reports, in writing to clients after visits
• Compiling of and keeping Animal Feed sector plan up to date – January & August of each year.
• Keeping to deadlines set for projects – these projects are identified as needed and focused on.

Standard

• Continually striving to improve through teamwork with other employees all related aspects of De Heus business.
• Using objective measurement, identifying problems within the company and subsequently identifying the “root cause” of problems.
• Ensuring always that corrective actions taken to resolve problems are, ultimately, permanent and preventative.
• Assisting, wherever possible, to ensure that all actions, functions and processes in De Heus’s business are conducted in a value-added manner.
• Complying, in line with the Policy Document, departmental procedures and practices.
• Ensuring that any subordinates reporting to you are effectively communicated to with regards to their responsibilities and authorities.
• Control of any company expenditure, which may be entrusted to you, in line with the overall company budget.
• To comply with any other work-related instruction which is relayed via a superior and which is deemed to be necessary and reasonable.
• The duties and responsibilities in this job description may be revised from time to time, by agreement, in line with the company’s overall Policy Documents and operational requirements.
• The company expects the employee to carry out his/her duties and responsibilities to the best of their ability and commits itself to empower the employee with the authority to meet these requirements.

Knowledge, Qualifications & Experience

• B Agric / B.Sc. Agric
• 3 yr. Agricultural diploma
• Possession of a valid code 08/EB driver’s license
• Able to obtain SACNASP registration a Professional Natural Scientist
• 3 Years’ experience in similar role.
• Preferably have milling background experience
• Experience in selling and marketing
• Working knowledge of MS Excel, MS Word

Skills

• Problem solving
• Conflict handling skills
• Communication Skills
• Relationship building skills
• Quality Awareness
• Computer skills (MS Office)
• Written communication skills
• Attention to detail

Behaviours

• Positive,  pro-active, results-driven attitude
• Innovative
• Highly ethical and principle-driven
• Committed, dedicated, motivated
• Self-starter and follow-though
• Energy, drive, courage and tenacity
• Required to work with minimum supervision
• Ability to work under pressure with minimal supervision
• Ability to meet deadlines

Adverse Working Conditions

• Extensive Travel

Applicants must submit a comprehensive CV, with work-related references to hrsa@deheus.com

Closing date:    23 April 2024

Please note that only applicants who meet the stipulated minimum requirements will be considered. If you have not been contacted within 2 weeks of the closing date, kindly consider your application unsuccessful. De Heus reserves the right not to make an appointment to the post as advertised.