Join our team!
If you’ve never worked for one of Southeastern Minnesota’s Best Places to Work employers, then this is your place to start! Come join our growing family-based business. We offer competitive wages, bonuses, employee discounts, employee assistance program (EAP) and so much more!
We’re currently accepting applications for the following positions:
Small Grains Manager – Albert Lea, MN or Ames, IA
Provide our Organic and Conventional farm customers with the best-available oat, wheat, barley, and rye varieties for the way they farm. Work with genetic developers, our seed growers, our sales, marketing, and production teams, and our customers to identify, test, produce, and market the best small grain seed.
Duties and Responsibilities
- Small Grains Product Strategy
- Identify current and future needs of customers.
- Visit with customers and seed growers to understand challenges and opportunities.
- Meet with grain buyers and food ingredient companies to understand their needs.
- Identify and work with small grains genetic suppliers (public and private), attend field days, trade shows, and have private meetings with genetic suppliers.
- Evaluate products and the overall product portfolio.
- Analyze and interpret data, field notes, and feedback from sales team, dealers, customers, and purchasers)
- Using data, notes, and customer feedback, select varieties of oats, wheat, barley, and rye to contract-grow for seed.
- Submit varieties to university trials when appropriate.
- Attend conferences, field days, etc. and collect insight into which species/varieties are needed in organic crop production.
- Identify current and future needs of customers.
- Seed Production Forecasting & Planning
- Work with sales team and production team to forecast needs.
- Work with production team to establish production goals (varieties & bushels).
- Forecast seedstock needs & produce and reserve seedstock and order as needed to ensure adequate quantities of the correct class of seed for our growers.
- Ensure adequate production of seed stock for future years.
- Grow Relationship & Contract Management
- Communicate with seed growers and place acres of organic & conventional small grains (some others including peas, flax, buckwheat, ancient grains).
- Communicate pricing to growers and write out seed production contracts for all growers capturing all needed information at the front end (including trucking, trucking costs, storage, premiums, field certification, payment dates, etc.).
- Book seedstock to growers.
- Write and track contracts with growers.
- Create POs ensuring accurate contract information and monitor activity through production and sales seasons.
- Coordinate with production team on seed storage and processing planning.
- Work with production team on coordination of inbound seed.
- Monitor growers to ascertain status of crop and update production POs as appropriate.
- Schedule periodic visits with seed growers to tour crop fields in-season.
- Coordinate inbound seed samples from growers to ensure quality is met.
- Coordinate with QA for field inspection.
- Record grower contract settlement and coordinate with accounting.
- Conduct annual evaluation of all growers, contracts, and production processes used within the product category and implement changes and improvements as appropriate.
- Purchasing
- Assist Accounts Payable to settle contracts with growers.
- Work with Sales team to identify needs and purchase seed wholesale when needed (paying close attention to seed quality and proper organic documentation).
- Marketing & Sales
- Work with Marketing team to:
- Write accurate product descriptions for website and catalogs.
- Develop performance tables for website and catalogs.
- Work with Marketing team to:
- Agronomy/Sales/Training
- Answer small grains sales calls/e-mails and place orders in system in a timely manner.
- Provide on-farm small grains agronomic support as needed and provide timely problem resolution when issues arise.
- Provide over the phone agronomic support to customers experiencing issues and/or aid in seed selection by doing research as needed.
- Engage in continuing education, field days, training, conferences to expand education on timely topics relevant to ALS and create resources, blogs, catalog descriptions when needed.
- Onboard new staff with relevant training in small grains products & agronomy as well as organic production basics.
- Give agronomic-focused talks at field days, conferences, etc. when asked by outside parties.
- Submit varieties to university trials when appropriate.
- Attend conferences, field days, etc. and collect insight into which species/varieties are needed in certified organic.
- Ensure compliance with all company policies, state and federal law licensing requirements regarding seed sales and treatment.
- Attend and participate in staff meetings and training sessions as required by the Albert Lea Seed House.
- Perform other job- and work-related responsibilities, tasks and projects as needed or assigned.
Qualifications
Knowledge, Skills and Personal Attributes
- Demonstrate the ability to plan, prioritize and organize to effectively manage multiple projects and activities with minimal direction. Respond to change in a flexible manner to meet evolving department needs.
- Communicate effectively verbally and in writing – is comfortable and effective at speaking to groups of employees. Is cooperative, accommodating and exhibits a customer service attitude.
- Exhibit a high degree of ethical conduct and discretion. Exercise good judgement and exemplify professional behavior at all times with accountability, integrity and follow-through.
Education, Credentials and Experience
- 5-10 years direct experience in production and marketing of cover crops and/or small grains.
- Bachelor’s in Agronomy, Ag Business, Environmental Sciences or related field.
Physical Demands
- Must be able to sit and stand for extended periods of time.
- Must be able to drive long distances.
- Bending, twisting and reaching conducive to an office environment.
- Must be able to lift 50 pounds without assistance and 50+ pounds with assistance.
Job Type: Full-time
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Employee assistance program
- Employee discount
- Flexible spending account
- Health insurance
- Health savings account
- Life insurance
- Mileage reimbursement
- Paid time off
- Paid training
- Parental leave
- Profit sharing
- Vision insurance
Schedule:
- 8 hour shift
- Day shift
- Monday to Friday
- Weekend availability
Supplemental pay types:
- Bonus pay
Experience:
- Direct sales: 1 year (Preferred)
- Agronomy: 1 year (Preferred)
- Regenerative Agriculture: 1 year (Preferred)
Work Location: Flexible with frequent travel to Albert Lea, MN HQ.
To apply for any of our open positions, please download and complete an employment application. The application is electronically fillable but works best when opened in Acrobat or Reader rather than your Internet browser. Please send completed application and resume to Nicole Hansen, Human Resources Manager, at nicole@alseed.com.
ERP Administrator – Albert Lea, MN or Ames, IA
Blend technical, analytical, and communication skills to manage and optimize Albert Lea Seed’s Acumatica Cloud ERP system to ensure the smooth operation of the ERP system, user support and training, and business process analysis within a continuous improvement cycle to plan and implement improvements.
- System Administration
- In collaboration with our support partner, Net at Work, maintain the Acumatica Cloud ERP system and related applications.
- Monitor system performance, ensuring stability and security.
- Manage user accounts, permissions, and access controls.
- Troubleshoot and resolve system issues promptly, submitting a help ticket to Net at Work or Acumatica, as needed.
- Coordinate and implement system updates, patches, and upgrades.
- Coordinate and implement integration activities between Acumatica and other lines of business applications.
- Develop and Maintain ALS’ “Acumatica Roadmap”, which includes a rolling prioritized list of desired fixes or improvements, report/dashboard requests, and planned annual enhancements.
- Business Analysis
- Collaborate with departments to understand business needs and requirements as ALS continues to grow.
- Analyze current business processes and workflows to identify inefficiencies.
- Develop and document detailed business requirements and specifications to inform enhancement needs.
- Provide recommendations for process improvements and system enhancements.
- Assist in the design and implementation of new Acumatica ERP modules and features.
- Conduct user training sessions and create instructional/support materials.
- Develop generic inquiries, side panels, dashboards, and forms as needed to meet business requirements as articulated in the Acumatica Roadmap.
- Ensure compliance with all company policies, state and federal law licensing requirements regarding seed sales and treatment.
- Attend and participate in staff meetings and training sessions as required by the Albert Lea Seed House.
- Perform other job and work related responsibilities, tasks and projects as needed or assigned.
Qualifications
Knowledge, Skills and Personal Attributes
- Demonstrate the ability to plan, prioritize and organize to effectively manage multiple projects and activities with minimal direction. Respond to change in a flexible manner to meet evolving department needs.
- Communicate effectively verbally and in writing – is comfortable and effective at speaking to groups of employees. Is cooperative, accommodating and exhibits a customer service attitude.
- Exhibit a high degree of ethical conduct and discretion. Exercise good judgement and exemplify professional behavior at all times with accountability, integrity and follow-through.
- Remain current on all required trainings and certifications.
- Adhere to department procedures regarding punctuality and attendance and exhibit flexibility and cooperation with shift scheduling.
- Support the Albert Lea Seed House mission.
Education, Credentials and Experience
- Experience within Information Technology, Computer Science, Business Administration, or related field.
- Experience as a System Administrator and/or Business Analyst, preferably with Acumatica Cloud ERP.
- Strong technical knowledge of Acumatica Cloud ERP.
- Proficiency in database management, query development, and utilization of business intelligence tools like Power BI.
- Ability to communicate complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders.
- Strong organizational and time management skills.
Competencies
- Analytical Skills: Willingness and tenacity to document and analyze business rules, processes and workflows using a common approach and shared templates.
- Communication Skills: Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to understand and convey ALS team member/subject matter expert concerns and expectations, maintain strong relationships across the organization (even during times of tension), convey complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders, and proactively and respectfully raise your personal concerns and frustrations.
- Problem-Solving: Ability to identify problems, analyze their root causes, and propose potential solutions.
- Attention to Detail: Ability to create and review data or technical documents to ensure accuracy in requirement gathering, data preparation, and documentation.
- Team Collaboration: Ability to work effectively as a core project team, with subject matter experts, and with Net at Work support.
- Persistence, Curiosity and Adaptability: Flexibility to adapt to changing project needs as new information becomes available throughout the project. Continuously seek out opportunities to learn about Acumatica and how ALS can continue to leverage the product to serve customers.
Physical Demands
- Must be able to sit and stand for extended periods of time.
- Must be able to lift 50 pounds without assistance and 50+ pounds with assistance.
- Bending, twisting and reaching conducive to an office environment.
Job Type: Full-time
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Employee assistance program
- Employee discount
- Flexible spending account
- Health insurance
- Health savings account
- Life insurance
- Mileage reimbursement
- Paid time off
- Paid training
- Parental leave
- Profit sharing
- Vision insurance
Schedule:
- 8 hour shift
- Day shift
- Monday to Friday
- Weekend availability
Supplemental pay types:
- Bonus pay
Work Location: Flexible with frequent travel to Albert Lea, MN HQ.
To apply for any of our open positions, please download and complete an employment application. The application is electronically fillable but works best when opened in Acrobat or Reader rather than your Internet browser. Please send completed application and resume to Nicole Hansen, Human Resources Manager, at nicole@alseed.com.
Sales Agronomist – Albert Lea, MN or Ames, IA
Come join an independent seed company that’s dedicated to helping farmers succeed as a Sales Agronomist. Work primarily at either our Albert Lea, MN or Ames, IA location helping farmers make the best agronomic decisions for the way they want to farm. Consult with customers and prospects in-person and over the phone. We support all farmers, small and large, conventional and organic, with hundreds of seed products. If working in a fast-paced environment that supports a sustainable and diverse agriculture appeals to you, please apply! We offer competitive wages, bonus’, employee discounts, employee assistance program (EAP) and so much more!
General Production
In-Store and Over-the-Phone Sales and Agronomy
- Greet walk-in customers and answer questions, place orders and process payments.
- Be familiar with out products to assist customers in seed selection for their farm
- Organic and conventional seed
- Viking and Blue River brand corn, soybeans, and alfalfa
- Cover crops and small grains
- Grasses, grazing, and pasture mixes
- Lawn seed, conservation reserve seed, and wildlife food plot seed
- Advise on crop, soil, insect and disease management topics
- Answer phone calls and process orders to ship or for future pickup.
- Become fluent in computer software and phone system
- Provide additional customer support: scale-in and receive bulk load shipments, complete product licensing agreements, arrange shipment, provide necessary documentation for customer’s organic certification
- Work in-store for training, during annual conference, and at other key times
- Attend weekly sales and office team meetings
- Provide clear and effective communication between customers, other sales associates, and warehouse staff
- Infrequent on-farm visits as requested by customers and approved by supervisor
Skills and Abilities Desired
- Strong communications skills.
- Desire and ability to learn fast and apply knowledge in a practical and friendly way.
- Willingness and ability to adopt technology to assist customers in person and over the phone.
- Commitment to farmer success.
- Passion for contributing to a strong and diverse American agriculture.
Continued Education
- Attend 3-5 events per year.
- Attend field days (mainly in IA, MN, and WI).
- University or county events.
- Conferences (such as MOSES, MN Organic Conference, IA Organic Conference, Midwest Cover Crops Council).
Qualifications
Knowledge, Skills, and Personal Attributes
- Demonstrate the ability to plan, prioritize and organize to effectively manage multiple projects and activities with minimal direction. Respond to change in a flexible manner to meet evolving department needs.
- Communicate effectively verbally and in writing – is comfortable and effective at speaking to groups of employees. Is cooperative, accommodating and exhibits a customer service attitude.
- Exhibit a high degree of ethical conduct and discretion. Exercise good judgement and exemplify professional behavior at all times with accountability, integrity and follow-through.
- Remain current on all required trainings and certifications.
- Adhere to department procedures regarding punctuality and attendance and exhibit flexibility and cooperation with shift scheduling.
- Support the Albert Lea Seed House mission
Education, Credentials and Experience
- Two years of agronomy or farm experience preferred; along with familiarity with farm seed.
- Proficient in Microsoft Office products, accurate keyboarding and general office equipment familiarity.
- Strong organization and communication skills and attention to detail.
Physical Demands
- Must be able to sit and stand for extended periods of time
- Must be able to lift 50 pounds without assistance and 50+ pounds with assistance
- Bending, twisting and reaching conducive to both an office and warehouse environment.
Other Responsibilities
- Ensure compliance with all company policies, state and federal law licensing requirements regarding seed sales and treatment.
- Attend and participate in staff meetings and training sessions as required by the Albert Lea Seed House.
- Perform other job and work related responsibilities, tasks and projects as needed or assigned.
Job Type: Full-time
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Employee assistance program
- Employee discount
- Flexible spending account
- Health insurance
- Health savings account
- Life insurance
- Mileage reimbursement
- Paid time off
- Paid training
- Parental leave
- Profit sharing
- Vision insurance
Schedule:
- 8 hour shift
- Day shift
- Monday to Friday
- Weekend availability
Supplemental pay types:
- Bonus pay
Experience:
- Direct sales: 1 year (Preferred)
- Agronomy: 1 year (Preferred)
- Regenerative Agriculture: 1 year (Preferred)
Work Location: On site
To apply for any of our open positions, please download and complete an employment application. The application is electronically fillable but works best when opened in Acrobat or Reader rather than your Internet browser. Please send completed application and resume to Nicole Hansen, Human Resources Manager, at nicole@alseed.com.
Regional Sales Manager – East Coast (NY or PA Preferred)
Passionate about sustainable and organic agriculture? We are looking for a constant learner, strong communicator, and relationship builder who gets excited about the opportunity to build a business by developing new dealers, helping current dealers grow their business, and calling directly on farmers in underserved areas in the East Coast Region. Join us to help build and manage a territory by developing strong relationships with dealers, farmers and end users to position Albert Lea Seed, Blue River, and Viking brand seed products.
Build and Grow Dealer Relationships
- Recruit and onboard new dealers.
- Work closely with current dealers on their business plan to ensure they are meeting their goals.
- Train, encourage, and develop dealers as they work to meet their goals.
- Be the go-to product expert for dealers and their customers – train dealers on products and help with any agronomic questions.
- Promote Albert Lea Seed House and our product lines to build brand presence on the Easy Coast.
Grow Product Sales
- Develop and implement sales plan for territory to grow sales of organic and non-GMO corn and soybeans.
- Develop and maintain relationships with dealers and key customers.
- Organize and execute on-farm plots and field days.
- Collaborate with marketing team on sales objectives and contribute to development of marketing content including video, digital and print.
- Work closely with dealer network, account managers, operations, product, and marketing team to achieve regional business objectives.
- Call directly on farmers in underserved areas to build the business and grow sales.
Training and Education
- Educate dealer network on product agronomic basics, selection, and farm placement.
- Learn how diverse crop species fit into organic and conventional crop rotations.
- Attend field days, university events and conferences.
- Special coursework as needed to increase knowledge.
- Stay up-to-date on the seed industry – stay curious and always learning.
Qualifications and Skills
Knowledge, Skills and Personal Attributes
- Demonstrate the ability to plan, prioritize and organize to effectively manage multiple projects and activities with minimal direction. Respond to change in a flexible manner to meet evolving department needs.
- Communicate effectively verbally and in writing – is comfortable and effective at speaking to groups of employees. Is cooperative, accommodating and exhibits a customer service attitude.
- Strong public speaking and presentation skills – is comfortable on camera and can speak impromptu.
- Exhibit a high degree of ethical conduct and discretion. Exercise good judgement and always exemplify professional behavior with accountability, integrity and follow-through.
- Remain current on all required training and certifications.
- Adhere to department procedures regarding punctuality and attendance and exhibit flexibility and cooperation with shift scheduling.
- Critical soft skills including, confidence, active listening, organization, critical thinking, attention to detail, flexibility and intellectual curiosity.
Education, Credentials and Experience
- Bachelor’s degree in Agronomy, Ag Business or a similar amount of seed industry experience required.
- Computer proficiency in MS office products and Outlook. Ability to learn and operate ERP software.
- Strong organization and communication skills, attention to detail and ability to set appropriate boundaries with staff and customers.
- Knowledge of seed species and varieties.
Benefits
- Competitive starting wage commensurate with education and experience.
- Annual bonuses.
- Full benefits package including: health insurance 401(k) profit sharing plan, paid holidays, paid time off, life insurance, dental and vision insurance, PTO, and Sick time.
- We value our employee’s lives away from work; we offer paid maternity and paternity leave, paid volunteer days, professional development opportunities, and flexible scheduling to support family life.
The Location
This Regional Sales Manager position is based in our East Coast Region. Ideally this person will work remotely in the state of Pennsylvania or New York to support and grow our opportunities within the Eastern region.
Travel
There will be a fair amount of travel required within the Eastern region to visit dealers, farmer customers and trade shows.
To apply for any of our open positions, please download and complete an employment application. The application is electronically fillable but works best when opened in Acrobat or Reader rather than your Internet browser. Please send completed application and resume to Nicole Hansen, Human Resources Manager, at nicole@alseed.com.
To apply for any of our open positions, please download and complete an employment application. The application is electronically fillable but works best when opened in Acrobat or Reader rather than your Internet browser. Please send completed application and resume to Nicole Hansen, Human Resources Manager, at nicole@alseed.com.
Albert Lea Seed House is an equal-opportunity employer. We comply with the applicable laws relating to discrimination and retaliation against qualified applicants or employees in hiring or in any decision affecting job status or pay, based on any legally recognized basis including, but not limited to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, age, marital status, familial status, veteran status. Minorities are encouraged to apply.