TECHNICAL SERVICE SPECIALIST, ONTARIO

Job Id: 11016
City:Canada, Ontario, Canada
Department: Support
Function: Field Research & Technical Development
Employee Type: Permanent Full Time
Seniority Level: Mid-Senior level
Description:
UPL NA (NSE: UPL & BSE: 512070, LSE: UPLL) is a global provider of sustainable agriculture products and solutions, with annual revenue exceeding $6bn. We are a purpose-led company. Through OpenAg®, UPL is focused on accelerating progress for the food system. We are building a network that is reimagining sustainability, redefining the way an entire industry thinks and works – open to fresh ideas, innovation, and new answers as we strive towards our mission to make every single food product more sustainable. As one of the largest agriculture solutions companies worldwide, our robust portfolio consists of biologicals and traditional crop protection solutions with more than 14,000 registrations. We are present in more than 130 countries, represented by more than 10,000 colleagues globally. For more information about our integrated portfolio of solutions across the food value chain including seeds, post-harvest, as well as physical and digital services, please visit upl-ltd.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
JOB SUMMARY: Reporting directly to the Technical Service Lead, Canada, the Technical Service Specialist (TSS) is responsible for the technical sales support for all Ag divisions within the assigned territory and will be secondary support for all products. This person will work closely with the sales team and in addition to supporting sales, the TSS will work with key influencers (researchers, consultants, university contacts, growers, distribution technical staff) to set up research and demonstration trials to identify new opportunities and improve product performance. The TSS should be aligned with UPL sales and marketing goals to position the product portfolio for a successful launch of new products. This person should also steward the products in their region for sustainability of the portfolio as well as customer satisfaction.

REQUIRED SKILLS/EXPERIENCE:

• B.S. in an Agricultural discipline with experience in crop protection sales, research or technical service is preferred and a M.S/Ph.D. is ideal.
• Experience with major regional crops, experience of agronomic, cropping practices and setting up field trials, analyzing data, interpreting results required.
• Experience working on/around farm equipment a plus.
• Must be a self-starter with the proven ability to understand, influence and relate to customers, regulatory agencies, university and contract researchers, and coworkers across the company.
• Must work well independently with a team structure.
• Must have ability to understand and present clear, concise data to individuals and in a group setting.
• Must have effective presentation skills.
• Must be able to analyze, interpret and act upon complex data and analyze and solve complex problems.
• Strong time-management, problem-solving and communication skills are also required.
• Must be able to adapt to change in a rapidly growing sales and support organization.
• This position is required to live within the assigned territory of Ontario.
• Must be proficient in Microsoft office programs (Word/Excel/PowerPoint/Outlook).

ESSENTIAL DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Work closely with assigned Territory Sales Managers (TSM) and their customers to generate interest in UPL products and show value to the end user to generate pull-through sales and demand.
• Develop relationships with distributors/retailers to promote targeted UPL products.
• Evaluate distributor proprietary products that can be used in conjunction with UPL products.
• Work closely with distributors/retailers to demonstrate efficacy and value.
• Help define and refine application techniques for new and established UPL brands.
• Understand and effectively communicate competitive intelligence and market trends (Verbal & Written).
• Respond to technical service inquiries from customers and sales/service team members in a timely fashion. Analyze inquiries to be able to identify trends leading to emerging issues.
• Work closely with marketing to provide support for the creation and presentation of training materials, and to act as a resource in the development of crop plans.
• Work closely with technical development managers to identify trial locations, summarize, and share data, and build out launch plans to support new product introductions.
• Provide training to sales team members, distribution partners/retailers and customers on products via virtual and in person presentations.
• Identify, plan, place and record all market support trials in the assigned territory.
• Responsible for coordinating and collecting data for demonstration within the assigned territory.
• Represent the company at trade events or industry functions as assigned.
• Other duties as assigned by manager.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Number of direct reports – 0
• Number of indirect reports – 0
  TRAVEL: Approximately 60%-70% of time on the job. Limited overnight.