Technical Service Specialist - Manitoba

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 Manitoba 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.

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.

REQUIRED SKILLS/EXPERIENCE:

• M.S. in an Agricultural discipline with experience in crop protection sales, research or technical service is preferred and a Ph.D. is nice to have. 
• 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 Manitoba.
• Must be proficient in Microsoft office programs (Word/Excel/PowerPoint/Outlook).

UPL COMPETENCIES:

Adaptability & Resilience: Recognizes and is open to changing circumstances and alters behavior and scales up as necessary; increases personal awareness and appreciation of individual and cultural differences to create an open, inclusive, and accepting workplace.

Entrepreneurial Mindset: Has a creative mindset and ability to think holistically, takes calculated risks and maximizes opportunities.

Results Orientations: Takes action, pursues goals with persistence and achieves results; communicates goals and vision to the team to drive enthusiasm and ambition.

Execution Excellence: Enhances the speed of execution and builds efficiency in processes, systems and people; has sharp focus on quality-orientation.

Strategic Orientation: Demonstrates knowledge of the social, economic, and environmental factors and how they impact the business. Identifies key issues that could impact the business and develops strategy through an analytical lens / design thinking.

Building Teams and Talent: Empowers colleagues through knowledge sharing and delegation, quickly establishing rapport; provides recognition for achievements and accomplishments.

Customer Centricity: Understands the customer needs and pain points, fulfills the needs and expectations by focusing on creating value for customers.