Grain Originator

Position Overview: This position will provide leadership and direction for Keystone grain purchasing at the assigned location or territory.  The role requires customer service, extensive networking and communication with farmer producers, coordination with grain elevator operations, and collaboration with fellow grain division team members. 

Duties and Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Plan, develop, and implement grain purchasing strategies and tactics, in accordance with Keystone policies and guidelines established through working with the Director of Grain Merchandising 

• Coordinate strategies and tactics to align with grain elevator logistics 

• Coordinate strategies and tactics to align sales efforts  

• Maximize margins by interacting at all levels of a customer’s operation, gain in depth knowledge and insight to the customer’s goals, drivers, and initiatives, to align origination tactics with customer marketing plans 

• Target customer approach 

• Professional on-farm sales calls 

• Recommend risk management strategies and products 

• As part of a total farm approach to marketing, build a working relationship with agronomic sales team members 

• Participate in sales calls with agronomy sales team members 

• Support agronomic sales efforts 

• Maintain a futures position for assigned location or territory, regarding routine hedge needs 

• Maintain account and sales call records, including customer profiles. 

• Gather information regarding local competition and communicate to the appropriate stakeholders 

• Position and promote Keystone as the most credible source of grain information 

• Explain agricultural markets, local basis, and contracts to our farmer customers 

• Participate in informative farmer meetings 

• Provide customer service and act as one of the primary points of contact for customers 

• Adhere to all safety requirements 

• Ensure compliance with all state and federal regulations 

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Skills and Qualifications: 

• Understanding of grain business, including basic merchandising, and local market analysis 

• Strong interpersonal communication skills (face-to-face, verbal, written, electronic), with a demonstrated ability to build strong relationships 

• Demonstrated ability to plan and implement a variety of on-farm sales calls 

• Excellent organization skills and ability to work well within strict time frames 

• Solid understanding of grain basis/futures trading and the application of those to the farmer in production agriculture 

• Ability and willingness to work long hours, travel, and be on call, as business conditions warrant 

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Education and Experience: 

• Bachelor’s degree in agriculture or business preferred, or a combination of related experience