Milk Marketing Director

General Purpose:

Develop detailed marketing recommendations and work in conjunction with the senior leader to establish best practices and continuous improvement strategies throughout all aspects of milk marketing, customer service, and transportation while collaborating effectively with all operations within the Area and throughout DFA. Support DFA and Area strategic goals and values and implement and execute Area strategies designed to maximize market share, member income, and marketing opportunities. Ensure the highest level of professional customer, hauler and member services. Serve as an escalation point to manage and resolve most complex, high-risk, or high-profile concerns related to milk marketing. Apply expert-level knowledge of the dairy industry and dairy pricing to make high-impact decisions with autonomy.

Job Duties and Responsibilities:

• In consultation and coordination with the senior leader, address all strategic marketing goals, including base and managed growth programs and new member growth opportunities
• Develop an intimate understanding of regional, national, and international market conditions; competitive activities; and general economic conditions. Provide professional quality market pricing outlook presentations, both verbal and through the development of presentations and other visuals to stakeholders, including Council and other farmer leaders.
• Maintain an accurate understanding of competitive conditions and provide regular updates to senior leaders.
• Oversee and maximize the optimal sales mix of regional sales and marketing activities. Understand the budget process and the resulting impact of performance on producer payments through securing access to beneficial markets and relationships.
• Work closely with plant manufacturing teams to develop a firm understanding of operations and sales opportunities.
• Serve as primary local contact for non-member milk supplies with responsibilities for managing the relationships and milk supply agreements with those entities that we may choose to work with in such a relationship.
• Actively participate in the development and execution of annual and long-range strategic plans and budgets for sales and marketing with senior leadership; maintain expert knowledge of technology support systems, leveraging this understanding to support operational effectiveness, data-driven decision-making, and business objectives.
• Develop and implement solicitation strategies and programs that support and reflect the Area's market share strategy.
• Effectively work with and support transportation/dispatch operations and continuously look for ways to add value to and drive costs out of transportation.
• Effectively work with and support customer service operations and continuously look for ways to add value to and provide exceptional service to customers.
• Coordinate and collaborate with the accounting, producer payroll, and dispatch/hauling departments to ensure that invoices are correctly calculated and sent out in a timely manner and to track timeliness of payment.
• Partner with senior leaders and management in the Area in the development of business management, marketing, and sales strategies. Provide leadership and responsibility for executing the specific strategies to oversee all aspects of sales and the efficient marketing of fluid products, including raw milk and, where applicable, condensed skim milk, cream, and related products.
• Serve as primary local customer contact, managing customer relationships in the region from contract negotiation, reporting, market support, and education of team members. Interact with customers daily, addressing their needs in a manner that provides superior and professional customer service and builds positive relationships for the ultimate benefit of member owners.
• Work to ensure that customer issues or concerns are resolved rapidly and at the local point of contact. Implement corrective actions to eliminate duplication of issues while keeping senior leaders and the broader team fully and immediately informed. Coordinate a cross-functional or inter-departmental response to the issue when required.
• Interact and facilitate regular communication with broader team members within marketing, operations, and accounting to identify, understand, communicate, and resolve any issues related to customer plants and customer relationships. Communicate any changes to customer pricing agreements with the accounting group and verify customer invoicing is consistent with the agreement.
• Conduct special marketing projects and/or studies as assigned.
• Represent DFA and the Area at industry and public events.
• Plan, develop, and manage programs designed to promote the reputation and image of DFA.
• Work as a coach with direct reports to manage performance. Communicate company and cascading goals. Clearly communicate expectations. Assist direct reports in establishing goals that align with department and company goals.
• Identify and develop up-and-coming talent to ensure a robust internal talent pool for future opportunities. Provide ongoing performance feedback. Help the team stay focused on priorities and follow up to ensure success. Actively work with direct reports to cultivate capabilities and utilize their strengths.
• The requirements herein are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by employee, but are not a complete list of responsibilities, duties, and skills required. Other duties may be assigned as required.

Minimum Requirements:

Education and Experience

• Undergraduate degree in agriculture, business, economics, sales and marketing, or related curriculum, or equivalent combination of experience and education
• 10+ years of progressive market analysis and milk marketing or related experience that includes proven capability in positive customer development, sales contract negotiation and execution, customer relations, and proactive problem resolution
• Leadership (team, project) experience preferred
• Certification and/or license may be required during course of employment

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Knowledge of the dairy industry and dairy pricing
• Knowledge and skill with Microsoft Office Suite and company-specific systems
• Strong business acumen, planning, organizational, analytical, and decision-making skills
• Strong leadership and people management skills
• Strong customer service, transportation, and member focus
• Strong negotiation skills
• Strong project management skills
• Exceptional interpersonal and relationship-building skills
• Excellent understanding of marketing and budgeting processes
• Able to lead and build high-performance teams while building strong team collaboration
• Able to effectively problem-solve in an intense, ever-changing environment
• Able to communicate clearly and effectively, both verbally and in writing, for a diverse range of internal and external audiences, including executive levels; able to speak publicly and present to large groups
• Able to interact effectively with a wide variety of people in business and social settings
• Able to consider both strategic and practical implications for proposed course of action
• Able to identify and implement continuous improvement
• Must be able to read, write and speak English

An Equal Opportunity Employer including Disabled/Veterans