Van Solkema Family Farms, LLC located in Byron Center, MI, is a fresh produce grower, shipper and re-packer. We have career opportunities available for two talented and passionate individuals to join our team as sales associates.
As a Sales Associate you will be responsible for managing, developing and maintaining grower/supplier/customer relationships in a team environment. You will network daily with distributors, growers, shippers and distribution partners of fresh produce products.
The role of a Sales Associate is four-dimensional: procurement, transportation, distribution partner and ultimately, end user client satisfaction. You will need to be able to think on your feet and be able to adapt to different situations.
We are looking to fill two Sales Associate positions in Michigan.
- Limited travel by car or airplane with overnight stays
- Extended hours at times
- Minimum 2 Years F.O.B. Sales (or equal experience) of fruits, vegetables and/or dairy products in the food service industry
- Minimum 2 year experience in source buying, business planning
- Knowledge of USDA and PACA requirements
- Must bring clients to the table
- Expand new business by focusing on customer, distributor, supplier’s needs and new marketing opportunities
- Oversee the negotiations of pricing and structured F.O.B. by commodity weekly within given timetables to ensure value, quality, availability, and food safety
- Tactical management of the produce procurement and transportation supply chains
- Monitor inventory levels
- Track customer orders to delivery
- Track rejected product and finalize settlements for invoicing
- Monitor the customers financial responsibilities to VSFF and act accordingly/directed
- Provide general support and assistance to other departments, as assigned
- Bachelor's Degree in Business (preferred)
- Experience in procurement or related/comparable field to the produce industry
- Computer skills including Microsoft Office software - Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook
- The ability to adapt to new required, proprietary computer software programs
- Organizational skills and detail orientation
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Experience and understanding of current software systems
- Bilingual skills (preferred)
Ideal candidates will have a solid understanding of the fresh produce industry, post-harvest, harvest production and seasonality.
Other job related qualities that the candidates must have are the ability to initiate projects, meet deadlines, be a strong negotiator and self-starter with good communication skills, all in an effort to bring value to our customer base, while maintaining and growing the relationships with our business partners.
