Technical & Marketing Advisor Row Crops

Job Id: 4169- City: PAARL CAPE, Western Cape, South Africa- Department: Marketing- Function: Sales, Marketing and Alliance- Employee Type: Permanent Full Time- Seniority Level: Not Applicable- Description:

- **TECHNICAL & MARKETING ADVISOR (Row Crops)**

**________________________________________________**
- This document describes the responsibilities and main duties of the position. The list of responsibilities and tasks is not exhaustive. They can be adapted to the organization and to the needs of the service and the company._

**Business Manager Cape**
- Department: Marketing_
- Position: Technical & Marketing Advisor_
- Location: Paarl, South Africa_
- Regional reporting: Darren Hume, Commercial Manager: Cape_
- Department reporting: Hein van der Merwe, Marketing Manager: South Africa_
- Geographical scope: Western Cape_
- Key Crops: Row Crops, Vegetables, Ag Tech_
- Field support mentor: George Ainslie (Business Manager: Eastern
- & Southern & Western Cape)_

**Main mission**

To assist the UPL field team in the designated region to grow the business and support key customers. To improve customer relationships and generate good customer intelligence to support the Commercial team. To assist the team to identify key product gaps in the UPL portfolio. Technical assistance to growers and field agents on key crops. Assist global team with UPL corporate branding and brand image improvement. Assist the Cape team in product demonstrations and Demonstration plots to engage with Field Agents and producers.

**ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES (includes the following)**
- (Please provide a short description under each heading/output)_

**Time spent**

Technical
- Technical support in the Swartland, Sandveld and Overberg (secondary) regions
- Key Crops: Row crops, Vegetables, and minor crops in the region
- Technical and Product training for Nexus Agents & Technical team.
- Technical Field visits both Agents & Growers

Technical assistance for UPL, AgTech tools such as CropVision

30%

Field Agent support
- Demo Trials on Key crops & products
- Demonstration Plots with Nexus
- Pre-Launch product trials for Marketing purposes
- Spray program discussion/planning and feedback with Key Agents
- Communication to Key Agents on UPL stock, new product registrations and extensions

25%

Marketing
- Assistance to the Regional Marketing & Business Development manager
- Content creation for Key crops & products
- Assisting the sales team with pricing strategies by communicating field intelligence
- One-Pagers / Sell sheet of UPL products
- Agent visits / Field days with Growers with the focus on Marketing of UPL brand
- WhatsApp, E-mails updates to Key customers on marketing material
- Marketing Events and Promotions
- Market segmentation of Products and Agents
- General UPL corporate brand marketing by being visible in the field

15%

Portfolio Management
- Assist Cape team to identify future needs (Portfolio meeting)
- Assist Crop Champions with field data on Agent needs and shortfalls
- Identify label extension for Key crops & products
- Planning of product launch of future registration in conjunction with Business Managers

15%

Product claims
- Assist in complaint handling process
- Bioassays with relation to potential problem products at the request of Regional Marketing & Business Development manager
- Agents visit with Business Manager to assess the situation and provide feedback to the UPL team

5%

Administration & Development
- Administration support for UPL
- Feedback and reporting did in time and of a high standard
- Participate in social media & WhatsApp share of Marketing and Field events
- Assistance to UPL demo personnel where needed
- Training and career development

5%

Industry bodies
- CropLife meetings
- Industry bodies (Grain SA, Soill, Potato SA etc.)
- Update Canola passport etc.

5%

**Key competencies required for the role**

**Skills**:
Change management, Communication, Team player, Creativity, Customer focus, Individual development, People Leadership, Result orientation

**Educational background / Experience**:

- BSC Agric degree (preferable in Agronomy, Plant Pathology or Entomology)
- AVCASA / BASOS
- 2+ years’ experience in Agricultural environment