Advanta is a global seed business adapting to rapidly increasing food insecurity and climate change by providing farmers with innovation and new technologies. As part of UPL Group, Advanta aims to deliver high quality seeds with excellent agronomic practices and crop protection solutions. Advanta operates in over 80 countries under global brands of Advanta, Alta and Pacific Seeds. Advanta holds a leadership position in tropical and sub-tropical geographies in corn, grain and forage sorghum, sunflower, canola, rice, and a variety of vegetables. With over 60 years' experience in plant genetics, Advanta provides seeds technology that ensures crop performance and farmers prosperity.
Location
Northern Colorado: Fort Collins
Reports To
Sub-Regional Lead and North American Managing Director
Position Overview
The Head of Sales & Marketing is responsible for defining and executing the commercial sales strategy for the company’s sorghum and sunflower Portfolio. The position is a critical leadership role and a key member of the Senior Leadership Team. The position is responsible for business growth and leadership of the company’s sales, marketing, and operations planning. This role owns portfolio P&L, revenue growth, market expansion, brand leadership, and customer engagement while ensuring alignment between sales execution, marketing strategy, product development, and supply alignment. The position combines strategic leadership with hands on commercial execution in a highly specialized agricultural seed market.
Commercial Strategy & Business Leadership
- Define and implement the overall sales and marketing strategy for sorghum and sunflower seed portfolios
- Drive profitable growth through market share expansion, pricing discipline, and portfolio optimization
- Translate company vision into clear commercial objectives, annual operating plans, and KPIs
- Provide strategic input to the leadership team and support long term business planning
- Own revenue forecasts, commercial budgets, and return on investment decisions
Sales Leadership & Channel Execution
- Lead, structure, and develop US sales team
- Design and manage distributor, dealer, and key account strategies
- Oversee territory planning, incentives, performance metrics, and sales capability development
- Lead negotiations for strategic accounts, large growers, and commercial partnerships
- Ensure accurate demand forecasting and alignment with production and supply planning
Marketing, Branding & Demand Generation
- Establish strong product positioning and value propositions for sorghum and sunflower seed offerings
- Lead product launches, lifecycle management, and portfolio prioritization
- Oversee marketing communications, branding, and demand creation initiatives
- Support field marketing activities including trials, demonstrations, field days, and grower meetings
- Ensure consistent, agronomically credible messaging across all markets and channels
Market & Product Development
- Monitor market trends, grower needs, competitor activity, and regional production dynamics
- Collaborate closely with R&D, breeding, and agronomy teams to shape the product pipeline
- Provide commercial input into hybrid advancement, trait development, and market suitability
- Support stewardship, product quality, and regulatory compliance in commercial operations
Cross Functional Collaboration
- Partner with Supply Chain on production planning, inventory levels, and allocation decisions
- Work with Finance and Product Management on pricing strategy, margin management, and performance tracking
- Collaborate with HR on talent development, leadership succession, and organizational capability
- Align with Quality and Operations teams to ensure compliant commercialization
Qualifications & Experience
Education
- Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture, Agronomy, Business, Marketing, or related field
- MBA or advanced degree preferred
Experience
- 12+ years of progressive commercial experience in the seed or agricultural inputs industry
- Demonstrated leadership experience in sales, marketing, or general management roles
- Strong experience with sorghum, sunflower, or comparable row‑crop seed markets
- Proven success managing dealer/distributor networks and key accounts
- Experience leading multi‑region or cross‑border commercial teams
- P&L ownership and strategic planning experience strongly preferred
Core Competencies & Skills
- Strategic commercial sales leadership with strong execution focus
- Deep understanding of crop production systems and grower decision making
- Excellent leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills
- Strong negotiation and pricing strategy capabilities
- Data driven mindset; experience with CRM, forecasting, and analytics tools
- Ability to balance long term portfolio strategy with short term market realities
- Willingness to travel extensively (30–50%)
Success Metrics (KPIs)
- Revenue growth and profitability
- Market share gains in sorghum and sunflower seed
- New product adoption and portfolio performance
- Forecast accuracy and inventory optimization
- Customer, dealer, and distributor satisfaction
- Sales and marketing team engagement and development
What We Offer
- Competitive compensation package with performance incentives
- Vehicle, travel, and benefits
- Opportunity to shape the long term direction of a specialized seed business
- Leadership role with visibility, influence, and growth potential
We are one team, for maximum impact. One team with shared goals. We all play for the team and no one plays against the team. We have a laser-like focus on what our customers need and want, on anticipating their future needs and on how we can create innovative solutions and experiences for them.
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