[Hiring] Member Relations Ag Manager @Land O'Lakes

Role Description

The Member Relations Ag Manager facilitates and builds a strong relationship with our Ag Member Owners, gathers and shares insights, and delivers value-added services to strengthen the cooperative system. In this role, the Member Relations Ag Manager works with cooperatives to understand their needs and collaborates with them to develop cooperative system leaders, enhance governance practices, and amplify ag voices to influence local, state, and federal agricultural policy.

• Establish a trusted relationship with cooperative CEOs, Board Chairs and other leaders to gather and share insights & deliver value-added services, deliver patronage and equity, and member services.
• Partner with cooperative leaders to facilitate Governing for Excellence training modules on key governance topics such as: CEO selection & succession, meeting essentials, equity management, engagement & representation.
• Set strategy for, design, and facilitate regional ag member engagements, events and forums.
• Collaborate with internal partners to bring relevant thought leadership topics and conversations to Member Owners.
• Collaborate with Land O’Lakes market facing team including Retail Growth Services, Winfield United, talent management, and others as appropriate.
• Collaborate with internal partners to share insights on Member Owner needs to ensure internal programming is value added for Member Owners.
• Partner with the Government Relations team to provide opportunities for Member Owners to amplify their voice and advocate for important policies for agriculture.
• Assist with event execution when a policy maker is visiting a Member Owner or hosting a policy round-table event.
• The ability to travel up to 30% with occasional work outside the typical work week.

Qualifications

• 4-year degree (preferred degree in business or agriculture) or equivalent work experience.
• 7 or more years of experience connecting and engaging with cooperative leadership and farmers, including financial acumen proficiency to interpret and discuss financial concepts, including patronage, with ease and accuracy.
• Cooperative and/or Ag Retail service experience required.

Requirements

• Demonstrated ability to quickly develop and maintain relationships with credibility.
• Demonstrated strong executive presence by exhibiting confidence and professionalism in interactions with senior leaders and stakeholders.
• Influence without authority by effectively persuading and guiding others to achieve desired outcomes, even without direct control.
• Demonstrated communication excellence by delivering clear, concise, and impactful messages in both written and verbal forms.
• Ability to conduct consultative conversations to understand opportunities, needs, and ways to strengthen partnerships.
• Ability to collaborate by working with others to identify and implement solutions that benefit all parties involved.
• Strong problem-solving and analytical thinking skillsets.
• Experience with Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tools.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, vision, PTO, life & disability insurance, education assistance, a 401k and a variety of well-being resources for most full-time roles.
• Most part-time employees are eligible for prorated PTO, holiday pay, employee development programs, prorated education assistance, and a 401(k).