Director, Strategic Accounts

Description Essential Responsibilities: Strategic Account Management Serve as the primary relationship owner for assigned accounts, building trusted partnerships with senior commercial, technical, and category management stakeholders. Develop and execute customized account strategies aligned with both the partner’s business objectives and Verdesian’s commercial goals. Create and maintain annual and multi-year strategic plans for each assigned account, including revenue targets, program milestones, and growth initiatives. Lead joint business planning sessions, annual operating reviews, and quarterly business reviews with each account. Map internal decision-making processes at each account; identify the stakeholders who approve, influence, and champion new programs and chemistry. Revenue Growth & Program Development Identify and pursue revenue growth opportunities including new product placements, private label, co-formulation, and white-label programs, and volume expansion within existing programs. Negotiate commercial terms for new and existing programs including pricing, volume commitments, exclusivity provisions, and co-marketing support. Develop and execute competitive displacement strategies where Verdesian chemistry should replace competing products in the account’s portfolio. Where applicable, structure commercial agreements that protect Verdesian’s intellectual property position before volume scale makes renegotiation difficult. Partner with Marketing to develop account-facing campaigns, programs, and promotional initiatives. Collaborate with field account managers and agronomists to design and implement pull-through strategies that drive product movement and grower adoption. Cross-Functional Coordination Coordinate internal resources — including Marketing, Supply Chain, Regulatory, Finance, and Product Development — to ensure Verdesian’s commitments to assigned accounts are met. Represent assigned accounts internally as their commercial advocate; ensure partner requirements are reflected in product, supply, and pricing decisions. Work with legal and commercial leadership to develop and execute structured commercial agreements including preferred supplier, exclusivity, and co-formulation arrangements as applicable. Monitor competitive activity, pricing moves, and evolving customer needs across assigned account geographies; provide regular intelligence to commercial leadership. Reporting & Performance Tracking Accurately forecast sales on a monthly and quarterly basis with account and product-level detail; proactively communicate risks and opportunities to the VP, Business Development. Track and report key performance indicators across assigned accounts including revenue, program adoption, competitive win/loss, and milestone achievement. Maintain accurate account plans, pipeline records, and CRM documentation. Provide regular updates to leadership on account health, risks, growth opportunities, and decisions requiring executive support. Required Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture, Business, or related field; MBA preferred. 8+ years of experience in strategic account management, commercial leadership, or sales in agriculture or a related industry. Proven ability to manage complex, multi-stakeholder accounts and drive collaborative, competitive growth. Experience developing and executing joint business plans with major ag retail, cooperative, or distributor partners. Demonstrated ability to negotiate structured commercial agreements including program terms, exclusivity provisions, private label, or co-formulation arrangements. Experience developing and executing pull-through strategies in partnership with field teams. Strong communication, presentation, negotiation, and strategic planning skills. Ability to travel nationally as needed (40–50%). Proficiency with Microsoft Office and CRM systems. Valid driver’s license and ability to travel as required. Preferred Attributes: Direct commercial experience managing national-scale agricultural cooperatives, large distributors, or major retail/dealer networks at the corporate level. Experience with private label, co-formulation, white-label, or tolling-type program development in agriculture. Familiarity with Verdesian products, including micronutrient efficiency technologies, biologicals, or seed treatments. Experience navigating centralized technical procurement or co-formulation approval processes inside a major program. Experience designing and executing pull-through strategies in partnership with field teams and independent retailers. Strong understanding of the U.S. agricultural retail landscape, cooperative structures, and dealer economics. Track record of competitive displacement wins in the ag inputs space. Track record of building platform-level partnerships rather than transactional account relationships. Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are the representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to stand, walk; and stoop or kneel. The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to ten pounds, occasionally lift and/or move up to twenty pounds, and rarely lift and/or move more than twenty-five pounds. The employee’s work includes office/home office tasks and outdoor field work in varying weather conditions. Ability to lift and carry demonstration/trial materials as needed and to walk fields for scouting and evaluations. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.