Company Description Agrii is recognized as a true leader within the agricultural sector and are often viewed by competitors as an “ aspirational company to work for ”. They have earned this prestigious positioning. Based in the United Kingdom, Agrii is an operating subsidiary of the global Agri-services group, Origin, and has been changing the landscape of UK agriculture for many years, underpinned by the strategic acquisition of several of the industries most respected regional and national service providers. Today, Agrii is the market leader with more than 250 Crop and Animal Health specialists providing expert advice to more than 20,000 farmers and growers in the UK alone. Agrii is one of the most trusted names in Agriculture and their customer centricity ensures their offer is respected and appreciated by their farmer customers. This ethos is supported by an additional 450 operational/support staff and a logistics/warehousing network which facilitates high levels of stock availability and the quickest, most efficient delivery service in the sector - massively important in the dynamic environments of crop and animal production! Agrii is committed to advancing sustainable and innovative farming practices by tailoring solutions to meet the unique needs of UK farmers. This is achieved by providing fully integrated agronomy and animal health services, precision farming technologies and crop inputs to enhance the productivity, profitability and sustainability of farming operations. This is a rare opportunity to join an industry leader as they plan to strengthen their dominant position in both crop production and animal health markets. The strategy is clear and the company is ready for the challenges ahead – it’s now time to find a Head of Agronomy, UK South, to optimise the opportunity and build on the excellent business base that is already in place. Role Description ngage consulting have been retained by Agrii to recruit a Head of Agronomy (HOA) for the South of the UK. The geographic responsibility includes Wales and the majority of England – the North of England being part of the UK North Region. The successful candidate will be responsible for managing a team of Area Business Managers who, in turn, are responsible for the agronomy and crop input specialist teams. In total, there are approximately 170 individuals in the UK South team tasked with delivering Agrii’s operational and strategic plans. Reporting to the Commercial Director, the HOA, UK South will be part of the senior leadership team and primarily focussed on; · Business Development and Growth · People & Performance Management · Regional Accountability for the 6 pillars which support Agrii’s Strategic Plan · Regional Profit & Loss Accountability Cultural Fit Amongst HR specialists, it’s commonly recognized that organisational culture sets the context for everything an enterprise does. It’s also equally recognised that there is not a one-size-fits-all culture template that meets the needs of all organisations. However, a strong culture is often a common denominator amongst the most successful companies. We have met, and worked with, the Senior Leadership Team from Agrii and, based on their input, we feel that we can give an objective insight into the company culture. We stress that our observations and comments below are made purely to help with the candidates understanding of Agrii. We encourage all candidates to ask searching questions during the interview process. Organisational Values There are three values that come across strongly. The first is a strong sense of people orientation, which translates into an insistence on fairness, tolerance, openness, and respect for the individual. Individuals are empowered, given autonomy within an established framework and are “ trusted to make a difference ”. The second is for service, which encourages team work to deliver the best possible customer experience. The third is commitment. Agriculture is not a 09.00 – 17.00 business and, although there are quieter times in the crop production calendar to “take a breather”, field-based employees need to be available to support their customers when they need it. Degree of Hierarchy There is a low level of hierarchy, which often delivers a relaxed and informal atmosphere. The “door is always open” and people ask questions freely but respectfully. This is not untypical of an innovative, entrepreneurial enterprise. Degree of Urgency Although there are clearly defined areas of responsibility, individuals are expected to use their knowledge, experience and judgement “ to get the job done ”. Although Agrii foster a supportive culture, this is not a role for those that need continual guidance, micro-management or “ cajoling into action ”. People vs Task Orientation As indicated under Core Values, Agrii tend to put people first, customers and staff, when making decisions and they firmly believe that people drive the organisation’s performance and productivity. Functional Orientation Every organisation puts an emphasis on certain functional areas. Here, clearly the focus is on gross margin growth through customer service, trust, honesty and transparency. Key Performance Indicators are rarely discussed with an appreciation of delivering actual performance regardless of how many “ weekly calls have been made ”. Again, this comes down to trust, autonomy and respect. Reward & Recognition Reward programmes are generous and reflect the seniority & importance of the role and revolve around the principle, “ when the company benefits, so to do the individuals ”. Preferred Attitudes & Experience Inspirational & Emotionally Intelligent Leader Experience of sales to end user, not B2B Experience of sales team management A strategist and an implementer Experience within the agri-business or related industries is desirable, but not essential Effective communication, stakeholder engagement, and relationship-building abilities Demonstrable results orientated, performance management culture Ability to work collaboratively in a dynamic, field-based environment