Vestaron is leading a peptide-based revolution in crop protection. The company is dedicated to improving the safety, efficacy and sustainability of crop protection through migration from chemical pesticides to biological peptides. Vestaron’s peptides provide growers with novel crop protection solutions that address proven targets and provide efficacy on par with or better than traditional chemical pesticides. Its peptides overcome existing resistance issues while offering a desired safety profile for workers, beneficials and the environment. Vestaron has earned global recognition for its work, including the inaugural 2015 Bernard Blum Award for a novel biocontrol solution, the prestigious Green Chemistry Challenge Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 2020 and “Best New Biologic Product” at the 2021 IHS Markit Crop Science Awards.
The Opportunity:
Vestaron is currently recruiting a Strategic Account Manager to join our team in serving the Northern California Market reporting to the Sr Director, Strategic Accounts. The Account Manager will be responsible for the management of non-retail strategic accounts, primarily consisting of Growers, In house agronomist and Independent Consultants. If you have an entrepreneurial passion for providing new technical solutions to growers and helping contribute within a high-performance start-up culture, this job is for you.
Responsibilities:

• Responsible for the management of strategic grower accounts and independent consultants.
• Identify and develop potential new grower and influencer relationships.
• Represent Vestaron with strategic organizations like:
  • Leafy Greens Marketing Association
  • Arizona Crop Protection Association
• Focus on supporting geography and crop growth initiatives.
• Develop and execute grower account plans to meet sales targets.
• Obtain and communicate grower use needs, both in volumes they will be purchasing and which retailer they will be purchasing from.
• Work closely with the Territory sales manager to maximize geographical growth.
• Support Vestaron at grower, UC Extension and commodity groups ‘growth & influence’ meetings.
• Obtain and communicate competitive practices and assist in the assessment of competitive information.
• Function as a Team Player identifying issues and opportunities with Field development, Marketing and Sales.
• Travel as required to service territory responsibilities.

Requirements:

• Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Agriculture or related Life Science
• Certified Crop Advisor or MBA a plus
• 5 years sales experience
• Key contributor on complex projects
• Services new and existing business opportunities with key accounts (including national accounts) within a sales territory. Seeks assistance, when necessary, to build account strategies
• Demonstrated ability to make decisions under minimum supervision; occasionally makes decisions of a complex nature within operating guidelines
• Demonstrated the ability to make independent judgments with review from management; makes decisions of a complex nature where independent judgment and creativity are required
• Demonstrated ability to negotiate with middle to senior management.
• Has lead projects or special assignment involving work outside the area/region.
• Proven track record with the ability to make instant impact on sales in a given territory.
• Serves as a valuable resource to others within the sales organization.
• Leads projects with little guidance required.

Why Join Us?
Join the Revolution…
With an innovative and accomplished leadership team guiding our day-to-day wins, and a Board with a long-term vision that supports our efforts, we set out daily to improve the safety, efficacy and sustainability of crop protection through migration from synthetic pesticides to peptide-based biopesticides. Our team is empowered to solve problems and find solutions that will advance the science and commercialization of peptides. If you’re seeking a career that taps into your talents and contributes to harnessing the Power of Peptides® for the benefit of the environment and industry, we just may have a job for you. We know our employees are our most valuable asset, and our culture conveys that.
In 2019 we opened our headquarter in the heart of RTP (Research Triangle Park, NC), a global center of Agricultural Technology and Innovation. Our offices are located on Stirrup Creek Drive, a vibrant work environment where the development of restaurants, shops and hotels is underway.
Our R&D center is in Kalamazoo, MI, within the Western Michigan University Innovation Center. The 69,000-square-foot, purpose-built incubator and co-working space was created to support companies from the earliest start-ups to maturing organizations with office and conference space, high-quality shared scientific equipment and resources, and a wide range of support services.
We offer a competitive benefits package, to support the health and happiness of our staff.
We invite you to apply to join a company developing the products, processes, and relationships to lead the advancement of the biological peptide industry, beginning with the pesticide markets.
An Equal Opportunity Employer
Vestaron is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind. All employment decisions at Vestaron are based on business needs, job requirements and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion or belief, national, social or ethnic origin, sex (including pregnancy), age, physical, mental or sensory disability, HIV Status, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, marital, civil union or domestic partnership status, past or present military service, family medical history or genetic information, family or parental status, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate.