Commercial Sales Manager

We are the nationwide leader in home gardening! A privately owned and operated seed, plant, and hard goods company, selling across all channels to millions of gardeners every year. We are passionate about quality, innovation, and making home gardening a successful experience. Burpee has been in business for almost one hundred fifty years and is the most trusted brand in home gardening. This is your opportunity to become a valued team member of a trusted industry leader.

Trusted by gardeners for nearly 150 years, Burpee now offers a handpicked selection of non-GMO seeds in large quantities for market growers and CSA farmers. These quality varieties include USDA certified organics and heirlooms, all chosen to fill farm stands with delicious vegetables and eye-catching flowers.

With a focus on long and short-term sales goals, the Commercial Sales Manager is responsible for managing existing commercial growers and scaling new customer growth for Burpee’s commercial seed business, Farmer’s Market. This role leads the development and execution of business plans and objectives, customer acquisition, and meets revenue goals.

The ideal candidate has an entrepreneurial mindset and is an excellent relationship builder focused on qualitative and quantitative results.

Key areas of responsibility include providing region-specific support, product knowledge, and guidance on crop planning, variety selection, and emerging trends, ultimately helping growers achieve their goals.

Location:

300 Park Ave. Warminster, PA. Bucks County or Greater Philadelphia is preferred Hybrid schedule as travel is required.

Key Responsibilities:

This role will spearhead sales efforts to scale awareness, grow new and returning customers, and develop distributor and co-marketing relationships in collaboration with the Marketing and Product Development teams.

Sales and Business Development:

Responsible for the day-to-day execution of the annual commercial sales plan. Develop a multi-year plan to grow the Farmer’s Market customer base and revenue. Work with Planning & Operations to ensure timely production for short- and long-term views. P&L management of commercial seed business and associated budget.

Customer Relationship Management:

Build and maintain strong relationships with commercial growers, distributors, and farming trade organizations within the United States. Explore and nurture new avenues for attracting customers and driving business growth. Grow digital and direct mail lists of prospects and work with the marketing team on innovative marketing plans for acquisition/retention.

Field Support:

Conduct field visits, demonstrations, trade show participation, and trials to provide hands-on support to growers.

Technical Expertise:

Provide growers with expert knowledge on crop planning, variety selection, and best practices for their specific needs. Build relationships with key educational institutions and best-in-class farms to execute trials and provide qualitative and quantitative feedback.

Product Knowledge and Planning:

Ensure a competitive product portfolio (assortment, pricing, sizing). Stay up to date on Burpee’s products and be able to effectively communicate benefits to growers. Conduct annual Farmer’s Market portfolio review and collaborate with internal and external trial teams to ensure Burpee’s portfolio meets quality standards and is poised to fill farm stands with delicious vegetables and eye-catching flowers. Launch commercial introductions of varieties, together with Product, Marketing, and Operations teams.

Trend Awareness:

Identify and communicate emerging trends and challenges in the farming industry to growers and internal teams.

Communication and Reporting:

Maintain accurate records of customer interactions, sales activities, and market insights. Synthesize market trends, consumer needs, and category performance into coherent and actionable strategies aligned with business goals. Provide business case and ROI projections for new initiatives.

Required Skills and Experience:

• 5 years of experience in commercial growing, seed sales, farming, or other relevant business.
• B.S. Degree in horticulture, or related field.
• Sales territory management.
• P&L and budget development and management.
• Strong communication and customer service skills.
• Ability to build strategic plans and execute them.
• Industry relationship development, presenting, networking, and stakeholder management.
• Ability to effectively communicate with growers and build strong relationships through presentations and 1:1 interactions.
• Knowledge of crop production, plant biology, and pest/disease management.
• Self-starter with an entrepreneurial spirit, able to work independently and collaborate with cross-functional teams.
• Digitally savvy with a solid understanding of online and field tactics for business growth and development.