Farm Management Support (FMS) Advisor - Creston

Job Description:
The FMS (Farm Management Support) Advisor for WG Dairy Supply, Inc. Lely Center supports and coaches dairy farmers in their transition to automatic milking and/or feeding.  After this transition, when the dairy famers are experienced, they receive advice to further optimize their farm.  The goals, needs and expectations for the individual dairy farmer are the key focus points of the FMS Advisor.  Alongside their advisory role, FMS advisors build and maintain long-term customer relationships and function as a sound board for the farmer.  They work together and build teams with key stakeholders such as veterinarians and feed advisors. 
Role:
The role is divided into three categories:

1. Introducing, guiding and training new customers before, during and after start-up of automatic milking/feeding (40%)
2. Supporting customers to optimize their business, based upon the individual needs of the farmer.  (50%)
3. Internal support and guidance within the Lely Center in FMS related matters (10%)

Transition to Automatic milking/feeding:

• During sales process, you will work with the Lely Center sales team in an advisory role regarding management choices and barn designs
• During the preparation for the transition to automatic milking/feeding, you provide guidance to the farmer.
• You will train and coach the dairy farmer and his/her stakeholders in the software programs and day-to-day routines
• After start-up, you will provide support and monitoring for automatic milking and/or feeding
• You will use several Lely Tools (online and offline) to safeguard processes and structures
• You will proactively guide farmers to monitor business performance and improve business management.

Optimization of Business:

• You are to proactively build long-term relationships with dairy farmers and help to coach them to optimize their business.  Items could include: day-to-day routines, personnel management, cow health, feed, robot performance, T4C/Inherd use, coordinate milk quality needs
• Depending on the selected FMS service agreement; you will have several regular meetings with the dairy farmer
• In addition you will also pro-actively monitor performance and guide farmers remotely using the Lely online tools
• Any optimizations go hand in hand with consumable products and other service solutions. 
• It is crucial to drill down to the core of the farms’ needs and develop a clear plan together with the other advisors including asking for invite to farm’s advisory team meetings or lead in organizing an advisory team for the dairy.
• You initiate, organize and run farm management training courses and study/peer group meetings for dairy farmers

Internal Lely Center Support and Organization:

• You are a sounding board for your Lely Center colleagues on FMS related matters.
• You are to contribute to and/or lead Learn with Lely events, open houses, symposia, sales and marketing activities.
• You are the contact person in the Lely Center for stakeholders such as vets, feed advisors and other farm advisors.
• You will support and assist sales colleagues during the sales process and identify sales opportunities among customers for wholegoods and consumables and communicate them to the sales and/or consumables team
• You initiate and provide internal training on FMS related matters
• You initiate and provide training courses for stakeholders such as vets, feed advisors and other farm advisors
• You will provide newsletters, keep up-to-date with trade literature and stay abreast with current affairs in your region. 
• You will identify and communicate improvement for Lely products/services to the Lely Support Organization
• You will identify FMS knowledge developments and demands from your region area and communicate with team leaders and/or Lely where needed.
  

Skills/Experiences:

• Education:  Bachelor of Science in Dairy or Agricultural is preferred.
• 3-5 years’s experience in a similar role is preferred
• Good listener, communicator (written and verbal) and advisor with strong interpersonal skills
• Self-motivated independent and enthusiastic individual with analytical skills
• Team worker, able to get along well and be open minded with a large range of dairy professionals
• Affinity with dairy farming or cattle farming is a necessity
• Open and proactive in your approach to customers
• Empathy and rapport to motivate and inspire customers to optimize their farm’s performance
• Knowledge and experience in robotic farm management, including feeding, health and reproduction
• Communication skills (verbal and written) and able to present for small and larger dairy farm groups
• Willing to travel frequently with a flexible work hour attitude
• Good language skills for the local customer base
• Full understanding and ability to operate and explain internet based software solutions (ie, Salesforce, Teamviewer, Excel, Word, Teamwork Projects, Outlook, T4C, etc.)
  

If interested, contact Josh at:
josh@wgdairysupply.com or 330-464-2586