Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Sales Agronomist

🎯 Role Definition

The Sales Agronomist is responsible for cultivating and expanding profitable customer relationships in an assigned territory, delivering agronomy‑driven solutions, managing product portfolios, and meeting aggressive sales targets. You will combine deep technical knowledge of crop production, soil science and precision agriculture with strong sales and business‑development skills to become the key interface between the company and the farming community.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Agronomy Technician or Field Agronomist
Agricultural Sales Representative
Crop Input Specialist

Advancement To:

Senior Sales Agronomist / Regional Sales Agronomist
Territory Sales Manager – Agriculture
Director of Agronomy Sales / Commercial Agronomy Lead

Lateral Moves:

Technical Agronomy Consultant
Product Manager – Crop Inputs
Precision Agriculture Solutions Specialist

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Build and maintain strong relationships with growers, retailers and distributors, providing agronomic advice and product support to drive adoption of crop input solutions.
Develop and execute territory business plans, setting growth objectives, forecasting volumes, budgeting resources and aligning actions to sales targets.
Conduct on‑farm visits, soil and tissue testing, crop scouting, and analyze agronomic data to recommend tailored nutrition, protection and seeding strategies.
Deliver compelling product presentations, demonstrations and field trials to showcase value‑added technologies and support purchasing decisions.
Engage in proactive prospecting—identify new customers, expand market reach and convert leads into loyal clients across the region.
Monitor competitor activities, market trends, and grower practices; translate insights into actionable recommendations and sales strategy adjustments.
Act as a technical product expert—stay current with agronomy research, crop protection innovations, soil health practices and precision‑ag tools.
Prepare and deliver accurate sales forecasts, CRM updates, activity reports and pipeline tracking for management review.
Collaborate cross‑functionally with marketing, product development, logistics and field teams to ensure alignment and successful product launches.
Provide excellent customer service—address grower enquiries, support product trial follow‑up, resolve issues and ensure satisfaction.
Organize and lead field‑days, grower training sessions, demo plots and agronomy workshops to educate clients and strengthen brand reputation.
Manage inventory, product placement, delivery coordination and application timing to support clients’ crop programmes.
Advise on crop input bundling, technology adoption (e.g., sensors, precision planting) and optimize farm input usage for yield and profitability.
Promote sustainable agronomic practices, soil health improvement and environmentally responsible product application in line with corporate standards.
Manage travel and field time effectively, plan engagements with growers and optimize face‑to‑face interactions within the territory.
Train and mentor junior agronomy or sales staff, sharing best practices, agronomic knowledge and sales techniques.
Ensure compliance with all health, safety, environment and regulatory requirements in product handling, application and customer advice.
Track and analyze grower performance metrics (yield, input usage, adoption rates) and deliver insights for business improvement.
Develop promotional activities in the territory, participate in trade shows, and represent the company in ag‑industry events to build brand presence.
Maintain detailed documentation of agronomic recommendations, sales activities, customer contracts, and ensure data accuracy in CRM and reporting systems.

Secondary Functions

Contribute to the organization’s agronomy & sales strategy: input on market segments, growth opportunities and product road‑map feedback.
Support ad‑hoc agronomic and market data analysis—help generate insights for senior leadership and drive innovation in crop solutions.
Collaborate with business units to translate grower insights into product enhancements, service offerings and marketing messages.
Participate in pilot projects, precision‑ag initiatives or sustainability programmes that support long‑term business growth.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

In‑depth knowledge of agronomy, soil science, crop nutrition, pest/disease management and precision‑ag technologies.
Proven expertise in selling agricultural inputs (seeds, fertilizers, crop protection) and agronomy services.
Proficiency in conducting soil and tissue sampling, interpreting results and translating them into agronomic plans.
Strong business acumen and pipeline management: capacity to build territory plans, forecast sales, and drive revenue growth.
Skilled at delivering presentations and demonstrations to growers, distributors and field staff.
Competent in CRM and data‑entry tools, and ability to track customer interactions, opportunities and field activities.
Excellent analytical skills: able to review agronomic, market and sales data to identify trends, risks and opportunities.
Proficient in relevant software (Microsoft Office, agronomy apps, mapping/GIS tools) and technology platforms.
Awareness of regulatory requirements, product stewardship, safety protocols and environmental standards in agriculture.
Demonstrated ability to travel extensively, work remotely and manage large geography with minimal supervision.

Soft Skills

Highly developed relationship‑building and interpersonal skills: able to engage farmers, distributors and internal stakeholders with credibility and influence.
Strong communication (verbal and written) to convey technical agronomy subjects and commercial value clearly.
Self‑motivated, results‑driven and entrepreneurial mindset: able to work independently and meet ambitious sales and agronomy objectives.
Excellent time‑management and organisational capability to prioritise field engagements, tasks, territories and travel.
Adaptability and flexibility to operate in dynamic field environments, shifting seasons and evolving product portfolios.
Problem‑solving and strategic thinking: identifying client pain points, proposing solutions and negotiating effectively.
Resilience under pressure, able to manage multiple accounts, deadlines and targets simultaneously.
Collaborative mindset: working effectively with agronomy teams, sales colleagues and cross‑functional partners.
Customer‑centric orientation: dedicated to supporting grower success, offering credible advice and building trust.
Ethical approach and professionalism: representing the company, upholding agronomic integrity and ensuring compliance.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in Agronomy, Crop Science, Soil Science, Agriculture Business or related field.

Preferred Education:

Bachelor’s degree with Certified Crop Adviser (CCA) certification or strong agronomy/industry credentials.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Agronomy / Crop Science
Soil Science / Plant Nutrition
Agricultural Business or Sales
Precision Agriculture / Ag Technologies

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

2 to 5 years of experience in agricultural sales, agronomy consulting or crop input solutions in a field‑based role.

Preferred:

Proven track record of meeting sales targets in a farming territory, strong agronomic background, and experience with grower consulting, field trials and technology adoption.