Manager - Category

AgroStar is India’s foremost AgTech start-up with a mission of #HelpingFarmersWin through right advisory and solutions, powered by data and technology. It was started with a vision to solve two of the biggest problems in Indian agriculture - Lack of guidance for healthy and sustainable farming AND limited access to quality farm inputs for consistent and qualitative farming.

With technology at its core, we have built an innovative & sustainable ecosystem that includes products such as a customized enterprise sales solutions that map data of farmers’ crop life cycles, India’s first online farmer community, online agri-advisory with online shopping for inputs and an incomparable logistics solution for last-mile rural connectivity.

We have procured and partnered with leading national and international brands for major agri-inputs like seeds, crop nutrition, crop protection, and farm implements, that are needed for farming and we deliver them at the doorstep of farmers. Thus, our efforts at AgroStar are focused to become the driving force to equip our farmers with the power of knowledge to farm better and smarter, through technology and up to date expert advice.

The company is funded by prominent VCs like Chiratae Venture Partners, Aavishkaar Ventures, Bertelsmann, and Accel Partners. AgroStar is the winner of the Economic Times’ Best Startup Award 2016, under the ’Social Enterprise’ category.

Our Team

We are a team of highly motivated individuals, who are willing to push beyond the ceiling, initiate new ideas, and take challenges head-on. Apart from coffee, working in an extremely fast-paced, dynamic work culture is what we passionate souls thrive on. We ride against the tide as time is never enough and there’s always more to do.

Our mission of ‘Helping Farmers Win’ is a tall task as we try to bring change and development to the grassroots of India. We need heroes who are dedicated to the mission, live the dream and drive it with passion. If that sounds like you, here’s more about the role:

Job description

• The primary responsibility of this position is to build a strong topline and bottom-line in the business category. You will work on creating and sustaining a strong portfolio for AgroStar customers. Build strategies for achieving targets pertaining to sales.
• Act to make key decisions and impact all tactical objectives in real time. Buying and building assortment, selecting a target market, shaping a pricing strategy, planning promotional events and sales
• Analyze data or insights to determine industry and consumer trends. Study and analyze Farmer requirements, trends and plan product launches and portfolio expansion.
• To monitor and track product movement, category contribution and develop strategies to liquidate slow movers and distress inventory with regional sales teams and initiate actions. Develop exit strategies for unsuccessful products.
• Foster trust relationships with Brands to achieve better pricing and quality of services and to expand product categories
• Guide Procurement team to place appropriate orders to ensure product availability that meets Farmer demands
• Determine the positioning of a category to maximize visibility on Mobile App and Offline Stores. Selecting products for advertising through online paid channels, social media etc., while ensuring pricing accuracy
• Coordinate with Marketing, Campaign and Farm Solution team to determine competitive pricing and promotional activities for Category
• Ensure efficient and timely forecasts for product demand to ensure the sustainability of inventory

What we are looking for?

• Minimum 4-5 years and 5-8 years of experience in the respective industries Fertilizer/Agrochemical Industry. Also, MBA Agri Business Preferred
• Strong and in-depth market & Geography knowledge. Preference to candidate having strong work experience in Western & Central India
• Candidates having exposure to manage sales remotely and strong bend towards products, competition & consumer analytics.
• Should have worked on the ground and should have a strong understanding of farmer pulse, Crop coverage and Crop-Product relationships.
• Excellent interpersonal skills can work well with cross functional team members and can manage sales remotely .
• Good Presentation and Communication skills
• Desired personality traits of being a self-learner, collaborator and extra miler.
• Strong in numbers and has strategic ability to drive results.