Bachelor's degree in Animal Science, Agriculture, Agribusiness, Nutrition, or related field; Master's or Ph.D. preferred.
10+ years of leadership experience in animal nutrition, health, or agriculture.
Strong technical knowledge in animal nutrition, feed technologies, and sales strategies.
Proven experience in product commercialization and innovation initiatives.
Ability to evaluate market opportunities and competitive landscapes.
Experience building partnerships with customers and industry stakeholders.
Skilled in translating technical concepts into practical business solutions.
Responsibilities
Lead strategy and growth for the Innovative Solutions business and technology management.
Identify industry trends and market opportunities to foster innovation.
Collaborate across teams to launch innovative products and services.
Establish relationships with suppliers, researchers, and key customers.
Evaluate and prioritize new product opportunities for commercialization.
Drive technology adoption through training and customer initiatives.
Provide leadership and coaching to enhance team performance.
Benefits
30-50% travel required, providing exposure to various industry contexts and opportunities for networking.
Full Job Description
This position is designed and intended to be performed in Muscatine, Iowa.
PRIMARY DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES
Lead the vision, strategy, execution, and growth of the Innovative Solutions business, including management of proprietary and partner technology portfolios.
Identify emerging industry trends, technologies, and market opportunities to drive innovation and competitive differentiation.
Collaborate across nutrition, formulation, marketing, sales, operations, finance, and research teams to commercialize innovative products and services.
Establish and maintain strategic relationships with suppliers, universities, researchers, industry partners, and key customers to support business growth and innovation.
Evaluate, prioritize, and launch new product and technology opportunities through business case development, commercialization planning, and go-to-market execution.
Drive adoption of innovative technologies through technical training, customer education, sales enablement, and thought leadership initiatives.
Provide leadership, coaching, and technical expertise to team members, sales leaders, customers, and executive leadership while fostering a high-performance culture.
Analyze market dynamics and competitive activity, manage budgets and performance metrics, and represent KENT at industry events, conferences, and customer meetings.
Perform other duties as assigned.
EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE AND/OR QUALIFICATIONS
Bachelor's degree in Animal Science, Agriculture, Agribusiness, Nutrition, or a related field required; Master's degree or Ph.D. preferred.
10+ years of progressive leadership experience in animal nutrition, animal health, agriculture, or a related industry.
Strong technical knowledge of animal nutrition, feed technologies, animal health products, and commercial sales strategies.
Demonstrated success leading product commercialization, innovation initiatives, and go-to-market strategies.
Proven ability to evaluate market opportunities, competitive landscapes, and business investment priorities.
Experience building strategic partnerships with customers, industry partners, researchers, and cross-functional stakeholders.
Ability to translate scientific and technical concepts into practical business solutions and customer value.
Experience leading and developing high-performing teams while effectively communicating and influencing across all levels of an organization.
TRAVEL
30-50% travel, including overnight travel. Participation in customer visits, industry conferences, partner meetings, and field support activities.
