Career Opportunities at Southern States
| Human Resources |
Southern States Cooperative, Inc. has a team of Recruiters whose primary focus is to seek skillful, motivated individuals to become members of the Southern States family. If you are looking for an environment that is challenging, and where your efforts are rewarded, be sure to browse our Employment Opportunities site for positions you have an interest in pursuing.
At Southern States, we understand that everyone's time is valuable. With that in mind, our team of Recruiters generally conduct telephone screenings to gather information from applicants that are under consideration for a position.
| Corporate / Facility Management Openings | Retail Management Openings |
Corporate / Facility Management Openings
Qualifications: Strong background in ruminant and equine nutrition. Experience on a Dairy, Beef, and/or Equine operation is highly desired. Must possess a proven successful sales history. Enthusiasm and excellent rapport with customers are highly valued. Education: Degree in Agriculture a plus. Responsibilities: Works directly with end-user customers and retail distribution to build sales volume and product margins in the feed area. Promotes all merchandising programs related to feed products. Supports private dealers and feed mills by answering questions related to livestock, pet, and equine nutrition. Makes recommendations to retail distribution employees and end-user customers regarding nutritional plans and general herd health best practices. Serves as a representative of Southern States to the customer and to our retail distribution. Submit Your Resume |
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Qualifications: A a minimum of five years experience in retail Asset Protection, Loss Prevention, or Retail Auditing. Experience in law enforcement helpful but not required. Demonstrated ability to work cross-functionally to develop solutions that mitigate shrink, inventory write-downs, theft, and fraud. Excellent communication skills, both written and oral. Highly developed interpersonal skills for dealing with sensitive and confidential issues. Extensive overnight travel is required. Experience in conducting fraud and theft investigations. Education: A four year degree. Responsibilities: Responsible for providing critical direction related to the implementation of loss prevention procedures, at both retail and wholesale facilities within assigned territory. Review and analyze Regional, District, Store and Wholesale Facility inventory shrink performance; identify regional and store-specific trends; utilize exception and audit reporting information to identify incidents of dishonest activity, theft, fraud, and ensure compliance with policy and procedures. Responsible for ensuring that Loss Prevention programs are being executed within their assigned territories. Develop and implement specific strategies to safeguard corporate assets and reduce inventory shrinkage and write-downs while partnering with Wholesale Facility Managers, District Managers, and Store Managers on execution of action plans. Work in conjunction with Retail Support & Accounting Specialists, Corporate, and Field Auditing Staff(s) to assess inventory risk, implement programs, and monitor locations for compliance with corporate loss prevention policies. Key contact for training wholesale and store-level associates regarding safeguarding of inventory and procedures for ensuring accurate inventory valuation. Investigate incidents of theft and fraud; partner with appropriate company associates and local law enforcement, and notify business partners and superiors as required. Submit Your Resume |
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Qualifications: CPA preferred but not required. 3 - 5 years experience in SEC accounting areas, or other comparable experience. Proficient with Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Access. Strong analytical and communication skills. Education: Bachelor's degree in Accounting. Responsibilities: Assist in preparation of external financial statements including notes on quarterly and annual basis. Review all new accounting standards that have or will become part of GAAP hierarchy including pronouncements from the FASB, SEC, AICPA, EITF and others. Summarize and communicate the impact of GAAP on the Company's financial statements and assist in developing implementation plans. Prepare monthly statement of cash flows, statement of patrons' equity and stockholders' equity reports for distribution to the Company's lenders. Assist with the preparation of the Company's annual audit report. Prepare statement of cash flows and assist with the preparation of the balance sheet income statement and certain footnotes included in the annual audit report. Prepare documentation and support for MD & A tabular information included in the quarterly and annual reports to bond holders. Technical accounting research to develop and implement new policies and procedures regarding Company transactions or new rules and regulations published by the accounting and reporting governing bodies. Keep up-to-date on new accounting standards as well as trends in finance and automation through active participation in professional organizations, seminars, conferences, schools, or through self-study, as department resources allow. Responsible for the accounting of the Company's deferred compensation plans and related insurance policies. Work with the Company's external audit firm in the timely preparation and explanation of requested schedules. Submit Your Resume |
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Qualifications: Plant operations and regulatory compliance experience in a manufacturing environment is required. 5 years management experience, and working knowledge of Quality Assurance programs or equivalent program preferred. Should be familiar with FDA, USDA, and HAACP. Requires willingness to travel. Education: BA or BS degree in related field. Responsibilities: Direct all Quality programs, and assure compliance with federal, state, and local regulatory compliance, and operations training, for the feed and crops facilities. Provide staff level direction and coordination of the Quality Assurance and Regulatory Compliance programs for the Manufacturing and Bulk Operations Business Unit. Set goals and measurable performance. Develop and oversee Quality Assurance procedures, manuals, and programs to meet customer, regulatory, and consumer food safety requirements. Develop and implement product safety programs. Supervise and coordinate compliance, documentation, and training components with the Feed Division. Interpret and implement compliance programs for federal and state regulatory law revisions/updates for Feed facilities. Coordinate documentation for the EHSS Filing System to assure compliance with all regulatory agencies. Administer and coordinate all related permits required. Coordinate and conduct site regulatory assessments/compliance tests. Make recommendations for capital and M & R projects related to regulatory compliance. Develop and maintain a published monthly checklist/newsletter to communicate training, EHSS reviews, and regulatory related compliance. Develop qualified quality control site representatives at Feed Facilities to assist with the annual inspection program. Submit Your Resume |
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Qualifications: Exceptional aptitude with figures. Ability to communicate with professional people via telephone and email. Able to meet strict deadlines and perform duties under pressure as needed. Education: College Degree preferred. Responsibilities: Maintain adequate ingredient inventory to assure continued production of the highest quality feeds at the lowest cost. Supply buyers with weekly purchasing requirements and ship dates for each ingredient based on projected usage from volume reports and current usage history. Determines application of all orders/contracts between purchasing department, suppliers and mills. Trace rail cars daily for update movements and ETA's to the mills. Schedule inbound ingredients for delivery by truck or rail on a weekly basis. Monitor ingredient inventories constantly to determine and assure an adequate position for continuous manufacturing. Supply mill with all information concerning arrivals of inbound ingredients. Provide multiformulation system with ingredient availability for its least costing program. Resolve any problems between our mills and ingredient supplier/freight haulers regarding quality/quantity of ingredients and emergency shipments. Report daily to Ingredient Scheduling Coordinator any issues or problems. Submit Your Resume |
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Qualifications: Member or former member of Future Farmers of America and/or 4-H. Experience in communications, and public relations activities. Corporate photography skills a plus. Education: Bachelor's degree or equivalent in communications, agricultural journalism or English. Responsibilities: Assist with the administration, communication and public relations program of a $2.1 billion corporation. Create, develop and edit articles, speeches, letters, ad copy, web communication (external and internal), public service announcements, press releases, broadcast scripts, etc. Develop relationships with radio/TV producers and hosts across the operating territory. Discover methods to promote Southern States on television/radio with relevant information, on a regular basis. Assist and/or act as editor of the production of the Annual Report, Co-op Connection, Statesman and other periodic corporate information materials, research stories, interview sources and produce photography. Periodic review of all media outlets. Evaluate and organize information, identify risks and gaps, and recommend solutions. Communicate ideas, think critically and respond positively. Maintain a crisis communication program for the cooperative. Provide communications assistance to senior management, sales and marketing personnel and others on public relations, and communications issues, techniques and technologies. Submit Your Resume |
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Qualifications: Three years office and administrative experience. Must be proficient in Word, Excel and Powerpoint. Excellent communication and customer service skills. Work without supervision, using initiative and logic. Ability to meet deadlines and work with frequent interruptions. Attention to detail. Education: High School graduate or equivalent. Responsibilities: Perform administrative duties for petroleum division personnel and district managers. (Budgets, Fixed Assets). Handle or route incoming calls and mail. Prepare correspondence, reports and presentations. Establish and maintain confidential files for Petroleum Personnel. Process and maintain division rack and LP price changes. Process OPIS reports required for Petroleum product bids. Process decal orders for LP tanks. Assists with special projects as needed. Serve as backup for Administrative Coordinator and Staff. Coordinate work assignments with administrative coordinator to process work efficiently and quickly. Coordinates Burner Service Contracts with retail locations. Submit Your Resume |
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Qualifications: Minimum 2 years experience of strong working knowledge of PCs and standard Microsoft applications. Ability to resolve system/user problems rapidly and effectively. Must be able to work flexible hours and flexible work weeks. Travel required (could be up to 10%). Education: High School Diploma. Responsibilities: Initial contact point for SSC facilities, private dealers, and Central office, for problem reporting, determination, and resolution, as it relates to all systems applications deployed. Serve as the initial contact person for making software, hardware, or telecom requests. Evaluate calls and effect a timely solution to all queries. Maintain problem tracking mechanisms including recording and filing problem reports, and, ensure follow-up is completed. Review various reports for error conditions and make corrections. Make independent decisions based on a thorough knowledge of the applications. Perform various updates and conversion processes as needed for support of both Wholesale and Retail facilities. Maintain a good working relationship with numerous retail, wholesale and central office users and, all dealer locations. Submit Your Resume |
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Qualifications: Must have good working knowledge of JDEdwards. Knowledge of how vendor programs work. Required to work extra hours as needed. Working knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and JDEdwards. Retail experience a plus. General knowledge of agriculture, and lawn & garden products. Excellent oral and written communication skills a must. Education: High School Diploma. Responsibilities: Assist buyers with sku maintenance for current skus and item adds for new products. Communicates with vendors to retrieve necessary information. Collect, analyze, and review information from vendors with buyers and determine what steps need to be taken regarding pricing, discontinued items etc. Answer questions from vendors and/or stores, concerning product information, vendor information, freight terms, specific programs etc. Take orders from stores and forward them to correct department. Attend proofing meetings to go over circulars, make sure all information is correct and inform of any corrections that need to be made. Work with price cost changes in JDE OneWorld system. Work in JDE One World to create Programs, Show Forms, and other forms. Also create pictorial pages to go with order forms. May be required to create presentations for buyers for meetings and/or training work shops. Submit Your Resume |
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Qualifications: Experience in retail and a working knowledge in the areas of Environmental and HAZ-MAT. PC skills required to handle all aspects of the position. Education: College Degree preferred. Responsibilities: Insure that all pesticides and chemicals in Southern States' inventory are properly identified and prepared in accordance with compliance requirements of DOT's, Hazardous Materials Shipping requirements, EPA's Community Right-To-Know requirements, EPA's Federal & State registration requirements, and OSHA's Employee Right-To-Know requirements. Exercise final approval for entries made into the electronic inventory storage and retrieval systems. Insure that state sales restrictions are in place. Review and update information in all databases for complete, current and accurate entries for all products in Southern States' merchandise inventory. Issue "PAN" orders (Product Alert Notification) for any item found to be out of compliance with the requirements. Be proficient in DOT hazardous materials shipping requirements. Participate in tasks involving implementation of the HAZOX System. Provide continuous training. Work closely with Safety & Environmental, Business Practices, and the Transportation Department to keep abreast of ongoing issues. Submit Your Resume |
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Qualifications: 2 years previous buying experience with similar retail product lines. Experience with inventory and supply chain management. Demonstrated vendor relationship and category management skills. Excellent negotiation and communication skills. Must be willing to travel. Education: College degree. Responsibilities: Selection, sales and margins (wholesale and retail) of selected farm supply products and categories. Provide product purchasing and selling strategies (including price points) to retail locations. Development and implementation of merchandising programs. Category line reviews to insure the best product assortment, and terms and conditions of sales are maintained. Establishing and maintaining supplier relationships. Submit Your Resume |
Retail Management Openings
Qualifications: Experience in Agronomy or a related agricultural field. Must have at least three years of sales experience. We are looking for someone who is highly motivated with strong communication and organizational skills, flexible, team player, and willing to aggressively drive sales to the next level. Education: Minimum High School Diploma. Preferably B.S. Degree in Ag related field. Responsibilities: Service the Southern States Retail location of Taneytown , Maryland. Support the retail location in the sale of products to customers in the assigned territory which includes the counties of Carroll, Fredrick, Adams & York. Territory Sales Manager Position for selling products and services to Farmers during farm visits. Heavy emphasis on Row Crops, Hay and Pasture. Sales are mainly outside sales, however, will be required to work inside when needed. Submit Your Resume | ||||
Qualifications: Minimum of 4 years supervisory experience in retail operations or completion of a Management Development Program. Must possess knowledge of fertilizer, feed crops, and seed. Education: College degree in agriculture a plus. Responsibilities: This fertilizer facility, generates over $4.5 million dollars in sales volume. Business is comprised of 69% fertilizer, 11% feed, 9% Farm & Home and the remainder of the business in crop protectants, seed and animal health products. Location also provides custom application services. The location has an experienced and committed group of over 10 employees. Oversee the day-to-day operations of the location, service large customer base and involvement with all areas of the business. Manage the staff of employees and drive sales. Handle customer service issues. Submit Your Resume | ||||
Qualifications: Minimum of 5 years supervisory/management experience required in a retail environment. Must possess thorough knowledge of fertilizer, feed, and farm supply products, merchandising programs and farm related management practices. Individual must be highly motivated, flexible, and enjoy working with people. Education: Degree in Agriculture a plus. Responsibilities: The location is a combination ag/urban store located in north central Alabama, 40 miles south of Huntsville. Location produces more than $3.2 million in annual sales volume. Feed, seed, crop protectants, farm supplies and bulk/bag fertilizer are major product groups offered. Custom application services are offered. Well-organized showroom that features lawn and garden and ag related products. Location has a huge storage capacity and there is a strong farming community. Submit Your Resume | ||||
Qualifications: Ideal candidate will have 3 years supervisory experience, mechanical aptitude and computer skills. Must be able to initiate and expand GPS/VRT technology. Education: High School Diploma. Responsibilities: Provide service support for Territory Sales Team. Supervise personnel, including hiring, training, scheduling and policy compliance. Maintain, repair and oversee equipment. Inventory control, manage expenses, and enforce corporate standards in the crop center, located in Eastern NC. Also manage 2 spreader trucks, 2 Hagie sprayers, 2 road tractors, 5 trailer tenders, 1500 tons dry storage, and 500 tons liquid. Location averages 6,000 tons of dry fertilizer sales, and 3,000 tons liquid sales annually. Submit Your Resume | ||||
Qualifications: Enthusiasm, a good work ethic, leadership skills and a desire to provide exceptional customer service are musts. Willingness to relocate will enhance career advancement prospects. Agriculture background is preferred. Education: Bachelor's degree in the field of agriculture business or related field is desired, but those with similar experiences or skills are also encouraged to apply. Responsibilities: The Retail Management Associate (Trainee) will be required to complete a comprehensive training program which will include classroom, self-paced and hands-on training in all aspects of running a business. Southern States wants managers who are operators, visionaries and who can stand the test of time, technology and competition. The training program provides flexibility to you and your training manager by allowing you to concentrate on subjects that are applicable to your location or career interests. A management assignment allows you to test your skills and knowledge in a structured environment where you will receive constant feedback about your performance. It is expected that a successful Management Associate will progress to the level of Store Manager within two to four years. The Retail Management Associate position is the key entry-level position for Southern States. Submit Your Resume | ||||
Qualifications: Experience in Agronomy or a related agricultural field. Must have at least three years of sales experience. We are looking for someone who is highly motivated with strong communication skills, flexible, team player, and willing to aggressively drive sales to the next level. Education: Minimum High School Diploma -- preferably B.S. Degree in Ag related field. Responsibilities: Service the retail location of Winchester, Virginia. Support retail location in the sale of products to customers in the assigned territory which includes the counties of Frederick, Clarke, Loudon and Shenandoah. Sales Representative for selling products and services to Farmers during farm visits. Heavy emphasis on Row Crops, Hay and Pasture. Sales are mainly outside sales, however, will be required to work inside when needed. Submit Your Resume | ||||
Qualifications: Minimum of 4 years supervisory experience in retail operations or completion of a Management Development Program. Must possess knowledge of Crops, Equine and Retail Merchandising programs. Education: College education in Agriculture a plus. Responsibilities: Oversee the day-to-day operations of the location and involvement with all areas of the business. Manage the staff of employees and drive sales. Handle customer service issues. Located 20 miles from Lexington, the store has an 8,000 square foot showroom, and generates $3 million annually, in sales volume. 50% of the business is in farm supplies, and the remainder of the business is in crops with a good amount of horse feed business. Location has an experienced and committed group of employees. Submit Your Resume |