(USA) Senior Manager, Dairy Producer Relations – Manufacturing

Position Summary…

What you’ll do…

Consults with business partners, managers, co-workers, or other key stakeholders. Solicits, evaluates, and applies suggestions for improving efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Participates in and supports community outreach events.

Develops and implements effective producer and cooperative attraction and retention programs by defining program goals, structures, and expectations for producer participation. Identifies producers consistent with the company’s current business needs, sustainability standards, and industry best practices. Creates a network of raw product producers. Procures the raw product supplies needed for marketing programs. Develops relationships with raw product producers to identify needs and concerns and serves as the primary contact for producers. Translates producer needs and concerns into services and benefits. Ensures producers are compensated appropriately and in line with the Federal Marketing Order (FMO). Assists producers in understanding payments and resolving any monthly discrepancies.

Manages a network of producers across an assigned region to ensure compliance and productivity of producers and cooperatives by monitoring (for example, conducting on-site audits, external resources) producers’ quality of raw product, treatment of animals, sustainability, and other compliance concerns. Collaborates with veterinarians in animal welfare examinations. Relays potential quality, animal welfare, and sustainability issues to quality assurance and food safety teams. Addresses quality, animal welfare, and sustainability concerns with producers and ensures concerns are resolved. Collaborates with the plant and Home Office, including Logistics, to meet production needs and quality standards. Develops and implements productivity initiatives to increase production and improve quality, profitability, and environmental impact. Collaborates with producers to increase the raw product supply needed for new production growth or capabilities of the plant.

Serves as the company representative for producers and cooperatives by implementing message frameworks. Identifies producers engaged in innovative and sustainable practices. Ensures key external audiences understand Walmart’s culture and values. Collaborates with cross-functional teams to ensure consistent communication and media relations. Develops, maintains, and leverages relationships with national, local, and online journalists and bloggers for proactive and reactive media stories. Mitigates and elevates potential media opportunities.

Drives the execution of multiple business plans and projects by identifying customer and operational needs; developing and communicating business plans and priorities; removing barriers and obstacles that impact performance; providing resources; identifying performance standards; measuring progress and adjusting performance accordingly; developing contingency plans; and demonstrating adaptability and supporting continuous learning.

Provides supervision and development opportunities for associates by selecting and training; mentoring; assigning duties; building a team-based work environment; establishing performance expectations and conducting regular performance evaluations; providing recognition and rewards; coaching for success and improvement; and ensuring diversity awareness.

Promotes and supports company policies, procedures, mission, values, and standards of ethics and integrity by training and providing direction to others in their use and application; ensuring compliance with them; and utilizing and supporting the Open Door Policy.

Ensures business needs are being met by evaluating the ongoing effectiveness of current plans, programs, and initiatives; consulting with business partners, managers, co-workers, or other key stakeholders; soliciting, evaluating, and applying suggestions for improving efficiency and cost effectiveness; and participating in and supporting community outreach events.

Social Responsibility and Reputation: Strengthen Reputation and Local Involvement: Participates in and supports community events, and conducts business in a manner that creates and maintains a “good neighbor” image. Develops external relationships and partnerships to strengthen the reputation of the company. Serves as a credible and effective spokesperson and representative for the company.

Talent: Manage and Leverage: Develops talent plans for own organization targeted at increasing effectiveness, building diversity, and enhancing bench strength. Manages roles, assignments, and developmental opportunities to maximize organizational performance. Ensures people processes (for example, selection, development, performance evaluation) lead to effective associate performance and desired results throughout own organization. Monitors associate performance and provides constructive feedback that is specific, honest, accurate, and timely. Provides learning opportunities, guidance, and support in the development of associates.

Build Relationships: Network Internally and Externally: Builds trusting, collaborative relationships and alliances with others, inside and outside of the organization. Relates to others in an accepting and respectful manner, regardless of their organizational level, personality, or background. Promotes a team-based work environment that respects, embraces, and values diversity in others.

Judgment: Make Informed Judgments: Uses relevant business metrics, analyses, and reports to measure, monitor, and improve performance. Identifies and applies sound, fact-based criteria in setting priorities and making decisions. Looks beyond symptoms to determine the root causes of problems, and identify and implement applicable solutions. Integrates knowledge and expertise in making fact-based recommendations and decisions.

Customer/Member Centered: Ensure Customer/Member Centered Performance: Analyzes data and information, and develops plans to exceed customer/member expectations. Sponsors initiatives and practices that provide customers/members with desired products, services, and experiences and that grow the business. Ensures customers/members receive the level of service that builds their trust and confidence. Removes barriers to delivering customer/member value, service, and support.

Execution and Results: Ensure Execution and Achieve Results: Conveys a sense of urgency in ways that motivate others to complete responsibilities and achieve goals. Pursues the achievement and alignment of measurable and meaningful goals. Leverages resources and talent to achieve business goals. Ensures others are held accountable for achieving expected results. Prioritizes and balances time, actions, and projects to ensure accomplishment of results. Monitors progress of others and redirects efforts when goals change or results are not met.

Planning and Improvement: Ensure Planning and Improvement: Sets clear expectations, performance measures, and goals, and helps others do the same. Plans for and ensures others have the information, resources, implementation time, and talent needed to accomplish business initiatives. Identifies and plans for improvement in performance using key business metrics.

Influence and Communicate: Build and Influence Team: Develops and communicates logical, convincing reasons, including lessons learned, to build support for one’s viewpoints and actions. Involves others in decisions and plans that affect them, when appropriate. Recognizes and rewards team accomplishments, celebrating team and organizational success. Ensures business priorities, change initiatives, and organizational information are communicated in clear and compelling ways. Promotes the exchange of diverse experiences and ideas within own organization.

Ethics and Compliance: Ensure Ethics and Compliance: Actively communicates, trains, and guides associates on compliance with policies and procedures. Maintains an environment that promotes and reinforces the highest standards of integrity and ethics. Anticipates potential issues and takes action to enhance compliance.

Adaptability: Adapt and Learn: Demonstrates creativity and strength in the face of change, obstacles, or adversity. Adapts to competing demands and shifting priorities. Updates knowledge and skills to handle new complexities, challenges, and responsibilities. Seeks exposure to new ideas and perspectives. Identifies and takes steps to improve adaptability and continuous learning capabilities in own organization.

Sustainability: Implements action plans and programs that generate Associate commitment and enthusiasm for achieving Company sustainability values and goals (for example, energy reduction, waste reduction, sustainable products) through active enrollment and support of the PSP framework. Identifies areas of the business that impact PSP sustainability efforts and recommends processes, practices, or programs that promote the achievement of Company sustainability goals through daily work activities. Maintains an environment where Associates understand the link between Company sustainability efforts and organizational success and are using the PSP process to improve Associate engagement. Advises and serves as a resource to community partners on Company sustainability values, efforts, and goals (for example, making community presentations, providing Company sustainability information), and has a stated and active community goal. Serves as a role model for others in the area of responsibility by producing business results through behaviors and actions that are fully aligned with Company sustainability values and goals through the PSP framework.

Associate Engagement: Generates Associate commitment to and buy-in for the grass roots process, and encourages Associate to share ideas and feedback throughout the year. Translates Associate Opinion Survey results into action plans, and gains Manager and Associate commitment and buy-in to implement them. Provides input into the analysis of business issues negatively affecting Associate health and well-being, and contributes to the development of programs to eliminate or minimize their impact. Communicates the importance and value of Associate engagement through personal example, clear direction, and appropriate reinforcement. Places a high priority on promoting Associate engagement by seeking and listening to Associate concerns and recommendations, identifying and communicating opportunities for improvement, and creating buy-in for processes designed to improve engagement.

Diversity: Identifies up and coming and high-performing talent, including diverse talent, provides for accelerated development opportunities, and ensures direct reports do the same. Demonstrates awareness and value of diverse teams by creating and maintaining an environment of objectivity, open communication, and respect. Implements and supports strategies and initiatives that build high-performing, diverse and inclusive teams. Actively supports formal diversity goal requirements.

At Walmart, we offer competitive pay as well as performance-based bonus awards and other great benefits for a happier mind, body, and wallet. Health benefits include medical, vision and dental coverage. Financial benefits include 401(k), stock purchase and company-paid life insurance. Paid time off benefits include PTO (including sick leave), parental leave, family care leave, bereavement, jury duty, and voting. Other benefits include short-term and long-term disability, company discounts, Military Leave Pay, adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, and more.

You will also receive PTO and/or PPTO that can be used for vacation, sick leave, holidays, or other purposes. The amount you receive depends on your job classification and length of employment. It will meet or exceed the requirements of paid sick leave laws, where applicable.

For information about PTO, see https://one.walmart.com/notices.

Live Better U is a Walmart-paid education benefit program for full-time and part-time associates in Walmart and Sam’s Club facilities. Programs range from high school completion to bachelor’s degrees, including English Language Learning and short-form certificates. Tuition, books, and fees are completely paid for by Walmart.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to a specific plan or program terms.

For information about benefits and eligibility, see One.Walmart.

The annual salary range for this position is $89,500.00-$192,500.00

Additional compensation includes annual or quarterly performance bonuses.

Additional compensation for certain positions may also include:

• Regional Pay Zone (RPZ) (based on location)

• Stock

Minimum Qualifications…

Outlined below are the required minimum qualifications for this position. If none are listed, there are no minimum qualifications.

Option 1: Bachelor’s degree in agriculture, agri-business, dairy or food science, or related area.

Option 2: 4 years’ experience in agriculture, agribusiness, dairy or food science, or related area. 2 years’ experience in contract negotiations with producers and cooperatives.

2 years’ experience in the food manufacturing industry.

Preferred Qualifications…

Outlined below are the optional preferred qualifications for this position. If none are listed, there are no preferred qualifications.

Master’s degree in Agriculture, Agri-Business, Dairy or Food Science, or related area.

Primary Location…

2150 W Pleasant Center Road, Fort Wayne, IN 46819-0000, United States of America

About Walmart

At Walmart, we help people save money so they can live better. This mission serves as the foundation for every decision we make, from responsible sourcing to sustainability—and everything in between. As a Walmart associate, you will play an integral role in shaping the future of retail, tech, merchandising, finance and hundreds of other industries—all while affecting the lives of millions of customers all over the world. Here, your work makes an impact every day. What are you waiting for?

Walmart, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer- By Choice. We believe we are best equipped to help our associates, customers, and the communities we serve live better when we really know them. That means understanding, respecting, and valuing diversity- unique styles, experiences, identities, abilities, ideas and opinions- while being inclusive of all people.

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