Business Development & Technical Advisor Citrus & East Coast

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Business Development & Technical Advisor Citrus & East Coast
Job Id: 13034

City: Visalia, California, United States

Department: Sales and Service

Function: Field Research & Technical Development

Employee Type: Permanent Full Time

Seniority Level: Associate

About DECCO Postharvest: DECCO, an ADVANTA company, is the global leader in providing postharvest solutions to reduce food waste and enhance the freshness of fresh fruits and vegetables all along the food supply chain. DECCO delivers value every day to packers, shippers, supermarkets and consumers with customized coating, decay control, sanitization and disinfection products, application technology, on‑site service and almost 90 years of postharvest expertise. Our 200+ dedicated DECCO employees operate in over 40 countries.

Our purpose

is to enable more and better Fresh Food for the world. More. Beautiful. Fresh

Position Overview
The Business Development & Technical Advisor – Citrus & East Coast is responsible for supporting commercial activities along with promoting growth and market penetration of the company’s portfolio in various markets throughout the Southwest and across the Eastern US. This role combines expertise of postharvest fruit & vegetable pathogens, treatments, and handling practices with strategic business development, customer relationship management, and hands‑on technical advisory to growers, distributors, and strategic partners.

Key Responsibilities
Business Development & Commercial Execution

Identify, assess, and secure new commercial opportunities, including key growers, cooperatives, distributors, consultants, and influencers.

Drive revenue growth, trial conversions, and product adoption in line with annual budget and growth targets.

Represent the company at industry events, field days, grower meetings, and trade shows.

Technical Advisory & Market Support

Act as a technical authority supporting customers, sales, and key accounts.

Provide technical guidance on product selection, application, performance, and optimization.

Design, implement, and evaluate field trials, demonstrations, and on‑site validations.

Analyze field data and customer feedback to support claims, refine positioning, and guide product development.

Support issue resolution related to product performance, crop response, and adoption barriers.

Identify unmet market needs and translate them into technical requirements and solution concepts.

Collaborate with R&D, Product Management, and Engineering to develop, test, and refine innovative solutions.

Support the commercialization of new products and technologies, including launch readiness and technical positioning.

Contribute to the development of differentiated value propositions and solution roadmaps.

Build and maintain long‑term relationships with key decision‑makers and technical influencers.

Collaborate closely with stakeholders to ensure alignment on territory strategy, execution, and technical support.

Serve as a trusted advisor to growers by understanding their operational, agronomic, and economic challenges.

Monitor market trends, customer feedback, and competitive technologies.

Provide structured insights to inform innovation priorities, product improvements, and portfolio decisions.

Support business cases and technical justification for new solutions and investments.

Cross‑Functional Collaboration

Work closely with Commercial, Operations, and Service teams to ensure solutions are scalable and executable.

Act as a technical liaison across regions and functions to ensure consistency and best‑practice sharing.

Qualifications & Experience

Bachelor’s degree in Plant Pathology, Plant Science, or related field

Master’s or PhD preferred

5+ Years of experience in technical advisory, innovation, or development roles

Strong experience working directly with customers and commercial teams

Proven ability to translate technical concepts into customer‑relevant business value

Strong analytical, presentation, and communication skills

Core Competencies

Valid driver’s license, able to drive company vehicle

Proficient computer skills: use of word processor (Word), Excel, PowerPoint and internet functions

Technical expertise and problem‑solving

Strong knowledge of pest and disease management

Commercial acumen

Ability to influence without authority

Supervisory Responsibilities

Number of direct reports: None

Number of indirect reports: None

Budget responsibilities: Indirectly, measured by business unit performance

Travel
As required to support commercial activities throughout California and Southwest states, with occasional travel to Eastern US.

Location
Central California (Visalia area) or Ventura County

Key Competencies
Cultivates Innovation – Thinks creatively and implements solutions for everyday problems; Strives to continually improve own processes and areas of business; Puts forward proposals and develops strategic implementation plans to introduce new and improved ways of operating.

Results Orientation – Strong capability in focusing on tasks and results to achieving goals, solving problems, maintaining productivity, and making fast decisions by using a critical thinking approach.

Being Resilient – Ability to manage crises and volatile situation effectively. Should be able remain objective and calm and show positive attitude & strong judgement when faced with adversity.

Customer Focus – Ability to building strong customer relationships and delivering customer‑centric solutions.

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