Agriculture graduates in demand to drive export sales growth
Ideally, new recruits should have a third-level Agri qualification, a good understanding of ruminant nutrition and the TMR system. Trainee managers and nutritionists are mentored by a senior manager and if successful are allocated their own territory in an export market in due course.
Keenan recently appointed Niall McGauran as global sales director to recruit and train in new Ag graduates for its sales force. He is already mentoring a growing team, building new sales channels and exploring market segmentation opportunities.
McGauran said: “At present, Keenan employs almost 40 Ag graduates worldwide, but we need many more for 2011 and in the coming years.
“The ideal candidate is enthusiastic, has excellent communications and interpersonal skills, with two to three years’ work experience.”
Keenan exports around 90% of its range of mixer wagons, PACE technology and Mech-fiber nutrition to 40 countries worldwide.
Major markets include Australia, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, New Zealand, Scandinavia and USA. Keenan opened an €8m R&D and manufacturing site at its premises in Borris in 2007.
Niall McGauran is from a beef farming background in Kilmore, Co Roscommon. Prior to joining Keenan as a nutritionist with the Keenan Kepak beef partnership in 2000, he worked with Dawn Meats. The KK club, as it was known, managed 250 Irish farms producing quality beef for Italian consumers on a year-round basis.
In 2001, he moved to Britain as area sales manager for South West England from 2001-2005. He was Salesman of the Year in Britain on several occasions.
McGauran holds a BAgrSc from UCD, a diploma in International Sales from DIT, and completed an Advanced Development Programme with IMI.
