Shirley Norris
Cannonvale,QLD
Summary
Dynamic agricultural professional with over 10 years of experience in the agriculture and broadacre sectors, specializing in market analysis, business development, and supply chain optimization. Proven track record of collaborating with global and national organizations to enhance production and profitability for farmers and businesses alike. Core competencies include stakeholder engagement, relationship management, and strategic business development. Committed to leveraging expertise to foster positive impacts within the agricultural industry and promote environmental sustainability.
Overview
22
22
years of professional experience
Work History
Grower Market Consultant
Wilmar Sugar Australia Limited
Proserpine, Queensland
02.2020 - Current
- Company Overview: Australia and New Zealand’s largest manufacturer, refining, exporting and marketing of raw and refined sugar products.
- Maintain and increase the client portfolio, and maximize Grower Economic Interest with Wilmar Sugar Australia Trading (WSAT) for the Proserpine Region, Queensland.
- Managed over 180 sugar cane farming businesses, and our market share increased by 5%.
- Developed highly interactive business relationships with a diverse range of internal and external key stakeholders to ensure business success in their functional area.
- I became a reliable first point of contact for farmers, industry representatives, production boards, and relevant groups.
- Promote, educate, and work with farmers to understand the WSAT marketing, pricing, and finance options, as well as farm data analyses, increasing their income.
- Keeping farmers up to date with the global sugar market, production, political, and environmental impacts to make informed decisions to optimize their income; increasing their average price by almost 50%.
- Work with farmers to obtain necessary accreditations to meet government requirements for best farming practices, data, and information accumulation.
- Implement and lead engagements and events to promote the benefits of Wilmar, grower, and marketing information; events and forums include growers, professional advisors, opinion leaders, and influencers—hosting approximately 12 a year with an 80% turnout and effectiveness, with approximately 80 to 120 people per sitting.
- Implemented grower focus groups – hosted and led educational programs.
- Played a key role in managing the development, implementation, user testing, and end-user training of business processes and systems in consultation with key stakeholders (e.g., new pricing methods for Cane Pay), Regional Calling Program (CRM), and Accountant Information Portal.
- Developed and managed the farm sale process, setting up growers' businesses within Wilmar.
- A strong understanding of legal contracts and ensuring that the farmers understand the process.
- Educating new growers about the complex supply chain process.
Grower Liaison
Piñata Farms Ltd
Wamuran , Queensland
05.2019 - 11.2019
- Company Overview: Commercial growers and marketing agents for Honey Gold Mangoes, pineapples, and strawberries, supplying nationally to all major retail outlets – Woolworths, Coles, Aldi, the markets, and wholesalers.
- The pivotal point of contact between the company and over 50 Honey Gold farmers.
- Build and maintain grower relations; regular communication, traveling, and meeting growers throughout Queensland.
- Producing and issuing monthly newsletters with industry information, using various digital platforms.
- Market information – compile and produce a production report between growers and the marketing department to fulfill commercial sales – done monthly.
- Working with and educating growers to fulfill market requirements and meet industry accreditations (Fresh Care, HARPS, and SEDEX), legal contracts and agreements are up to date for commercial production.
- Within six months, all growers had passed and obtained HARPS and Fresh Care accreditations to sell their produce commercially.
- Oversaw the produce throughout the supply chain process, from production, harvest, postharvest, quality control, and delivery to commercial retail markets, and ensured the farmer was paid accordingly.
- Growers produce met QA requirements for value – 90% effectiveness.
- Manage production forecasts and supply budget reports for growers.
- Monitored and managed the different variables that interfere with and impact production, achieving 98% accuracy.
- Problem solving and negotiating between organizations, growers, and the supply chain process, as well as changing market demands, are done through regular communication and providing accurate information.
- Building trust and strong relationships with the growers.
- 100% effective
- Commercial growers and marketing agents for Honey Gold Mangoes, Pineapples and Strawberries supplying Nationally to all major retail outlets – Woolworths, Coles, Aldi, the Markets and wholesalers
Supply Chain Coordinator
Costa – Avocado and Banana
Rocklea, Queensland
09.2017 - 04.2019
- Company Overview: Growers and agents supplying nationally to all major retail outlets – Woolworths, Coles, Aldi, the Markets and wholesalers
- Accountable for the effective fulfillment of the supply chain process for contract growers in the department of Avocado and Bananas, from farm gate to the markets, and growers being paid accurately and timely.
- Problem-solving inefficiencies throughout the process.
- Implement and maintain the supply chain process using SAP and Excel, from grower to the market, and growers are paid timely (up to $1,000,000.00 weekly).
- Produce management reports for the sales and marketing team to influence the strategic direction for the business and the growers.
- Obtained and analyzed production, supply chain, and financial data from various programs.
- Maintain a detailed product forecasts report, and budget cash flow for the Business Unit.
- Support and educate growers to take the necessary actions on market requirements, industry accreditations (Fresh Care, HARPS, and SEDEX), and ensure that legal contracts and agreements are up to date for commercial production.
- Communicate and coordinate effectively with various departments and stakeholders to implement crucial parts of the supply chain supply process, including accounts payable, accounts receivable, legal, sales, the DC, the sales and marketing department, markets, and growers.
- Ensure the supply chain process is complete, with integrity.
- Growers and agents supplying nationally to all major retail outlets – Woolworths, Coles, Aldi, the Markets, and wholesalers.
- Oversaw inventory management, optimizing stock levels to meet production demands while minimizing holding costs.
- Worked with team members from and departments to help meet deadlines.
- Maintained records of shipments including purchase orders, invoices, packing slips, bills of lading.
- Facilitated risk management within the supply chain, developing contingency plans to mitigate potential disruptions.
- Fostered relationships with suppliers to develop purchasing agreements with logistics customers and reduce risks.
- Collaborated with logistics team members to coordinate transportation of raw materials and finished products.
- Cooperated with suppliers to coordinate product capabilities, cost and quality.
Sales Manager
Mt Nathan Nursery and Propagation
04.2012 - 08.2017
- Company Overview: Wholesale Nursery
- Expanded and strengthened existing client portfolio including wholesale nurseries and commercial landscape industry
- Sales doubled within in the first 8 months
- Set up and managed monthly/annual cash flow and budget
- Business was in a deficit (overdraft) and doubled within a year
- Producing accurate quotes and tenders for the landscape industry projects, with 80% effectiveness
- Plant procurement, sourcing plants, negotiated prices and delivery and co-ordinating commercial landscape projects in QLD and NSW
- Created and produced a weekly newsletter via mail chimp and Facebook
- Developing strong relations and negotiating with the Horticulture Managers and key stakeholders increasing product range and sales exceeding KPI by an average of 24% and Gross profit by 17%
- Lead and motivated a sales team and 30 retail outlets
- Administration – analysing data entry using RECKON and excel, producing written emails and reports
- Wholesale Nursery
Sales Manager
Propagation Australia & Parkland Wholesale Flowers
01.2008 - 05.2010
- Company Overview: Propagators producing plants and new varieties for wholesale nurseries, throughout Australia and representing various international breeders
- Business development; increased client portfolio by 30% by networking, phone communications, digital marketing and traveling to wholesale nurseries, providing market knowledge to cost and market demands that was of interest to them
- Market analyses supply and demand of varieties
- Introducing new lines, Product development and PBR process, increasing sales by 100%
- Implemented Forecast and budgets of plant production and cuttings per variety per season per annum to fulfill on sales
- Implemented and carried out PBR process for new varieties, and launching them in the market
- Propagators producing plants and new varieties for wholesale nurseries, throughout Australia and representing various international breeders
Area Sales Manager
Olij Rozen Breeding/De Ruiter Roses East Africa
Naivasha, Kenya
04.2003 - 04.2007
- Company Overview: A Multi-national Company with their head offices in Holland. A Rose breeder and propagator selling plant plugs and royalties
- Developed and maintained a client base of 5 farmers, which increased to over 50 in the first year.
- Negotiating royalties and payment terms, I closed major contracts of up to the equivalent of AUD €150,000.00 per sale.
- Managed the production of commercial roses for export, and the post-harvest/supply chain process.
- Provided advice on the post-harvest and supply chain process of cut flowers.
- Conducted market research to identify selling possibilities and evaluated customer needs actively.
- Planned, developed and implemented sales strategies in an assigned region.
- Interacted regularly with senior management to discuss current strategies and future plans.
- Resolved customer complaints regarding sales and service.
- Developed and significantly grew assigned territory using strong engagement and marketing skills.
- Identified new business opportunities within the region through networking activities.
- Hired and motivated high-performing sales team.
- Established and maintained strong, long-lasting customer relationships by addressing needs and concerns.
- Identified prospects to build new business partnerships and pipelines.
- Organized promotional events such as trade shows, conferences and exhibitions.
- Coordinated with logistics teams to ensure timely delivery of goods to customers.
Education
POST GRADUATE - BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
University of Southern Queensland
Certificate of Participation - Financial Planning, analysis and forecasting
Oserian Development Company
PITMANS EXAMINATION INSTITUTE - British Syllabus
Valley Secretarial College
Nairobi, KenyaGCSE Levels - London University Exam Institute
IMANI SCHOOL KENYA
Nairobi, KenyaSkills
- Relationship & Stakeholder engagement
- Supply Chain processes
- Communication skills
- Interpersonal skills
- Multitasking Abilities
- Cross-functional collaboration
- Campaign management
- Problem-solving
- Market Data Research and Analyses
- Strategic Planning and implementing
- Report writing
- Project delivery
- Team skills
- Leadership skills
- Organisational skills
- Microsoft Windows Office 2021
- Financial Budgeting
- Product Forecasting
- Event management
Accomplishments
- Created an industry event, the Proserpine Cut Out Party – Bringing the sugary industry community together, in the process raise funds for a chosen Not For Profit. It is now an annual event. The event has raised over AUD $100,000.00 (collective) with over 350 attended.
- Won International award for exhibits at trade fairs.
- Created various educational events for cane growers to understand the different aspects of marketing sugars, the importance of the CCS and how it impacts their pay. My events would host up to 80 people attending.
References
- PJ Gileppa, Grower Marketing Manager, Wilmar, +61 (0)438588165, pj.gileppa@cba.com.au
- Steven Scurr, Director, +61 (0)407771406
Timeline
Grower Market Consultant
Wilmar Sugar Australia Limited
02.2020 - Current
Grower Liaison
Piñata Farms Ltd
05.2019 - 11.2019
Supply Chain Coordinator
Costa – Avocado and Banana
09.2017 - 04.2019
Sales Manager
Mt Nathan Nursery and Propagation
04.2012 - 08.2017
Sales Manager
Propagation Australia & Parkland Wholesale Flowers
01.2008 - 05.2010
Area Sales Manager
Olij Rozen Breeding/De Ruiter Roses East Africa
04.2003 - 04.2007
POST GRADUATE - BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
University of Southern Queensland
Certificate of Participation - Financial Planning, analysis and forecasting
Oserian Development Company
PITMANS EXAMINATION INSTITUTE - British Syllabus
Valley Secretarial College
GCSE Levels - London University Exam Institute
IMANI SCHOOL KENYA
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