Territory details:

Hours: Full time
Location: This position offers flexibility to work remotely from home within Wisconsin, out in the field, and from our Waupun, Wis., office. Travel is required as needed, primarily within Wisconsin, with occasional trips throughout our 15-state service area. Most travel excursions are day trips, allowing you to return home by evening.
Deadline: May 19, 2025

Your purpose:

This position oversees the recruiting, hiring, onboarding, and training for most all roles at CentralStar Cooperative, specifically field-based and office opportunities. This includes, but is not limited to, Artificial Insemination (A.I.) Specialists, Interns, Area Sales Managers, and Dairy Herd Information (DHI) Specialists across CentralStar Cooperative’s 15-state territory, with heavy emphasis in Wisconsin. The role focuses on building strong relationships with potential candidates, guiding them through recruitment and onboarding, and working with training specialists to deliver high-quality reproductive-management services, herd-management products and services, and/or accurate milk-analysis herd data to dairy producers in Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, and beyond. By equipping new team members with the skills and knowledge to provide exceptional service, this position helps producers improve herd profitability through effective reproductive solutions and data-driven herd management.

Day-to-day responsibilities:

• Builds and maintains relationships with agricultural professors, technical instructors, and academic advisors to create talent pipelines and promote A.I. and DHI career opportunities;
• Collaborates with management to assess staffing needs and define role requirements;
• Works with designated members of the existing hiring team to develop, post, and manage job listings to attract qualified candidates;
• Coordinates and conducts application and candidate screening, an appropriate balance of in-person and virtual interviews, reference checks, and hiring processes in cooperation with members of the existing hiring team;
• Delivers onboarding programs to ensure new hires are equipped with knowledge and skills for success;
• Regularly works with the hiring team to review the entire recruitment and hiring process for potential modifications, including any training-material adjustments;
• Works with management and training specialists to monitor new-hire performance and training effectiveness, recommending and implementing improvements, if needed;
• Works with training specialists, the hiring team, and/or organizational development to organize and lead staff-training sessions, orientation workshops, and continuing-education opportunities;
• Maintains up-to-date knowledge of industry best practices, technologies, and regulatory requirements relevant to A.I. and DHI in the agriculture industry;
• Encourages the fostering of strong relationships between team members to promote a positive work culture of engagement, synergy, and professional growth for the purpose of retention and just providing an overall nice place to work;
• Assists the hiring team in tracking and maintaining accurate records of recruitment, training activities, certifications, and compliance requirements;
• Collaborates with leadership and organizational development to support workforce planning, succession planning, and team-member-development strategies to maximize tenure, minimize turnover, and decrease average days open per position;
• Partners with the hiring team, management, etc. to attend and participate in career fairs, college- and technical-school-organization events, cooperative activities, etc. to achieve the above responsibilities; and
• Consistently demonstrates a thorough knowledge of, and support for organizational mission and vision statements, the culture initiative, standards, policies and procedures, operating instructions, confidentiality standards, and the code of ethical behavior.

Qualifications:

• Strong understanding of dairy-industry operations, herd-management practices, or a demonstrated ability to quickly learn industry-specific knowledge is necessary;
• Proven experience in recruitment, A.I. training, and/or employee development within the animal-agricultural industry is necessary;
• A bachelor’s degree in human resources, business administration, dairy/animal science, agribusiness, or a related area is preferred;
• Experience with reproduction and genetic programs in dairy and beef markets preferred;
• Excellent interpersonal and relationship-building skills with the ability to engage effectively with educators, students, and industry professionals;
• Exceptional communication, presentation, and facilitation abilities — both in-person and virtually;
• Strong organizational, project-management, and record-keeping skills with keen attention to detail;
• Ability to work independently, as well as collaboratively within a team-oriented environment;
• Willingness to travel regionally to recruitment events, training sessions, industry conferences, etc.;
• Positive work ethic with a service-orientated attitude;
• Must be able to maintain a high level of confidentiality;
• Ability to adapt and learn new technologies;
• Committed to self-continuing education and staying current on industry and hiring trends;
• Strong computer skills required, such as experience with Microsoft office programs (PowerPoint, Excel, and Word);
• Valid driver’s license;
• The ability to regularly sit, stand, walk, bend, climb, and to lift and carry objects up to 120 pounds; and
• Commitment to the mission and values of CentralStar Cooperative, with a focus on a positive culture, service, accuracy, and continuous improvement.

Compensation:

• Salary with paid training;
• Paid time off;
• Health-, dental-, and vision-insurance options;
• Flexible-spending account;
• 401 (k) – retirement savings plan with up to 4% match;
• Company-sponsored life insurance and long-term-disability insurance;
• Optional short-term-disability insurance;
• Continuing-education opportunities;
• Employee-assistance program;
• Employee-awards program; and
• Company vehicle.

About CentralStar Cooperative:

CentralStar’s goal of enhancing producer profitability through integrated services is fulfilled by incorporating an array of products and services critical to dairy-and-beef-farm prosperity. CentralStar’s product and service offerings include Accelerated Genetics, GenerVations and Select Sires genetics; extensive artificial-insemination (A.I.) technician service; genetic, reproduction, and dairy-records consultation; DHI services; diagnostic testing; herd-management products; research and development; and more. CentralStar’s administration and warehouse facilities are located in Lansing, Mich., and Waupun, Wis., with laboratories in Grand Ledge, Mich., and Kaukauna, Wis. The cooperative serves dairy and beef producers throughout Wisconsin, Michigan, and Indiana, with additional DHI territory in various surrounding states.