top of page

Merchandising & Transportation Development Program

Get hands-on experience sourcing, selling, and shipping Canadian grains and oilseeds. May have an opportunity to work in operations at a Richardson Pioneer rural Ag Business Centre or Regional Merchandising office. 

The ideal candidate will have: 

  • Completed a business (or international business), agribusiness, or supply chain degree program

  • Enthusiasm for international business, merchandising, and transportation

  • Exceptional communication skills and a strong aptitude for interpersonal interactions

  • Initiative and is adept at managing multiple priorities 

  • Additional language skills (valued but not a requirement)

Business Unit Areas

Grain Handling, Merchandising, and Crop Inputs Retail

(93 Ag Business Centres; 7 export grain terminals; 3 corporate grain merchandising offices; and 3 international marketing offices in Hong Kong, Singapore and Switzerland)

Supply Chain Functional Area Exposure

Logistics

Administer and manage grain merchandising sales and purchase contracts. Manage customs requirements for importing crop inputs and exporting grains and oilseeds.

Truck

Rail

Marine

Coordinate the delivery of grain trucks to customers. Coordinate the delivery of fertilizer, chemical, and seed to crop input retail locations for sale to farmers to grow their crops. Identify backhaul opportunities to manage freight costs.

Coordinate the delivery of grain railcars from a network of country locations for onward shipping to end-use customers globally.

Administer and execute bulk grain merchandising sales by ocean cargo vessel at export port terminals to end-use customers globally.

Oat and Durum Milling

(6 facilities in Canada, U.S., and U.K.)

Supply Chain Functional Area Exposure

Logistics

Truck

Rail

Manage customs requirements for export.

Coordinate the delivery of trucks for inbound shipments of oats and durum for processing. Ship food ingredients to end-use customers to incorporate into breakfast cereals and bars and pasta products.

Coordinate the delivery of railcars to milling plants. Develop sourcing plans to meet sales requirements.

Oilseed Crushing and Refining

(2 facilities in Canada)

Supply Chain Functional Area Exposure

Logistics

Truck

Rail

Administer and manage oilseed product purchase and sale contracts. Manage customs requirements for exporting bulk canola oil and meal.

Coordinate the delivery of trucks for inbound shipments of canola seed to our oilseed plants. This seed will be crushed and refined and then further processed by our Food & Ingredients division or will be sold in bulk to customers.

Coordinate the delivery of railcars of bulk canola oil and meal from canola crushing plants to North American and overseas customers.

Food & Ingredients Manufacturing

(3 facilities in Canada and U.S.)

Supply Chain Functional Area Exposure

Logistics

Rail

Manage customs requirements for importing ingredients and exporting canola-based finished products.

Coordinate the delivery of railcars of inbound ingredients and outbound canola-based finished products.

Skill Development Opportunities

Supply Chain Functional Area Exposure

Logistics

Apply detail-oriented mindset to problem solving and further develop organizational skills. This program emphasizes practical application and use of Microsoft Excel and other technical systems.

Truck

Rail

Marine

Further develop verbal and written communication skills in working with trucking companies and Richardson locations. Frequent data analyses and exposure to negotiation of freight rates.

Utilize planning and organizational skills. Further develop verbal and written communication skills in working with railways and plants.

Further develop verbal and written communication skills in working with service providers, agencies, and terminal and vessel staff. Exposure to negotiating financial instruments.

Country Operations

Supply Chain Functional Area Exposure

Logistics

As part of the program, you will participate in a country operations rotation at a grain handling elevator and crop inputs retail location to further enhance your overall understanding of our business.

Truck

Rail

Marine

You will gain practical, hands-on experience in:

  • The sale and delivery of seed, chemical, and fertilizer to grain farmers to help grow their crops;

  • The purchase of grain based on end-use customer requirements;

  • Assessing grain grades and blending opportunities;

  • Shipping to domestic and export customers.

bottom of page