Company Overview

Our client is an award winning specialty chemicals business that designs and manufactures a range of resins and specialist polymers. The company serves a broad range of sectors, including food packaging, construction, renewables, pharmaceuticals and aerospace. A key technology is coatings.

Job Description

Exciting opportunity to lead worldwide commercial activities of the business. As a key member of the leadership team and reporting to the Chairman, this strategic role will drive commercial structuring and long-term client development to take the business to the next level of success. Extensive international travel will be required.

Responsibilities will include:

• Identifying the correct commercial strategy and delivery model for each product and geography and developing and implementing a plan to deliver the agreed approach
• Building strong customer relationships around existing product lines
•  Identifying new / emerging customer needs driven by regulation, technology, or consumer preferences, and working with the technical team to develop products to address these requirements
• Liaising with existing and potential future technology partners to ensure successful delivery of strategic programmes of work
• Building, training and managing a sales team
• Working with the Operations Director to build and maintain strong partnerships with suppliers to ensure security of supply and protect margin
• In cooperation with the Technical Director and Operations Director, identifying and building relationships with potential partners globally (USA, India, East Asia, Continental Europe)

Job Requirements

You  have a strong track record of commercial leadership in a chemical or related business (at least 10 years). Experience in speciality chemicals or the coatings sector is especially attractive.

You should genuinely have an entrepreneurial mindset and be excited by the prospect of global travel and building on the strong foundations of a business to take it to the next level.

Apart from strong sales and negotiation skills, you must  be able to analyse, plan and structure a commercial portfolio of products and customers, plus know how to segment, prioritise and market effectively. This is a strategic role rather than tactical day-to-day sales leadership role.

You will necessarily be a team player who can cooperate with other members of the leadership team and Board of Directors to deliver winning commercial plans.

A degree in Chemistry or Chemical Engineering is preferred, or equivalent experience in the chemicals sector.

This job could be a good fit for an individual that has grown up in a larger chemicals company and wants greater independence and a more dynamic work environment. It could also be a good fit for someone who has had a broader leadership role at a medium-sized enterprise and is looking for a new, more commercial challenge.