Sales Manager

The Role

An established global specialty-chemicals manufacturer is seeking an experienced Sales Manager to develop its European business within the coatings and adhesives market.

The position will take commercial responsibility for a specialised portfolio of high-molecular-weight saturated polyester resins used as binders and raw materials across industrial coatings, adhesives, inks and related formulation markets.

This is a hands-on commercial role requiring an experienced specialty-chemicals professional who can independently manage key customers, identify new applications and develop business in technically demanding markets. The successful candidate will work closely with customers, distributors and internal technical teams throughout the product-selection, testing, qualification and commercialisation process.

Responsibilities

• Manage and grow sales across the assigned European territory.
• Develop relationships with coatings, adhesives and other specialty-chemical formulators.
• Identify new customers, applications and market-development opportunities.
• Manage key accounts, pricing, negotiations, forecasting and sales pipelines.
• Support customers during product evaluation, formulation trials and technical qualification.
• Work closely with technical, R&D, supply-chain and international commercial teams.
• Monitor competitor activity, regulatory developments and changing customer requirements.
• Develop commercial strategies for relevant applications, including coil and can coatings, industrial adhesives, inks, flexible packaging, water-based systems and hot-melt products.
• Represent the business at customer meetings, industry events and technical exhibitions.
• Provide regular market intelligence, forecasts and commercial reporting.

Requirements

• At least 10 years of relevant B2B sales experience within coatings, adhesives or closely related CASE markets.
• Strong commercial experience in specialty chemicals, polymers, resins, binders or formulation raw materials.
• Established experience selling to coatings or adhesive manufacturers and formulators.
• Proven success in key-account management, new-business development, pricing and commercial negotiation.
• Sufficient technical understanding to discuss resin performance, customer formulations, application testing and product qualification.
• Direct experience with saturated polyester resins, copolyesters, polyester polyols or comparable coating and adhesive resin portfolios would be highly advantageous.
• Experience with products used in industrial coatings, coil or can coatings, inks, flexible packaging, polyurethane adhesives or hot-melt applications would be valuable.
• Able to work independently within an international organisation and manage customers without close supervision.
• Strong communication, presentation and relationship-management skills.
• Willingness to travel regularly across Europe.

Academic qualifications in chemistry, polymer science, materials science or a related discipline would be beneficial, although relevant industry knowledge and a strong commercial track record are more important.