Antal is a global recruitment service firm, expert in the global search and selection industry - we work with professional and managerial talent worldwide. Every day, we help businesses all around the world to find the talent that they need to drive their growth, profits, and long-term success.

Our client is one of the world's leading distributors of industrial and specialty chemicals. They offer their industrial customers in the life sciences, environment and materials markets complete and customized solutions (products and services) in the chemical field. Its local sales and marketing network and its teams of experts are essential assets for achieving a leading position in all its target markets and industries.

ANTAL oversees recruiting a Business Manager specializing in the sale of raw materials for the cleaning and detergent industry. Ideally located in Paris or Lyon Area.

Role Purpose

For the assigned industry/ territory, the Business Manager HI&I manage assigned account manager team (IAMs & EAMs) to maximize sales/ profit. Manage activities & resulting performance. Guide on converting new opportunities for existing customers and prospects. Alse this role description can be adjusted according to the needs of the country / industry in the coming months

Key Areas of Responsibility                      

Customer Business Development (60% to-be; will also depend on Application Dev. type)

• Provide technical support to assigned Account Managers and their respective customers (gold, silver, bronze high potential customers)
• Participate in the writing and management of proposals, presentations, workshops and marketing materials to support specific opportunity pursuits
• Accompany company Solutions/ Essentials Account Managers to customer visits and consult customers to identify and develop the right solution for them
• Present newly developed applications/ solutions to relevant customers and convince them of their benefit (close projects) (includes providing samples and trial runs with the customers)
• Manage project pipeline of customer projects that will deliver required growth
• Ensure safety is the priority and that all activities are conducted in accordance with quality, health, safety and environmental management systems as well as corporate and local policies                   
• Define sales strategy and convert into targets; execute team targets and service levels
• Review and report team performance; review, guide and optimize pricing
• Develop business and new customers for team accounts and maintain Market Knowledge

(New) Application development (20% to-be)

• Proactively identify market and customer application needs/trends in the assigned focus industry (with team)
• Develop new applications/ formulations with teams in application development centers
• Help to define and support in the execution of strategic growth plans/campaigns in collaboration with the relevant sales management/ teams and Industry Marketing Management/Product Management on (new) applications/ formulations - inform and train account managers on updates/new developments in regular contact with the TSMs in other countries            

Market know-how development and management (15% to-be)

• Maintain an up-to-date level of product, technical, and application knowledge
• Keep up to date with changes and updates in the market
• Establish and maintain regular contact with third party research groups and industrial research consortia to advance knowledge base and solicit new business opportunities
• Attend relevant trade shows with an established goal of furthering customer relationships and identifying new opportunities
• Uncover new business leads within the assigned application/industry sector
• Develop material and documentation support for the Account Managers
• Engage with Application Developers in other regions to share/ learn from best practices and collaborate on new business opportunities                              

Admin (5% to-be)

• Ensure appropriate data administration and documentation of all new formulations/applications
• Ensure appropriate data administration and documentation of all business cases in the local CRM system (e.g., post processing of visits, customer potentials)

PROFILE

• Knowledge of suppliers and detergent products
• Ability to interact with both sales and suppliers (upstream - downstream)
• Leadership skills
• Managerial experience in sales/sales oriented
• Mastering French language is mandatory. Fluent in English
• Ability to integrate and work cross-functionally with business managers from other industries.
• Ability to think "outside the box" (European and national sales organization)
• Be rigorous & organized
• Positive attitude & resilience to sales fluctuations
• CRM oriented (Salesforce) - SFDC experience a plus
• Comfortable with data: customers, products, capture ratio, pipeline opportunity, pricing follow-up & use of tools (e.g., CGE)
• Travel in France is required
• 5 years’ experience in a similar position