Senior Account Manager & Technical Sales Job

The Senior Account Manager & Technical Sales position reports to the Business & Sales Manager.   This role is for a highly experienced sales and business development professional with deep knowledge and understanding of customer, industry, regulatory requirements and market dynamics related to the food and Pharma industry.  This person is overall responsible for directly and strategically managing key accounts and distributor relationships, including developing and executing sales plans, promoting profitable growth, account long-term retention and ongoing satisfaction of customer base with a strong emphasis on the business development.  Also develops and facilitates effective partnerships with key decision makers and influencers at various levels of the customers’ organization (including vertical and horizontal penetration) as well as approved distributors to perpetuate sales growth.

The primary market focus will be in the Food, Pharma, and Bleaching applications for organic peroxides.  Works with minimal guidance and direction from management.  Willing to work in a home-based office, or Radnor HQ environment with travel 50%-60% 

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

Account Management (40%)

• Sells and promotes products/applications to assigned customers/partners/distributors focusing on the Food and Pharma, markets to meet personal sales, margin and profit targets.
• Identifies and fosters relationships with the ‘right’ contacts at assigned customers and distributors including managing relationships at customers and Arkema between key disciplines, decision makers and influencers at multiple levels including contacts in purchasing, research, plant operations, logistics and business management.
• Prepare sales presentations, contracts, and proposals to ensure successful outcome of transactions.
• Owns the demand forecast.  Utilizes sales planning and forecasting technology.
• Translates complex products, offerings, and applications to existing and potential customers
• Effectively interprets and prioritizes customer needs.  Aligns product/service offerings to meet customers’ needs.
• Identifies and proposes improvements to optimize customer operations and develop/implement value-added solutions.
• Effectively plans customers meetings with identified key objectives, agendas, probing questions and action items.
• Consistently utilizes Arkema’s CRM system, SalesForce, for the creation of call visit reports, opportunity funnel, sales contacts, new prospects, and sample requests and their follow up.
• Able to organize Arkema support in order to respond to customers’ documentation requirements in the heavily regulated pharmaceutical and food space.

Business development (30%)

• Identifies new customers, new products, new applications and new markets for Arkema organic peroxides and brings them to the attention of business and technical Management.
• Develop sales strategy and plan for each key account.
• Maintains customer account profiles on key customers including customer capacity and process information, products used and demand volumes, competitor share information, expansion plans and organization structure.
• Conducts customer due diligence. Creatively gathers intelligence on customers’ buying groups (e.g., uses social media).
• Cultivates product development pipeline for existing and new customers

Technical Support to Customers and Distributors (20%)

• Ensures the highest standards are achieved for customers in the areas of health, safety, and environmental compliance.
• Educate customers on proper material handling and safety training and facilitate customer warehouse consultations with assistance from research and development as required.  Bring any unsafe practices at customers involving Arkema products to the attention of business management

Industry & Customer Knowledge (10%)

• Actively monitors the competitive landscape and downstream market dynamics and ensures that appropriate response strategies are formulated and communicated.
• Participates with peers and sales management to develop higher-level sales strategies and help identify target accounts and opportunities within the framework of the business unit strategy.
• Participation at industry conferences and exhibitions as required.

Required Qualifications & Education

• 12+ years of experience in chemical/technical sales or business selling preferred
• Experience with Organic Peroxides and/or the food and pharmaceutical markets and regulations preferred.
• BA or BS degree (Sales, Marketing, Chemistry, Engineering, or related discipline)

Competencies, Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Demonstrated success in key account management
• Proficient with Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Sales Force and a good understanding of Contract’in, and Picasso Forecasting
• Excellent interpersonal, listening, communication and negotiating skills
• Results driven
• Detail orientation, with excellent prioritization and follow-up
• Strong relationship management
• Professional presentation with all levels of organization
• Strong customer focus
• Must be comfortable working independently in a matrix structure
• Must be able to communicate and operate effectively with remote sales team members and management.   Contributes to team goals.
• Proactively interacts and communicates with business, supply chain, customer service and R&D contacts to ensure consistent flow of information, problem resolution, troubleshooting, new product opportunities and alignment with business objectives.
• Actively learns and improves understanding of other Arkema products and solutions.  Delivers presentations and information sessions to other business units to increase awareness/understanding of products/solutions/customers.
• Has strong understanding of customer, industry, and market dynamics particularly in the food and pharma markets.  Proficient in the business unit’s value proposition and matches it to customers’ needs.  Understands Arkema’s broader products, offerings and solutions; actively learns about other business unit’s products and initiatives.  Acts as business unit ambassador; educates, informs and shares relevant information on customers/products/solutions with other Arkema business units in the interest of maximizing customer relationships

Physical Demands/Working Conditions

• May require work beyond normal hours to meet business needs
• Travel 50-60%.