Senior Account Manager, Technical Sales - Composites & Crosslinking Job

The Senior Account Manager, Technical Sales – Composites & Crosslinking position reports to the Sales and Key Account Manager. This role, to be held by an experienced technical sales manager, is responsible for directly managing key accounts, distributor relationships, and business development in Composites and Rubber Crosslinking. This role works with minimal guidance and direction from sales management and is responsible for developing and executing sales plans and focusing on promoting profitable growth, long-term retention and satisfaction of assigned customer base in Composites and Rubber Crosslinking. The primary market focus will be Composites 80% with support to the key market leader in Rubber Crosslinking of 20%. 
Willing to work in a home-based office environment with travel 60%-70%. Ideal location would be mid-west, Indianapolis.   

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

Account Management (65%)

• Sells and promotes products/applications to assigned customers/partners/distributors. Plans how to establish and maintain account relationships and meet personal sales, margin and profit targets.
• Develops sales strategy and plan for each 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.
• Identifies and fosters relationships with the ‘right’ contacts at assigned customers and distributors. Partners with decision makers and influencers at multiple levels within the customers’ organization including contacts in purchasing, research, plant operations, logistics and business management.
• Networks across the organization to effectively and efficiently resolve problems including coordination with R&D, Manufacturing and Business.
• Owns the demand forecast. Utilizes sales planning and forecasting technology.
• Conducts customer due diligence. Creatively gathers intelligence on customers’ buying groups (e.g., uses social media).
• Effectively interprets and prioritizes customer needs. Aligns product/service offerings to meet customers’ needs.
• Ensures the highest standards are achieved for customers in the areas of health, safety, and environmental compliance.
• Supports and pursues new business opportunities with the distribution sales force in organic peroxides.

Technical Support to Customers and Distributors (25%)

• Provides ongoing customer support and is a highly visible, technical resource to customers.
• Identifies and proposes technical improvements to optimize customer operations and develop/implement value-added solutions.
• Translates complex products, offerings, and applications to existing and potential customers
• Educates customers on proper material handling and safety training and facilitate customer warehouse consultations. Brings any unsafe practices at customers involving Arkema products to the attention of business management.
• Prepares technical and sales presentations, and proposals to ensure successful outcome of transactions.
• Maintains a reliable, consistent, positive, technically responsible corporate image.
• Assists Marketing in developing necessary technical literature for promotion of Composite and Crosslinking products.

Industry & Customer Knowledge (10%)

• Actively monitors the competitive landscape and downstream market dynamics, and ensures that appropriate response strategies are formulated and communicated
• Identifies new customers, new products, new applications and new markets for Arkema organic peroxides and brings them to the attention of the business and technical Management. Generates leads and cultivates product development pipeline.

Years of Experience

• 8+ years of experience in chemical/technical sales or business unit sales role
• Experience in Organic Peroxides/ r the unsaturated polyester/vinyl ester resins industry.

Education and areas of focus

• BA or BS degree (Chemistry, Engineering, or related discipline)

Competencies, Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Demonstrated experience and success in key account management
• Detail orientation, with excellent prioritization and follow-up
• Strong relationship management
• Professional presentation with all levels of organization
• Strong customer focus
• Proficient with Excel, Word, PowerPoint and a good understanding of SAP
• 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.
• Proactively develops and facilitates effective ‘partnerships’ with decision makers and influencers at multiple levels within the customers’ organization (includes vertical and horizontal penetration). Develops and manages relationship with approved distributors to perpetuate sales growth.
• Has strong understanding of customer, industry, and market dynamics. 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.
• Proactively identifies new customers and markets to support profitable growth objectives.
• Serves as an expert on every aspect of his or her products including performance, customer uses, troubleshooting, manufacturing, safety, pricing and costs. He or she will act as a mentor to the sales and technical functions in these aspects.