Sales Director – Speciality Chemicals

Manufacturing
c£100-125,000 plus performance-based earnings and exec package

Outstanding opportunity to join a market leading, international speciality chemicals business. This near century old business has constantly kept ahead of competition, and has a clear focus on technical input and product innovation to become top, second or third largest supplier in all markets they exist within. Quality of product and service is at the core of the business, they were one of the first chemical manufacturers to gain ISO9002 over 30 years ago.

Technical awareness and knowledge has long been a strength of the business and has led the business to some of the largest supplier contracts in the world in their sector(s), but their commercial structure and capability has underpinned their growth and driven the long-term success of the business.

The business is achieving well-above industry average EBITDA figures, but is focused on re-investing heavily into the business to continue and accelerate its growth and financial might. They invest significantly in both process technology and in personnel to ensure the highest of standard of both product and service are maintained. 

Recent growth has created the need to recruit a Sales Director to increase the strategic capability, global reach and ultimately, the commercial performance and top-line growth, primarily through an extensive list of global distributors. The appointee will report into the recently appointed Managing Director (himself a former Sales Director), supporting him directly and succeeding him as a key external face of the business as he focuses on further M&A activity.

The appointee will take a high degree of autonomy in the sales development and leadership within the business, but with the full support of the Board and the parent Group. The successful candidate will design, develop and implement a clear strategy to drive global sales and profitability, with a focus in both short-term wins and long-term strategic planning.

Duties and Responsibilities

Customers – Internal & External

  • To determine, in conjunction with the distributor(s), the best strategy to develop profitable sales and maximise the benefits of the product portfolio and the brand and service
  • To liaise, negotiate and help distributors/customers with the selection of the correct products based upon commercial and technical aspects
  • To develop and maintain mutually beneficial working relationships with distributors/customers
  • To provide the required information to ensure timely and accurate communications
  • Ensuring that your function is consistently presented to a high level to promote a professional image to the internal and external customer
  • Ensuring that the commercial function is consistently presented to a high level to promote a professional image to the internal and external customer

Financial

  • To monitor, in conjunction with the credit controller, the payment record and credit worthiness of all distributors and customers to ensure timely payments
  • To plan and prepare sales forecasts and budgets and ensure that sales profitability, volume and budget objectives are achieved
  • Ensure that all management information is produced and distributed within the stated deadlines
  • Proactively work towards the achievement of the company overall budgets and forecasts
  • To ensure that limits of authority and sign off levels are adhered to


Leadership

  • Take a hands on role in leading the sales function. The desire to lead from the front and taking a personal sales target will be essential
  • Undertake regular reviews of the entire sales function and it’s people to improve customer service, performance and productivity

Business Processes & Safety

  • Ensure all policies and procedures are adhered to and to ensure that controls are effective
  • Ensure that you are aware and comply with all company policies including health and safety
  • Undertake regular reviews of your function to improve customer service, performance and productivity

Specific Performance Deliverables and KPIs

  • The sales and profit performance of the Company, distributors and the various global markets
  • Meeting key deadlines
  • Accuracy of budgets and forecasts
  • Customer satisfaction performance of your function
  • Implementation of cost reduction solutions
  • Improvement and delivery of management information

Person Specification

Core Capabilities

  • Results driven
  • Customer service focus
  • Leadership capabilities
  • Planning and monitoring
  • Judgement and decision-making
  • Forward thinking
  • Excellent verbal and written communication, consulting and networking skills
  • Excellent negotiation and numeracy skills.
  • Ability to work within a team
  • Excellent people management skills
  • Integrity
  • Self motivated
  • Ability to prioritise workloads, meet deadlines and maintain accuracy at all times
  • Ability to work independently and with the vision to ensure customer development
  • Must be able to travel internationally

Qualifications & Experience

  • Preferably degree educated.
  • Experience of international sales and management of distributors and agents
  • Min 5yrs recent experience of selling manufactured polymer compounds/products to a global customer base.
  • Demonstrated ability to lead process changes
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and general Office applications
  • Excellent communication and listening skills, both internally and externally and appreciation of cultural requirements
  • Ability to tailor communications to the appropriate audience

This is a career defining, fantastic opportunity for an experienced, operationally aware and commercially astute Sales Leader, with exposure to a technical sector, to take a key, senior leadership role within, and add significant value to an already high-performing market leading business. The potential for onward growth is significant.

For further information, or to apply, please forward a full CV and current salary/earnings details to Gary Chaplin on gary@garychaplin.com

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