Americas Business Development Manager - Coatings

Synthomer is a leading supplier of high-performance polymers and ingredients, serving key sectors globally. The Business Development Manager will lead activities in the Americas, focusing on market analysis, building customer relationships, and driving product innovation to support growth strategies.

Responsibilities:

• Develop a full understanding of the regional market shape and size for existing markets and scope out potential adjacent market opportunities by completing deep market analysis to identify market opportunities, trends, needs, and growth areas
• Working closely with the marketing director carry out analysis to develop regional insights into commercial and technically driven trends and opportunities that will enable growth into new Specialty focused end market segments and applications
• Prospect new business by establishing contacts and building relationships with new customers, gauging their needs and developing solutions to address these needs. Develop persuasive proposals to convert potential customers managing the relationship through to first commercial sales
• Ensure robust management of change process in place for transferring customer ownership to the sales organization
• Collaborate with Customers, R&D, Technical Service, Sales and other internal teams to drive innovation and commercialization of high-impact new product development projects
• Support the development of a robust business case on these new product development projects providing market insights that support the project financials and continuously monitor market developments through to first commercial sales
• Responsible for defining the Americas regional 5 yr growth plan for new business growth working in collaboration with the sales and technical team to deliver
• Establish and maintain positive relationships with trade associations and attend conferences to build relationships with industry partners and stay up to date with new trends

Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree required and/or combination of education and related experience in lieu of degree
• Minimum of five years' experience in Business Development in a speciality product environment
• A proven ability to build and sustain good business relationships, to sell ideas, products and services, bring in new business, and hit targets
• A technical background in polymer chemistry and/or in the coatings to understand customer needs in new market segments and to translate this to NPD requirements
• Strong commercial acumen with a solid understanding of business and marketing principles
• Outstanding interpersonal skills: strong ability to summarize key messages for business activities or product advantages
• Confident and articulate presenter
• Self-starter with the ability to put business development programs in place working closely with other functions to deliver results
• Full commitment to business integrity, customer value, teamwork, innovation, and diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I)
• A mission-driven, team player with the desire to make an impact and difference
• Excellent MS Office software experience, CRM and planning tools (e.g. C4C, Salesforce, Arkieva)
• Valid driver's license and ability to travel up to 30%
• Ideal candidate will be located in Ohio and/or Midwest close to customer clusters and Technology Team, within driving distance of a major airport
• Master's degree preferred
• Ten or more years preferred