IPM / Business Development Manager Lubricants & Energy

IMCD Group; Rotterdam; On-site; EUR 90,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Excellent secondary benefits

European role across markets

Job summary

IMCD Group, headquartered in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, seeks an International Principal Manager / Business Development Manager Lubricants & Energy to lead relationships with Principals across Europe and drive growth in lubricants and energy markets.

You will coordinate regional teams, manage pipeline, and onboard new suppliers, travelling ~25% of the time. The role partners with the Global Business Director Lubricants & Energy to shape strategy and deliver results.

Qualifications

• Degree in Chemistry or Mechanical Engineering.
• 8–10 years in commercial roles in lubricants, fuels or additives.
• Knowledge of lubricant additives and base oils.
• Experience leading cross-country teams and customers.

Responsibilities

• Be the main contact for Principal(s) on commercial, technical and development topics.
• Build relationships with Principals to secure long-term partnership in Europe.
• Steer pipeline development by country and support local teams from opportunity to conversion.
• Identify accounts and expansion opportunities by geography and product line.
• Manage pricing, including negotiations and payment terms.
• Coordinate onboarding of new Principals across countries with the rollout plan.
• Monitor revenue, margin, volumes and market trends, flag risks with mitigations.
• Drive digital and technical innovation to promote Principals and product lines.

Skills

Entrepreneurial mindset

Negotiation skills

Analytical skills

Cross-functional leadership

International experience

Education

Chemistry degree

Mechanical Engineering degree

Tools

Salesforce

Job description

IMCD Group, headquartered in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, is a leading global partner for the distribution and formulation of speciality chemicals and ingredients. IMCD is a strong, innovative business partner and solutions provider for producers of consumer, industrial and durable goods in multiple business sectors: Advanced Materials, Beauty & Personal Care, Coatings & Construction, Food & Nutrition, Home Care I&I (Industrial & Institutional), Industrial Solutions, Lubricants & Energy, and Pharmaceuticals.

In partnership with our suppliers, we offer a broad and deep product portfolio. With our over 80 application laboratories across 60 countries, we co-create formulations and offer solutions that allow our business partners to make products with a positive impact on the world of today and tomorrow. Our teams focus on providing commercial and operational excellence, using the best digital and logistics tools available to create a world of opportunity for our partners.

In 2025, with over 5,200 employees, IMCD realised revenues of EUR 4,779 million. IMCD N.V.’s shares are traded at Euronext Amsterdam (symbol: IMCD) and included in the Dutch ESG AEX index, as one of 25 companies within the AEX and AMX indices demonstrating best ESG practices.

Unleash a new element, Element [E]

IMCD has introduced a new, missing element to the chemical periodic table - Element [E]. For us, it stands for our Employees and their Entrepreneurial mindset, the driving force behind our success.

Job opening

For one of our offices in Western Europe (United Kingdom, France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Belgium or the Netherlands), we are looking for an International Principal Manager / Business Development Manager Lubricants & Energy:

You know lubricant and fuel additives, and you know how a Principal (supplier) thinks. In this role you bring that knowledge to IMCD. You are the central contact between your Principal(s) and IMCD across Europe, working with the local Principal Managers, technical teams and commercial teams in every territory where your Principals are active. You report to the Global Business Director Lubricants & Energy and travel approx. 25% of your time.

The focus is on growing the additives business across Europe and finding new opportunities in lubricants, fuels and related energy markets. You also support the identification, evaluation and onboarding of new suppliers. When a new supplier joins, you coordinate the roll-out and implementation with all countries, so that each market starts with a clear plan.

What we are looking for:

An additives professional with a commercial, entrepreneurial mindset:

• Entrepreneurial: you spot an opportunity and pick it up, while deepening existing partnerships.
• A strong negotiator who aligns people at every level, across several countries and functions.
• Analytical: you turn performance data into clear recommendations.
• Resilient and adaptable in a fast-paced environment that changes as the group grows.

Key responsibilities:

• Be the main contact for your Principal(s) on commercial, technical, operational and development topics, and agree on growth plans together.
• Build relationships at several levels with your Principals, so that IMCD is their long-term partner in Europe.
• Steer pipeline development per country and support the local Principal Managers from opportunity to conversion, to deliver on budget and Principal targets.
• Identify Key Accounts and expansion opportunities by geography, market and product line, and set up a central action plan to grow them.
• Manage pricing, including price negotiations and payment terms.
• Support the identification and evaluation of new suppliers, and coordinate the roll‑out and implementation of new Principals across all countries: market assessment, business case, onboarding and launch.
• Monitor revenue, margin, volumes, competitor activity and market trends in all territories, and flag risks early together with a mitigation plan.
• Drive digital and technical innovation to promote your Principals and product lines, including internal and external training.
• Own the product data in Salesforce and the Sales/Buyer Assistant, and the operational side of the role (forecasting, stock, supply chain and sampling), with support from the Principal Coordinator.

Required qualifications and skills:

• Degree in Chemistry or Mechanical Engineering.
• Minimum of 8–10 years of experience in commercial roles, principal or supplier management, business development or market development in lubricants, fuels, additives, base oils or related specialty chemicals.
• Knowledge of lubricant additives, fuel additives, base oils and their applications.
• Track record of growing complex accounts across several European markets and of winning new business.
• Experience guiding commercial or cross-functional teams in a matrixed, international organisation.
• Understanding of the distribution model and what drives value in it.
• Experience with forecasting and supply chain processes, and familiarity with CRM tools such as Salesforce.
• Fluent English; willingness to travel approx. 25%.

IMCD offers:

• A European role with real scope: you shape the strategy with your Principals and see the result in revenue and margin across several European markets.
• Variety: strategy, pricing, pipeline, new suppliers, digital innovation and supply chain come together in one role.
• A short line to the Global Business Director Lubricants & Energy.
• The freedom of a decentralised organisation, with the reach of a global group.
• Your base in one of IMCD’s major Western European locations.
• A competitive salary and excellent secondary benefits, aligned with your country.