Manager, Technical Services CFT

Albemarle; Amsterdam; On-site; EUR 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation

Comprehensive benefits package

Diverse resources to support you

Job summary

Ketjen Corporation in Europe is hiring a Technical Services Manager CFT within the CFT Technical Excellence department. The role reports to the Technical Excellence Director CFT and leads the Technical Excellence Specialists supporting customers in Europe and Africa.

You will coordinate regional Technical Services for CFT catalysts, ensure high-quality proposals and technical support, strengthen customer relationships, coach the regional team, and oversee compliance with safety and environmental

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Chemistry, Engineering, or closely related discipline.
• More than 10 years of relevant experience in Technical Services, business, marketing, research and technology, or a mix of these.
• In-depth knowledge of the catalyst business and customer-facing refinery applications.
• Demonstrated leadership experience including coaching and developing technical professionals.
• Strong strategic, commercial, advisory, influencing, and stakeholder-management skills.
• Clear communication skills and ability to build networks in a complex international organization.
• Strong presentation skills and ability to explain technical and economic recommendations to customers and colleagues.
• Project-management experience including objectives, timing, resources and budgets.
• Ability to work independently, manage conflicting interests, and collaborate across functions, countries, and cultures.

Responsibilities

• Own & set regional CFT Technical Services strategy and annual plan, aligned with the Technical Excellence Director CFT and Regional GM CFT.
• Translate business priorities into clear technical priorities, resource plans, and team objectives.
• Ensure the region delivers consistent, high-quality technical service, proposals, and customer-facing materials.
• Act as the senior technical interface for key customers, building management-level relationships.
• Provide high quality technical support to assigned customers.
• Lead the resolution of complex customer issues with cross-functional alignment.
• Approve or validate technical proposals, documentation, and recommendations for customers.
• Drive effective use of technical expertise, systems, processes, and data to improve service quality and team productivity.
• Ensure customer and process information is validated, shared, and protected to support improvements and future references.
• Oversee technical customer complaints with timely analysis, follow-up, and closure.
• Represent Technical Services in customer presentations, seminars, publications, and product-support activities.
• Lead, coach, and develop the regional Technical Excellence team, including capacity planning and recruitment.
• Ensure compliance with company policies and environmental/safety requirements.
• Support development and regional implementation of Ketjen’s CFT Technical Services digitalization strategy.

Skills

Leadership experience

Strategic thinking

Communication skills

Project management

Stakeholder management

Education

Master's degree

Job description

Are you ready to move your career forward and help shape our company’s and customers’ futures?

If you aspire to challenge yourself, work with the best in the industry and join a successful team where you can make a meaningful contribution, then we invite you to join us at Ketjen Corporation, a provider of advanced catalyst solutions to leading producers in the petrochemical, refining, and specialty chemicals industries. Together, we can create a legacy marked by innovation, excitement, and energy.

Excited to grow your career?

We value our talented employees and, whenever possible, strive to help employees grow professionally before recruiting externally. If you believe this position is the right next step for you, we encourage you to apply.

Our people make all the difference in our success.

Job Summary

Ketjen is hiring a Technical Services Manager CFT within the CFT Technical Excellence department in Europe. The role reports to the Technical Excellence Director CFT and leads the Technical Excellence Specialists supporting our customers in Europe and Africa.

In this role, you will coordinate regional Technical Services for CFT catalysts, support commercial objectives, and ensure customers receive reliable, the required technical support.

You will provide technical leadership, strengthen customer relationships, ensure the quality of proposals and documentation, coach the regional team, and personally support selected your own set of customers as well.

What You Will Do

• Own & set the regional CFT Technical Services strategy and annual plan, aligned with the Technical Excellence Director CFT and Regional General Manager CFT.
• Be accountable for translating business priorities into clear technical priorities, resource plans, and team objectives. Help to reduce business risks.
• Ensure the region delivers consistent, high-quality technical service, proposals, and customer-facing materials.
• Act as the senior technical interface for key customers, building management-level relationships and influencing technical and commercial decisions.
• Provide high quality technical support yourself to assigned customers.
• Lead the resolution of complex customer issues, ensuring technical, commercial, and cross-functional alignment.
• Approve or validate technical proposals, documentation, and recommendations before they are shared with customers.
• Drive effective use of technical expertise, systems, processes, and data to improve service quality and team productivity.
• Ensure customer and process information is validated, shared, and protected to support model improvement, product development, and future customer references.
• Oversee technical customer complaints and ensure timely analysis, follow-up, and closure.
• Represent Technical Services in customer presentations, seminars, publications, and product-support activities.
• Lead, coach, and develop the regional Technical Excellence team, including capacity planning, recruitment, succession, and workforce planning.
• Ensure the team operates in compliance with company policies and applicable environmental and safety requirements.
• Accountable to support the development and regional implementation of Ketjen’s CFT Technical Services digitalization strategy.

What You Bring

Required

• Master’s degree or equivalent in Chemistry, Engineering, or a closely related discipline.
• More than 10 years of relevant experience in Technical Services, business, marketing, research and technology, or a combination of these areas.
• In-depth knowledge of the catalyst business and customer-facing refinery applications.
• Demonstrated leadership experience, including coaching and developing technical professionals.
• Strong strategic, commercial, advisory, influencing, and stakeholder-management skills.
• Clear communication skills and the ability to build effective networks in a complex international organization.
• Strong presentation skills, including the ability to explain technical and economic recommendations to customers and colleagues.
• Project-management experience, including setting objectives and managing timing, resources, budgets, and implementation.
• Ability to work independently, manage conflicting interests, and collaborate across functions, countries, and cultures.

Preferred

• Experience leading a regional or international Technical Services team.
• Experience managing complex customer issues and validating high-value technical proposals.
• Experience working across Technical Excellence, Sales, Marketing, R&D, and regional commercial teams.
• Knowledge of languages relevant to the assigned region.

Why This Role Matters

This role connects technical expertise, customer needs, and commercial priorities. It shapes the regional technical agenda, improves customer support, and develops the Technical Excellence organization.

Benefits of Joining Ketjen

• Competitive compensation
• Comprehensive benefits package
• A diverse array of resources to support you professionally and personally.