Sales Manager

Kraton Corporation; Almere; On-site; EUR 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Kraton Corporation in Almere is seeking a key member of our Polymers Sales team to drive growth with strategic customers and translate needs into innovative solutions. You will lead commercial activities, develop account strategies, and collaborate with internal stakeholders to deliver exceptional customer experiences and achieve ambitious sales targets.

You will coordinate pricing, contracts, and product changes, while maintaining strong relationships with buyers and influencers across customer

Qualifications

• 5+ years of relevant sales experience in polymers or related market.
• Fluent in English and German, both written and spoken.
• Ability to identify customer needs and translate them into value propositions.
• Strong collaboration with cross-functional teams to achieve sales goals.

Responsibilities

• Execute sales plans in alignment with global sales strategy and regional plans.
• Develop account strategies to maximize business growth and meet customer's needs.
• Liaise with regional leader on the best approach to implement account strategies.
• Coordinate all commercial activities, including pricing, product changes, transitions, contracts, special deals, and related matters.
• Discuss and inform customers on innovation activities.
• Manage customer relationships and build and maintain strong relationships with strategic buyers and key influencers/advisors across the customer's organization.
• Develop a relationship map for each customer.
• Coordinate with internal teams, including Customer Service/Fulfilment, Quality, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, and others, to meet customer needs or solve customer issues; escape when necessary.
• Analyze customers’ business to better understand what is required to meet expected goals.
• Define customer needs and product value end use.
• Understand the voice of the customer and share insights with key internal stakeholders.
• Report results, trends, gaps, competitor landscape, and related insights.
• Create a conduit between technical groups where appropriate.
• Formulate pricing strategies in conjunction with sales leadership.
• Understand the customer’s next best alternatives when formulating pricing strategy for the business.
• Negotiate with customers and ensure that strategies are properly implemented.
• Develop negotiation skills.
• Provide feedback to sales leadership and marketing.
• Develop a portfolio of projects/opportunities and manage the pipeline.
• Identify incremental opportunities, with support as needed to close deals.
• Discuss opportunities with R&D, Product Management, and Marketing.
• Maintain data in systems to enable effective pipeline management, including CRM and innovation tracking tools.
• Build and manage account plans for key customers.
• Track progress and communicate results.
• Manage contracts, rebates, and specification requirements.
• Develop an understanding of what the customer values in the business relationship.
• Drive a less transactional and more value-driven approach.
• Escalate the need for additional customer support, including packaging, quality, and R&D.
• Collaborate with the Sales Leader to analyze forecasts and set challenging targets for each customer.
• Update forecasts based on customer feedback in a timely manner.
• Discuss availability openly with customers and manage risks.
• Inform major stakeholders of significant changes.

Skills

English

German

Relationship building

Sales

Education

Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent)

Technical degree preferred

Tools

CRM systems

ERP systems

Job description

We are looking to hire a key member of our Polymers Sales team at our Almere location.

Are you a relationship builder with a passion for driving growth? In this position, you will be the trusted partner for strategic customers, translating their needs into business opportunities and innovative solutions. You will lead commercial activities, develop account strategies, and collaborate with internal stakeholders to deliver exceptional customer experiences and achieve ambitious sales targets.

Key Responsibilities

Strategy

• Execute sales plans in alignment with global sales strategy and regional plans.
• Develop account strategies to maximize business growth and meet customer's needs.
• Liaise with regional leader on the best approach to implement account strategies.
• Coordinate all commercial activities, including pricing, product changes, transitions, contracts, special deals, and related matters.
• Discuss and inform customers on innovation activities.

Customer Intimacy

• Manage customer relationships and build and maintain strong relationships with strategic buyers and key influencers/advisors across the customer's organization.
• Develop a relationship map for each customer.
• Coordinate with internal teams, including Customer Service/Fulfilment, Quality, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, and others, to meet customer needs or solve customer issues; escape when necessary.
• Analyze customers’ business to better understand what is required to meet expected goals.
• Define customer needs and product value end use.
• Understand the voice of the customer and share insights with key internal stakeholders.
• Report results, trends, gaps, competitor landscape, and related insights.
• Create a conduit between technical groups where appropriate.

Pricing

• Formulate pricing strategies in conjunction with sales leadership.
• Understand the customer’s next best alternatives when formulating pricing strategy for the business.
• Negotiate with customers and ensure that strategies are properly implemented.
• Develop negotiation skills.
• Provide feedback to sales leadership and marketing.

Pipeline

• Develop a portfolio of projects/opportunities and manage the pipeline.
• Identify incremental opportunities, with support as needed to close deals.
• Discuss opportunities with R&D, Product Management, and Marketing.
• Maintain data in systems to enable effective pipeline management, including CRM and innovation tracking tools.

Account Plans

• Build and manage account plans for key customers.
• Track progress and communicate results.
• Manage contracts, rebates, and specification requirements.
• Develop an understanding of what the customer values in the business relationship.
• Drive a less transactional and more value-driven approach.
• Escalate the need for additional customer support, including packaging, quality, and R&D.

Forecast and Product Allocation

• Collaborate with the Sales Leader to analyze forecasts and set challenging targets for each customer.
• Update forecasts based on customer feedback in a timely manner.
• Discuss availability openly with customers and manage risks.
• Inform major stakeholders of significant changes.

Required Skills

• 5+ years of relevant experience.
• Excellent communication skills in English and German, both verbal and written.
• Relevant experience in the assigned market segment.
• Ability to learn about customer needs, products, and potential uses.
• Ability to sell and deliver results that meet or exceed individual goals.
• Ability to collaborate with the sales team in accomplishing team goals.
• Ability to assume a leadership role on a special project or specific activity.
• Understanding of, commitment to, and achievement of sales goals.
• Ability to build relationships and influence internal stakeholders.
• Ability to collaborate with cross-functional teams to accomplish goals and objectives.

Education, Certifications & Licenses

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) required.
• Technical degree preferred.

The statements above are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by employees assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, and skills required for this position.