Commercial Director

Atlantic Strategic Minerals; Petersburg (VA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Job summary

Atlantic Strategic Minerals seeks a Commercial Director to lead the end-to-end commercial function, overseeing feedstock sourcing and the offtake markets for titanium minerals, zircon, monazite, and staurolite. You will partner with the CEO and executives to set strategy, manage risk, and drive revenue, margin, and supply security, representing ASM externally with customers and financiers.

As a member of the Executive Team, you will build a high-performing team, develop annual plans, and ensure

Qualifications

• 15+ years of senior‑level experience in commodity sales, marketing, or procurement.
• Experience in mineral sands, titanium feedstock, zircon, or related markets.
• Established network with suppliers or buyers of titanium minerals.

Responsibilities

• Identify and develop relationships with third‑party suppliers to secure reliable feedstock.
• Lead negotiation and execution of supply/purchase agreements with pricing, specs, volumes, Incoterms, and payment terms.
• Build and maintain a diversified supplier base to support continuity and growth.
• Own the sales and marketing strategy for ASM's products, developing a global customer portfolio across end markets.
• Negotiate and structure offtake agreements with pricing formulas, delivery schedules, and protections.
• Develop annual commercial plan and budget, provide forecasts for planning and reporting, and identify new market opportunities.
• Oversee the commercial contract portfolio, manage risk, and ensure compliance with trade and regulatory requirements.
• Serve on the Executive Team, present performance updates, and align commercial with production and ESG commitments.

Skills

Senior leadership

Commodity sales & marketing

Contract negotiation

International trade & logistics

Market intelligence

Strategic planning

Education

Bachelor's degree in business, economics, engineering, geology, or related field

Job description

POSITION SUMMARY

The Commercial Director is a senior executive role accountable for building and leading ASM's end-to-end commercial function, spanning both sides of the value chain: (1) sourcing third-party mineral concentrates to supplement and secure feedstock supply, and (2) marketing and selling ASM's own mineral product offtake - titanium minerals (ilmenite, rutile, and/or leucoxene), zircon, monazite, and staurolite - into markets.

As a member of the Executive Team, the Commercial Director partners with the CEO and fellow executives (Operations, Finance, Legal, Technical, and HSE) to set commercial strategy, manage counterparty and market risk, and ensure ASM's commercial performance supports the company's broader growth, financing, and stakeholder commitments. The role carries full accountability for commercial revenue, margin, and supply-security outcomes and is expected to represent ASM externally with customers, suppliers, industry bodies, and - alongside the CEO and CFO - with investors and financiers where commercial matters are concerned.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Third-Party Concentrate Sourcing & Supply

• Identify, evaluate, and develop relationships with third-party suppliers of mineral sands and other relevant concentrates to secure reliable, cost-effective feedstock that complements ASM's own production.
• Lead negotiation and execution of supply/purchase agreements, including pricing mechanisms, quality specifications, volume commitments, delivery terms (Incoterms), and payment security.
• Build and maintain a diversified, resilient supplier base to reduce single-source dependency and support production continuity and growth plans.
• Coordinate with Operations, Technical, and Quality teams to align sourced concentrate specifications with processing and product requirements.
• Monitor global feedstock supply and pricing dynamics to inform sourcing strategy and timing of purchases.

ASM Offtake Sales & Marketing

• Own the sales and marketing strategy for ASM's product offtake, including titanium minerals (ilmenite, rutile, leucoxene), zircon, monazite, and staurolite.
• Develop and manage a global customer portfolio across relevant end markets (e.g., pigment and titanium metal producers, ceramics and foundry industries, zircon consumers, and monazite/rare-earth-value-chain purchasers), balancing spot and term/offtake contract sales.
• Negotiate and structure offtake agreements, including pricing formulas, quality specifications, delivery schedules, and contractual protections, in coordination with Legal and Finance.
• Track and interpret market fundamentals, pricing benchmarks, and competitor activity across each product line to optimize sales timing, mix, and pricing.
• Ensure sales and marketing activity for monazite and other naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM)-bearing products complies with applicable transport, export/import licensing, and radiation-safety regulations, working closely with Legal, HSE, and Compliance.

Commercial Strategy, Planning & Business Development

• Develop the annual commercial plan and budget (sourcing volumes/costs and offtake sales/pricing), and contribute commercial input to ASM's broader corporate strategy and business plan.
• Provide accurate sales and procurement forecasts to support production planning, cash-flow forecasting, and financial reporting.
• Identify and evaluate new market opportunities, including new customer segments, product qualification pathways, and potential strategic partnerships or offtake financing arrangements.
• Represent ASM at industry conferences, trade associations, and with key stakeholders to build market presence and intelligence.

Contracts, Risk & Compliance

• Oversee the commercial contract portfolio (supply and offtake), ensuring appropriate risk allocation, credit risk assessment, and counterparty due diligence.
• Manage commercial and trade-related risks, including price risk, currency exposure (in coordination with Finance), logistics/freight risk, and counterparty credit risk.
• Ensure all sourcing and sales activity complies with relevant trade, customs, export control, and - where applicable - radioactive material handling and transport regulations across all jurisdictions in which ASM operates or trades.
• Maintain accurate commercial records and reporting to support audit, board, and regulatory requirements.

Executive Leadership & Governance

• Serve as an active member of the Executive Team, contributing to company-wide strategic decisions beyond the commercial function.
• Prepare and present commercial performance updates, market outlooks, and risk assessments to the CEO, Executive Team, and Appian Capital as required.
• Partner with Finance on revenue recognition, pricing assumptions, and input to financial models, budgets, and investor communications.
• Partner with Operations and Technical teams to ensure alignment between commercial commitments and production/processing capability.
• Champion ASM's values, safety culture, and ESG commitments in all commercial dealings and external representation.

People Leadership

• Build, lead, and develop a high-performing commercial team as the function scales, including sales, sourcing/trading, and logistics/trade-support roles.
• Set clear performance objectives, foster a collaborative and accountable team culture, and support professional development of direct reports.

KEY RELATIONSHIPS

Internal: CEO, CFO, Executive Team, Operations, Technical, Legal, Finance, HSE/Compliance, and Appian Capital.

External: Third-party concentrate suppliers, customers and end-users across titanium minerals, zircon, monazite, and staurolite markets, freight/logistics providers, industry associations (e.g., mineral sands and titanium feedstock industry bodies), and, where relevant, financiers, offtake partners, and regulators.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

Essential

• Bachelor's degree in business, economics, engineering, geology, or a related field.
• Substantial senior-level experience (typically 15+ years) in commodity/mineral sales, marketing, trading, or procurement, with demonstrated experience in mineral sands, titanium feedstock, zircon, or related industrial minerals markets.
• Established network of relationships with concentrate suppliers and/or buyers of titanium minerals, zircon, monazite, or staurolite (or closely analogous commodities).
• Proven track record negotiating and managing complex, high-value supply and offtake contracts in an international context.
• Prior experience operating at, or reporting directly into, an executive or senior leadership level.
• Strong commercial acumen, including experience with pricing mechanisms, contract structuring, credit/counterparty risk, and international trade logistics (Incoterms, shipping, customs).
• Willingness and ability to travel extensively, domestically and internationally.

Desirable

• MBA or postgraduate qualification in business, finance, or related discipline.
• Familiarity with regulatory requirements for NORM-bearing materials (such as monazite), including export licensing and transport compliance.
• Experience in a junior-to-mid-tier mining company, including exposure to project development, financing, or an ASX/TSX/NYSE (or comparable) listed environment.
• Existing relationships within the global heavy mineral sands, pigment, and rare-earth value chains.

KEY COMPETENCIES

• Strategic and commercial thinking, with the ability to translate market insight into actionable plans.
• Skilled negotiator with strong influencing and relationship-management ability across cultures and geographies.
• High personal integrity and sound judgment in risk, compliance, and counterparty matters.
• Executive presence and communication skills, including comfort presenting to the Board and investors.
• Resilience and adaptability, suited to the cyclicality of commodity markets.
• Collaborative leadership style that works effectively across Operations, Finance, Legal, and HSE functions.

KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

• Achievement of annual sales revenue and margin targets across the ASM product portfolio (titanium minerals, zircon, monazite, staurolite).
• Security and cost-competitiveness of third-party concentrate supply against production requirements.
• Percentage of sales volume secured under term offtake agreements versus spot, aligned to risk strategy.
• Customer and supplier portfolio diversification and counterparty credit risk metrics.
• Accuracy of commercial forecasts against actual results.
• Compliance record across trade, export, and regulatory requirements, including for NORM-bearing products.
• Contribution to Executive Team strategic objectives and Appian reporting quality.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

Compensation will be commensurate with experience and market benchmarking for a executive-level commercial role in the mining and industrial minerals sector, and is subject to final determination and approval by ASM and Appian.