Sales Representative - Chemical Industry

Hallstar; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)

Group Life Insurance

401(k)

Disability Insurance

Paid Time Off

Job summary

Hallstar is seeking a Chemical Sales Representative in the Chicago area to drive revenue growth across industrial polymer additives and specialty chemicals. The role is hybrid, with three days on-site and 30-60% travel to support customers, distributors, and trade events.

You will manage accounts, develop territory plans, and collaborate with Innovation, Product Management, and Customer Service to deliver robust technical solutions and a superior customer experience.

Qualifications

• Must have a Bachelor's degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or a closely related field.
• 3-8 years of B2B sales experience in specialty chemicals, polymers, ingredients, or industrial products.
• Demonstrated success meeting sales targets and building or expanding customer relationships.
• Strong capability in value-based selling, negotiation, and pipeline management.
• Proficiency in CRM tools and MS Office (Excel, PowerPoint).
• Willingness and ability to travel as needed to support customer facing responsibilities.
• Authorized to work for any employer in the U.S. — no visa sponsorship at this time.

Responsibilities

• Own and execute the territory and account plan to meet or exceed revenue, margin, and volume targets.
• Generate and advance new opportunities across applications, customers, channels, and geographies, driving leads through the sales funnel.
• Conduct customer needs analysis, recommend products and solutions, and articulate value propositions tied to performance.
• Prepare and deliver technical sales presentations, product training, and commercial proposals.
• Maintain an active and accurate sales pipeline and reporting in CRM.
• Build strong relationships with procurement, operations, and R&D contacts at customer accounts.
• Negotiate commercial terms based on product manager guidance, including pricing, contracts, and supply agreements.
• Partner with internal teams to resolve issues related to quality, supply chain, and pricing.
• Develop annual forecasting, demand planning inputs, and account growth strategies.
• Track market trends, competitor activity, and customer initiatives, and translate insights into actionable commercial plans.
• Support development of pricing strategy, value-based selling tools, and product positioning.

Skills

Value-based selling

Negotiation

Pipeline management

CRM proficiency

MS Office

Travel readiness

Education

Bachelor's degree in Chemistry/Engineering

Tools

CRM tools

MS Office (Excel/PowerPoint)

Job description

Chemical Sales Representative (Industrial Polymer Additives & Specialty Chemicals)

The Chemical Sales Representative drives profitable revenue growth by developing and managing customer accounts across an assigned territory. This person reports to the Commercial Manager and works cross functionally with the Innovation team, Product Managers, and Customer Service to deliver strong solutions and a great customer experience.

This is a hybrid role based in Chicagoland (Chicago, Darien IL, or Bedford Park IL), with 3 days on site per week when not traveling. Travel runs 30-60%, as needed to support customers, distributors, and trade events.

Key Responsibilities

Sales & Business Development

• Own and execute the territory and account plan to meet or exceed revenue, margin, and volume targets
• Generate and advance new opportunities across applications, customers, channels, and geographies, driving leads through the sales funnel
• Conduct customer needs analysis, recommend products and solutions, and articulate value propositions tied to performance
• Prepare and deliver technical sales presentations, product training, and commercial proposals
• Maintain an active and accurate sales pipeline and reporting in CRM

Account Management

• Build strong relationships with procurement, operations, and R&D contacts at customer accounts
• Negotiate commercial terms based on product manager guidance, including pricing, contracts, and supply agreements
• Partner with internal teams to resolve issues related to quality, supply chain, and pricing
• Develop annual forecasting, demand planning inputs, and account growth strategies
• Track market trends, competitor activity, and customer initiatives, and translate insights into actionable commercial plans
• Support development of pricing strategy, value based selling tools, and product positioning

Cross Functional Collaboration

• Coordinate technical support for trials, evaluations, and scale up activities with Product Management and the Innovation team
• Align with Supply Chain and Operations on availability, lead times, and customer requirements
• Ensure adherence to regulatory, EHS, and product stewardship policies

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or a closely related scientific or technical field
• 3-8 years of B2B sales experience in specialty chemicals, polymers, ingredients, or industrial products
• Demonstrated success meeting sales targets and building or expanding customer relationships
• Strong capability in value based selling, negotiation, and pipeline management
• Proficiency in CRM tools and MS Office (Excel, PowerPoint)
• Willingness and ability to travel as needed to support customer facing responsibilities
• Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa at this time.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience selling into elastomers, thermoplastics, coatings, adhesives, or lubricants, or other specialty industrial markets
• Knowledge of distribution and channel management, along with contract structures
• Comfort with technical discussions covering specifications, formulations, and regulatory topics
• Experience working in a global or multi site manufacturing environment

We offer Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance, Flexible Spending Accounts, Group Term Life Insurance, Optional Life Insurance, a Pension, 401(k), Short and Long Term Disability programs, plus holiday and paid time off.

About Hallstar

Hallstar is a leading global provider of specialty chemistry solutions. We take a collaborative approach to every engagement, working to understand our customers’ businesses so we can bring not just the products they need, but the technical support, chemistry expertise, and industry knowledge that help them get the most out of those products.

Our growth and versatility come directly from the contributions our people make. We're committed to helping our team reach their full potential in a place where everyone is engaged and valued, and we offer real development opportunities to build business, technical, and leadership skills. As a dynamic, growing international company, we can offer career paths that span the globe.

To learn more about Hallstar, visit www.hallstar.com. Let’s Work Wonders.