Sales & Business Development Manager Europe – Engineering Plastics (m / f / d)

Sales & Business Development Manager Europe – Engineering Plastics (m / f / d)

The Company:

An established Asian engineering plastics manufacturer and a European industrial group are forming a joint venture to develop, produce and market plastic compounds and related products, including moulded components, for the European market. The venture plans to establish a new production facility in Bulgaria and serve customers across the automotive, electrical and electronics sectors, including leading OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers. This is a unique ground-floor opportunity to shape a new European business from inception, backed by the combined strengths of a global materials innovator and an established European industrial group.

Purpose of the Role:

As the founding commercial leader of the Joint Venture in Europe, the Sales & Business Development Manager will be responsible for building the European market presence from zero, with a special focus on the automotive industry. The role encompasses strategic market planning, key account development and full business development lifecycle management for engineering modified plastics (such as modified PA, PBT, and other high-performance compounds). The successful candidate will lay the commercial foundation for what is intended to become a significant European player in the engineering plastics market.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop and execute the European market entry strategy, including annual, quarterly and monthly sales plans, profit targets and market expansion roadmaps aligned with JV objectives.
• Deliver on the company’s sales, new project and new customer development goals.
• Identify, prioritize and develop key accounts in the automotive modified engineering plastics industries.
• Manage the full commercial cycle: quotations, contract negotiations, order management, delivery coordination and accounts receivable follow-up.
• Conduct comprehensive market and competitor analysis covering demand trends, pricing dynamics, raw material developments and competitor strategies across European markets.
• Evaluate customer creditworthiness, structure commercial terms and manage accounts receivable to ensure timely collections and minimize bad debt exposure.
• Ensure full compliance with European trade regulations and relevant legislation including REACH, RoHS and other applicable standards.
• Provide technical and commercial support to customers by leveraging deep product knowledge of engineering modified plastics, their performance characteristics, processing technologies and customized solutions.
• Build, lead and develop the European sales team as the business grows, establishing best-in-class commercial processes and a high-performance culture.
• Collaborate closely with R&D, Operations and the headquarters team to ensure customer requirements are translated into viable product solutions.
• Report regularly to JV leadership and the Board of Directors on commercial performance, market developments and strategic opportunities.

Candidate Profile:

Education & Professional Background:

• Bachelor's degree or above in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Polymer Science, Business Administration, International Trade or a related discipline.
• 8-10+ years of progressive experience in the European engineering modified plastics industry (not commodity plastics such as standard PP, ABS or PC). This requirement may be relaxed for outstanding candidates.
• Demonstrated track record of developing and managing key accounts with major European OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers in automotive sector.
• Proven experience in building and scaling sales teams and establishing commercial operations, ideally in a start-up or greenfield environment.

Technical & Commercial Expertise:

• Deep knowledge of engineering modified plastics (e.g., modified PA, PBT, PPS, and related high-performance polymers), including product properties, application fields, processing technologies and customized compounding solutions.
• Strong technical understanding and engineering mindset – this role involves developing tailored solutions rather than selling commodity products.
• Thorough familiarity with the European engineering plastics market landscape: market dynamics, industry trends, competitive positioning and customer demand patterns.
• Working knowledge of European trade regulations, product compliance standards (REACH, RoHS) and industry norms.
• Excellent negotiation, commercial structuring, and contract management skills.

Languages:

• Fluent in English (business language of the JV) and German (required for the largest target market).
• French proficiency is highly desirable given the importance of the French market.
• Italian language skills are a valuable additional asset.

Leadership & Personal Attributes:

• Entrepreneurial mindset with the ability and willingness to build a business from the ground up.
• Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills, with the gravitas to represent the JV at senior levels with major European corporations.
• Excellent team leadership and people development capabilities.
• Self-driven, results-oriented and comfortable operating with significant autonomy in a lean organization.
• Cultural sensitivity and ability to work effectively in a Sino-European joint venture context, bridging different business cultures and communication styles.
• Willingness to travel extensively across Europe and periodically to China.

Offer:

• A rare opportunity to shape and build a new European business entity from inception, with a clear path to the C-suite (CCO).
• Backing of a leading Chinese engineering plastics group combined with a well-established European automotive supplier.
• Competitive compensation package commensurate with experience, including base salary, performance-based bonus and comprehensive benefits.
• Significant entrepreneurial freedom and direct impact on the strategic direction of the business.
• Exposure to cutting-edge materials technology and innovation in engineering plastics.