Technical Sales & Development Manager

Technical Sales & Development Manager

Location: Beccles, GB; Voghera, IT; Lohne, DE; Wetteren, BE; Cardedeu Barcelona, ES; Bouxwiller, FR

The Technical Sales and Development Manager leads technical sales initiatives and drives business growth by developing and deploying innovative packaging solutions within designated Global Accounts. This role acts as a strategic link between technical expertise (R&D) and commercial strategy (PLM/KAD), ensuring that customer needs, market trends, and company goals are aligned for sustainable growth.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and execute technical sales strategies aligned with R&D and PLM priorities across relevant technologies and product categories.
• Build and maintain strong, trust‑based relationships with key clients and stakeholders, leveraging technical communities to support business expansion within Global Accounts.
• Identify and recommend suitable technologies to unlock new markets and business opportunities aligned with the Key Account Plan for each GA.
• Collaborate with GKAD and R&D teams to shape technical solutions based on customer insights and market demands.
• Coordinate, track, and support the development of new products and technologies.
• Provide high‑level technical guidance during the sales process.
• Partner with R&D expert centres to convert complex technical concepts into strong business value propositions.
• Stay current with industry trends, competitor technologies, and emerging innovations.
• Work closely with GKAD, PLM, R&D, and manufacturing teams to ensure strong alignment on customer needs and technical capabilities.
• Support the creation of technical proposals, innovation workshops, and customer presentations.
• Ensure customer requirements are clearly communicated and integrated into product development and delivery.
• Support KAM/KAD by providing technical and strategic insight to account managers and directors.
• Manage RFQs and technical enquiries, ensuring timely and accurate responses.

Experience Required

• Technical sales or technical account management experience within packaging, materials science, manufacturing, or a related industry.
• Background in R&D, product development, engineering, or technical service, with the ability to translate technical capabilities into commercial opportunities.
• Experience working with large multinational or Global Accounts, ideally in a matrixed organisation.
• Proven track record of leading customer‑facing technical projects, including new product development, qualification, and commercialisation.
• Strong exposure to sustainability topics, including PCR content, regulations, material compliance, and environmental impact.
• Hands‑on experience coordinating cross‑functional teams (R&D, PLM, Sales, Operations, Quality).
• Demonstrated ability to manage complex initiatives with multiple stakeholders, deadlines, and technical requirements.
• Experience presenting technical content to both specialist and non‑specialist audiences, including senior‑level customer stakeholders.
• Familiarity with industry trends, competitor technologies, and market dynamics within packaging or similar industries.
• Experience supporting RFQs and technical enquiries, ideally in a B2B, manufacturing, or engineered‑product environment.

Skills & Competencies

• Customer relationship building – acting as the primary technical contact and developing strong, long‑term partnerships.
• Project coordination – managing timelines, deliverables, and communication across internal and external teams.
• Escalation handling – identifying critical issues, challenging information appropriately, and escalating to the right stakeholders.
• Global oversight – maintaining an overarching view of all customer‑related projects and activities.
• Technical support – providing expert knowledge on materials, processes, and product capabilities.
• Sustainability leadership – driving discussions around PCR content, regulatory implications, and environmental impact.
• Innovation promotion – introducing and advocating for new technologies and products.
• Cross‑functional collaboration – working effectively with R&D, PLM, Sales, and operational teams.
• Internal networking – building strong internal relationships to support customer needs efficiently.
• Customer communication – translating customer needs into clear, actionable tasks for internal teams.
• Meeting facilitation – organising and leading regular touchpoints with customers and internal stakeholders.
• Strategic project leadership – delivering key projects with long‑term business impact, including product platform development.
• Innovation strategy – aligning internal innovation with customer needs and market trends.
• Crisis management – responding quickly and effectively to urgent issues.