Description:

Job Purpose:

The Chief Manager Chemical Sales will be responsible for leading and scaling the international chemical sales and business development function, with a strong focus on the African region. This role involves strategic planning, revenue growth, key account management, team leadership, and market expansion while ensuring profitability, compliance, and long-term customer relationships.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic & Business Leadership:

- Define and execute the international sales strategy aligned with organizational growth objectives.

- Own annual and long-term volume, revenue, and margin targets for assigned regions.

- Identify new business opportunities, geographies, and high-potential customer segments.

- Drive addition of new products, SKUs, and applications based on market demand and trends.

Sales & Key Account Management:

- Manage and grow strategic and high-value customer accounts.

- Lead negotiations on pricing, contracts, credit terms, and long-term supply agreements.

- Oversee customer pipeline, forecasting, and conversion ratios.

- Ensure high levels of customer satisfaction, retention, and repeat business.

Market Development & Intelligence:

- Conduct market research, competitor analysis, and pricing intelligence.

- Monitor regulatory, commercial, and logistical challenges in international markets, especially Africa.

- Support development of new products and applications in collaboration with technical and sourcing teams.

Operations & Cross-functional Coordination:

- Coordinate with logistics, finance, and supply chain teams for smooth execution of export orders.

- Monitor credit exposure, payment collections, and adherence to approved credit limits.

- Oversee resolution of customer complaints and ensure timely corrective actions.

Team Leadership & Capability Building:

- Lead, mentor, and develop sales managers and teams across regions.

- Set clear KPIs, review performance, and drive a high-performance culture.

- Support hiring, onboarding, and capability development of the sales organization.

Governance & Reporting:

- Prepare and present sales performance reports, forecasts, and MIS to senior management.

- Ensure adherence to company policies, export regulations, and ethical business practices.

- Take ownership of additional responsibilities as assigned by management, including job rotations or special projects.

Educational Qualifications:

- Graduate in Chemistry / Chemical Engineering is mandatory.

- MBA / PGDM in Sales, Marketing, or International Business is preferred.

Experience & Exposure:

- Minimum 10+ years of experience in international chemical sales, trading, or manufacturing.

- Proven exposure to export sales and international business development.

- Strong hands-on experience in African markets is highly preferred.

- Demonstrated success in managing teams and large customer portfolios.

Key Competencies & Skills:

- Strategic Thinking & Business Acumen

- Strong Negotiation & Commercial Skills

- Customer-Centric Mindset

- Leadership & People Management

- Market Development & Innovation

- Collaboration & Stakeholder Management

- Result Orientation & Accountability