Sales & Business Development Manager – Specialty & Intermediate Chemicals

Overview

Star Chem, LLC is a specialty chemical company with over 50 years of manufacturing and market expertise. We are dedicated to providing value-added solutions through a diverse range of chemistries and technologies. Star Chem is committed to delivering high-quality products, innovative solutions, and exceptional service to our customers in various markets, including Textiles, Oilfield, HI&I, Pulp & Paper, Personal Care, Composites, and Chemical Intermediates.

Our expertise ensures that we meet and exceed the unique needs of our clients consistently.

LOCATION:

Remote position – ideally in Southeast (Charlotte, Colombia, Greenville, Atlanta)

COMPENSATION/BENEFITS:

Competitive Base Salary based on relevant skills and experience; attractive performance bonus and comprehensive benefits package.

TRAVEL EXPECTATIONS:
Up to 30% overnight travel

About this Role: We are seeking a dynamic and experienced Sales & Business Development Manager to drive profitable growth. This individual will play a key role in expanding our customer base, deepening existing relationships, and identifying new business opportunities across multiple markets, including Consumer Care (Personal Care and HI&I), chemical intermediates, and Oil and Gas.

• Develop and execute strategies to drive sales growth, margin improvement, and market expansion with a focus on new customer and application development
• Manage the sales process from lead generation to closing, ensuring alignment between customer needs and company capabilities
• Identify, qualify, and secure new opportunities at existing and developmental accounts
• Achieve defined performance goals; e.g., developing a minimum of five new customers and generating a minimum of $1 M in the first 18 months
• Partner with distribution sales channels (e.g., Marketing and Sales team) to generate and execute Key Account plans and develop new leads
• Build and maintain consultative relationships with stakeholders at all levels – commercial, technical, production, and management
• Monitor market trends, customer needs, and competitive landscapes to identify new opportunities
• Provide support to internal and external technical teams during the approval process
• Negotiate and execute joint development agreements and supply agreements
• Continuously work to align priorities with Management, Marketing, Technical and other company resources to assist in growth of sales and execution of new business sales plans.
• Develop a budget for sales each calendar year in coordination with sales management.
• Develop a network within the region and in the specific markets.
• Deliver top-line growth and margin improvement – largely derived from new business, new customers and new applications.
• Attend shows and industry events as part of the networking and sales process

• Proven experience in Technical Sales and Account Management with a track record of profitable sales growth, particularly through new business development
• Extensive experience selling specialty materials in industries such as Consumer Care (Personal Care and HI&I), Chemical Intermediates, Oil & Gas, and other related applications
• Strong technical knowledge and credibility when working with surfactant, detergent, compatibilization, and corrosion inhibition technologies.
• Excellent interpersonal and relationship management skills
• Fluent in English, Spanish proficiency is highly desirable

• Background and high-level understanding of surfactant chemistries or closely related functional materials
• Experience developing and executing detailed Account and New Business Development Plans
• Strong organizational and time management skills with the ability to manage multiple projects at the same time
• Experience in Account Management – e.g. consistently delivering value improvements and solutions that best fit customer needs; preparing and communicating detailed Account & New Business Development Plans; defining technical needs; and providing comprehensive customer call reports.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills
• Highly effective working with product and application development personnel and managing a diverse product and project portfolio.
• Accomplished in identifying, understanding and communicating new opportunities with developmental accounts.
• Familiar with customer technical approval/qualification, testing and scale-up protocols for formulated and intermediate chemical products.
• Exceptional listening, communication, and presentation skills
• Education:
  
  Minimum BS – Business, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering or related technical degree preferred. Advanced technical degree or MBA strongly preferred.