Business Development Manager – Advanced Materials

German American Chambers of Commerce•Chicago, IL

5d•$100,000 - $110,000•Remote

About The Position

Build markets. Open accounts. Turn technical applications into new business. A well-established international manufacturer of high-performance engineered materials is expanding its North American business and is seeking a Business Development Manager – Advanced Materials. This is a true new-business development role for someone who enjoys building business rather than simply inheriting and maintaining an established territory. You will identify new customers and applications, open doors with manufacturers and OEMs, understand the technical and commercial challenges they are trying to solve, and develop those opportunities into sustainable business. The company's portfolio includes electrical insulation materials, technical laminates, reinforced materials, composites, and other high-performance engineered material solutions used in demanding industrial and mobility applications. The primary focus will be developing new business across mobility, automotive and commercial vehicles, industrial manufacturing, automation, rail, and other technically demanding markets throughout the United States and Canada. This is a remote U.S.-based position. The listed location is for job-posting purposes only; relocation is not required. Candidates should have convenient access to a major commercial airport.

Requirements

Demonstrated success developing new B2B customers, territories, applications, or market segments.
Experience in business development, territory sales, technical sales, market development, account development, or a comparable commercial role within engineered materials, composites, plastics, insulation, specialty materials, or industrial manufacturing.
Experience selling technical materials, components, or industrial solutions into manufacturing environments.
A strong new-business orientation and the ability to independently prospect, create, and develop opportunities.
Ability to understand technical applications and engage credibly with engineering, manufacturing, procurement, and commercial stakeholders.
Experience working with OEMs, manufacturers, fabricators, converters, distributors, or similar industrial customers.
Strong consultative selling, qualification, negotiation, and relationship-development skills.
A proactive, self-directed, and organized working style with strong commercial judgment.
Ability to operate effectively within a lean, international organization and collaborate across functions and countries.
Willingness to travel approximately 50–70% throughout North America.

Nice To Haves

Experience within composites, engineered plastics, electrical insulation, advanced materials, automotive, commercial vehicles, rail, industrial automation, or adjacent manufacturing markets is particularly valuable.

Responsibilities

Identify, prospect, and develop new OEM, manufacturer, fabricator, converter, and distributor relationships across North America.
Build a qualified pipeline of new customers, applications, and market opportunities.
Own opportunities from initial outreach and discovery through qualification, proposal development, pricing, negotiation, closing, and commercial launch.
Identify applications where high-performance materials can solve customer performance, manufacturing, cost, or supply-chain challenges.
Develop new territories and market segments rather than primarily maintaining an established book of business.
Build relationships across engineering, procurement, operations, product development, and executive leadership.
Work closely with engineering, product management, manufacturing, and commercial teams to advance technically complex opportunities.
Coordinate customer and business-development activities with colleagues across the United States, Mexico, and Europe.
Represent the company at customer visits, trade shows, conferences, and other industry events.