Commercial Director

Atlantic Strategic Minerals • Petersburg, VA

1d

About The Position

The Commercial Director is a senior executive role accountable for building and leading ASM's end-to-end commercial function, spanning both sides of the value chain: (1) sourcing third-party mineral concentrates to supplement and secure feedstock supply, and (2) marketing and selling ASM's own mineral product offtake - titanium minerals (ilmenite, rutile, and/or leucoxene), zircon, monazite, and staurolite - into markets. As a member of the Executive Team, the Commercial Director partners with the CEO and fellow executives (Operations, Finance, Legal, Technical, and HSE) to set commercial strategy, manage counterparty and market risk, and ensure ASM's commercial performance supports the company's broader growth, financing, and stakeholder commitments. The role carries full accountability for commercial revenue, margin, and supply-security outcomes and is expected to represent ASM externally with customers, suppliers, industry bodies, and - alongside the CEO and CFO - with investors and financiers where commercial matters are concerned.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in business, economics, engineering, geology, or a related field.
• Substantial senior-level experience (typically 15+ years) in commodity/mineral sales, marketing, trading, or procurement, with demonstrated experience in mineral sands, titanium feedstock, zircon, or related industrial minerals markets.
• Established network of relationships with concentrate suppliers and/or buyers of titanium minerals, zircon, monazite, or staurolite (or closely analogous commodities).
• Proven track record negotiating and managing complex, high-value supply and offtake contracts in an international context.
• Prior experience operating at, or reporting directly into, an executive or senior leadership level.
• Strong commercial acumen, including experience with pricing mechanisms, contract structuring, credit/counterparty risk, and international trade logistics (Incoterms, shipping, customs).
• Willingness and ability to travel extensively, domestically and internationally.

Nice To Haves

• MBA or postgraduate qualification in business, finance, or related discipline.
• Familiarity with regulatory requirements for NORM-bearing materials (such as monazite), including export licensing and transport compliance.
• Experience in a junior-to-mid-tier mining company, including exposure to project development, financing, or an ASX/TSX/NYSE (or comparable) listed environment.
• Existing relationships within the global heavy mineral sands, pigment, and rare-earth value chains.

Responsibilities

• Identify, evaluate, and develop relationships with third-party suppliers of mineral sands and other relevant concentrates to secure reliable, cost-effective feedstock that complements ASM's own production.
• Lead negotiation and execution of supply/purchase agreements, including pricing mechanisms, quality specifications, volume commitments, delivery terms (Incoterms), and payment security.
• Build and maintain a diversified, resilient supplier base to reduce single-source dependency and support production continuity and growth plans.
• Coordinate with Operations, Technical, and Quality teams to align sourced concentrate specifications with processing and product requirements.
• Monitor global feedstock supply and pricing dynamics to inform sourcing strategy and timing of purchases.
• Own the sales and marketing strategy for ASM's product offtake, including titanium minerals (ilmenite, rutile, leucoxene), zircon, monazite, and staurolite.
• Develop and manage a global customer portfolio across relevant end markets (e.g., pigment and titanium metal producers, ceramics and foundry industries, zircon consumers, and monazite/rare-earth-value-chain purchasers), balancing spot and term/offtake contract sales.
• Negotiate and structure offtake agreements, including pricing formulas, quality specifications, delivery schedules, and contractual protections, in coordination with Legal and Finance.
• Track and interpret market fundamentals, pricing benchmarks, and competitor activity across each product line to optimize sales timing, mix, and pricing.
• Ensure sales and marketing activity for monazite and other naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM)-bearing products complies with applicable transport, export/import licensing, and radiation-safety regulations, working closely with Legal, HSE, and Compliance.
• Develop the annual commercial plan and budget (sourcing volumes/costs and offtake sales/pricing), and contribute commercial input to ASM's broader corporate strategy and business plan.
• Provide accurate sales and procurement forecasts to support production planning, cash-flow forecasting, and financial reporting.
• Identify and evaluate new market opportunities, including new customer segments, product qualification pathways, and potential strategic partnerships or offtake financing arrangements.
• Represent ASM at industry conferences, trade associations, and with key stakeholders to build market presence and intelligence.
• Oversee the commercial contract portfolio (supply and offtake), ensuring appropriate risk allocation, credit risk assessment, and counterparty due diligence.
• Manage commercial and trade-related risks, including price risk, currency exposure (in coordination with Finance), logistics/freight risk, and counterparty credit risk.
• Ensure all sourcing and sales activity complies with relevant trade, customs, export control, and - where applicable - radioactive material handling and transport regulations across all jurisdictions in which ASM operates or trades.
• Maintain accurate commercial records and reporting to support audit, board, and regulatory requirements.
• Serve as an active member of the Executive Team, contributing to company-wide strategic decisions beyond the commercial function.
• Prepare and present commercial performance updates, market outlooks, and risk assessments to the CEO, Executive Team, and Appian Capital as required.
• Partner with Finance on revenue recognition, pricing assumptions, and input to financial models, budgets, and investor communications.
• Partner with Operations and Technical teams to ensure alignment between commercial commitments and production/processing capability.
• Champion ASM's values, safety culture, and ESG commitments in all commercial dealings and external representation.
• Build, lead, and develop a high-performing commercial team as the function scales, including sales, sourcing/trading, and logistics/trade-support roles.
• Set clear performance objectives, foster a collaborative and accountable team culture, and support professional development of direct reports.

Benefits

• Compensation will be commensurate with experience and market benchmarking for a executive-level commercial role in the mining and industrial minerals sector, and is subject to final determination and approval by ASM and Appian.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior