Sales Specialist

Kuraray America

10d•Onsite

About The Position

The Sales Specialist supports revenue growth across an assigned territory by assisting with customer development, sales execution, and account management activities. This role supports the EVAL business, serving customers across end-use industries such as packaging (including food and pharmaceutical), automotive, and other specialty industrial applications where high barrier performance and technical collaboration are important. Working closely with senior sales team members, technical teams, and internal partners, the Sales Specialist develops foundational knowledge of products, markets, and customers while contributing to sales initiatives, customer engagement, and pipeline development. This role requires extensive travel (50%+) to maintain customer engagement, support business development, and represent the company at industry events.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Polymer Engineering /Science, Business, or a related field
Minimum of 1 year of sales experience, preferably in the chemical industry
Demonstrated track record of meeting or exceeding sales targets
Strong communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills
Proficiency in CRM systems and Microsoft Office Suite
Proficiency in Power BI, including dashboard development and data modeling
Solid problem-solving and decision-making capabilities
Ability to manage competing priorities effectively
Willingness to travel 50%+ of the time
Valid driver's license required
Applicants must be authorized to work for ANY employer in the U.S.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute customer contact plans aligned with product launches and relevant sales campaigns
Serve as the primary point of contact for customer inquiries and complaints; resolve issues directly or escalate complex matters to the appropriate resources
Build new customer relationships and expand market reach through targeted outreach efforts
Establish clear objectives for each sales call or customer meeting
Deliver presentations using standard materials; ask targeted questions to assess customer interest and identify information needs
Match standard products and services to customer requirements, including appropriate quantities and configurations
Present solutions with clear rationale within standard commercial terms; escalate requests for concessions to senior colleagues as needed
Log customer interactions and follow-up actions in the CRM system promptly after each contact
Maintain active call plans to support customer retention and ongoing business development
Collaborate with internal colleagues to strengthen external customer relationships and meet customer needs
Build and maintain a professional network within the assigned sales accounts
Represent the organization at trade shows and industry events to identify opportunities, promote products, and support brand reputation
Build and maintain interactive Power BI dashboards; connect to SAP and Excel data sources
Translate raw data into actionable insights and identify meaningful trends
Gather reporting requirements from stakeholders and communicate findings clearly to non-technical audiences
Proactively identify and resolve data inaccuracies and report performance issues
Coordinate with external data management vendors for import records and market statistics