Business Development Director Catalysis

The organisation

Avantium is a Euronext listed technology development company and a forerunner in renewable and sustainable chemistry, with head office located in Amsterdam and a solid financial position. The company employs approximately 230 people, has extensive R&D laboratories, and also pilot plants in Delfzijl and Geleen, and is going to build a production plant in Delfzijl for the production of important building blocks for bioplastic.

Avantium R&D Solutions (RDS), one of the three Business Units of Avantium, specializes in innovations and technologies to accelerate R&D for organizations who desire to gain efficiency in their processes. With these expertise, Avantium has enabled its customers to make numerous catalyst inventions and develop chemical processes. Avantium RDS co-operates with blue chip customers in the (petro)chemical, refinery and renewables industries, increasingly moving towards sustainability applications. RDS focuses on four emerging markets: green hydrogen, chemical plastic recycling, adsorption, and sustainable chemical building blocks.

Avantium RDS offers four specific types of solutions to its customers:

• R&D Systems (advanced installations of reactor equipment for catalysis R&D at customers’ R&D laboratories, including maintenance and service contracts, such as Flowrence and Batchington)
• R&D Services (contract research projects for the industry, tailored to specific applications of catalysis)
• Refinery Catalyst Testing (best-practice testing programs in order to select the best catalyst for any refinery application)
• Custom-made Units (custom-made R&D installations, inhouse designed and built)

Avantium RDS has broad chemical application knowledge and industry experts on board with extensive experience at major companies in the oil, gas, chemical and renewable sector, and thus understands the challenges of its customers. The project teams work together with the customer to supply fast, accurate and reliable catalyst performance information to join research projects.

All professionals of Avantium are very highly educated and experienced, representing 20 nationalities. The company culture can be described as a typical “start-up” culture: pragmatic, enterprising, innovative, dedicated, with a can-do mentality.

Due to expansion of the very successful catalysis business development team, we are looking for a new high calibre business development team member.

The position

A challenging, internationally oriented commercial position for an entrepreneurial Business Developer, in an innovative technology company specialized in superior catalysis research. 

Tasks & responsibilities

As Business Development Director Catalysis you will identify sales leads/new business and translate these into solutions (systems and services) for customers in the international (petro)chemical, refinery and renewables sector, making in this way the technology of Avantium R&D Solutions available for customers.

Besides, you are responsible for some of Avantium’s key accounts. You develop the account strategy for the relevant key accounts, aimed at sustainable profitable growth, and you are responsible for its implementation. You develop and maintain strong relationships, and expand the network within the relevant account (to boardroom level) in order to optimally influence key stakeholders and maximize sales.

Your work is based on solid market analysis and a proactive approach in developing a strategically strong network in business (also including suitable agencies or consultancies) as well as in academic world. You will conduct negotiations on terms of the contracts and quotes. By linking the company’s R&D technologies to market opportunities, you will contribute significantly to the future vision of Avantium.

You will report to the VP Business Development.

Candidate profile

• Academic Master’s degree in Chemistry, Chemical Technology or Chemical Engineering.
• In depth understanding of and affinity with Catalysis R&D.
• Scientific mindset.
• A strong commercial drive and pioneering attitude.
• Strong consultative selling skills.
• Your entrepreneurial mindset is demonstrated by your curiosity, your personal drive to expand a relevant network, establishing partnerships, performance orientation, and closing deals.
• Team player.
• Excellent presentation and influencing skills.
• Willing to travel internationally.

The offer

• A good remuneration
• Full time employment of 40 hours a week
• 25 vacation days
• Bonus up to a maximum of 15% of the gross annual salary, depending on company and department targets

Further:

• Possibility of flexible working hours
• Personal development as investment in own development through training and coaching
• Fine and passionate colleagues in an innovative, cohesive organization

Interested?

You can apply to this position by using the link below.