Senior Business Development Manager

Who are we? 

Our world needs solutions, and we need them fast. A growing population and increasing standards of living drive our energy and material consumption. Whereas in order to keep global warming at bay, we need to reduce our carbon footprint substantially, in fact transition towards a climate neutral economy.

Avantium's Vision: We believe in a fossil-free world, let's go!

We create disruptive technologies to facilitate the sustainability change and bring them to the world with partners to accelerate the transition towards renewable and circular business.

Where will you fit in?  

Within the Business Unit Avantium Renewable Polymers (ARNP) we are working on the commercialization of Avantium's proprietary YXY plants-to-polymers Technology. This technology catalytically converts plant-based feedstock into FDCA (furandicarboxylic acid) and to materials such as the new material PEF (polyethylene furanoate). PEF enables the circular economy in fast moving consumers goods (FMCG) in packaging and apparel by combining 100% renewable and 100% recyclable with superior performance properties (barrier, mechanical and thermal) compared to today's widely used linear petroleum-based materials.

Avantium Renewable Polymers will open its Flagship Plant in 2024, producing 5kta of FDCA/PEF with the aim to demonstrate the technology and market at scale. As a technology developer, Avantium's business model is to sell licenses of the YXY Technology, which should lead to FDCA/PEF factories globally, operating at large scale (>100 kta) at affordable prices.  In February of this year we announced our first licensee to Origin Materials, a like-minded frontrunner in the transition to sustainable materials, based in the USA. To develop the market, ARNP works together with its licensees and further leading companies in several industries (food & beverage, cosmetics, apparel, etc.). Join us and our partners in the transition to a fossil-free world, transforming their sustainability pledges in actionable proof points!

As Business Development Manager Americas, you will join the Commercial Team of Avantium Renewable Polymers. Being at the forefront of sustainable innovation you will join an international and dynamic team headquartered in Amsterdam. The Business Development Manager Americas will work closely with the Technical Application Manager Americas and reports to the global Director Business Development.

What will you be doing? 

The aim of the Business Development Manager Americas role is to grow market demand of PEF in the full Americas by developing partnerships with brand owners and retail chains, creating pull through the large, integrated value chains through converters to the material and feedstock suppliers. In order to reach that goal, the BDM develops brand partnerships, communication plans and business cases in cooperation with the representatives of the partners in the FMCG industry, finally resulting in PEF (and FDCA) capacity reservations from Avantium's future licensing plants.

Key responsibilities:

• Develop and capture market demand in the Americas.
  • Develop new partnerships with brand owners in food & beverage, fiber & textile market (apparel, outdoor and sportswear, home decoration and some technical applications) and cosmetics segments that have a good match in terms of their (sustainability) strategy and Avantium's value proposition in the licensing phase.
  • Come to development partnerships with brand owners and retail, putting the right commercial contracts in place with regard to goal setting, milestones, timing, resources as well as the relevant legal context (such as non-disclosure, material transfer, joint development, intellectual property, etc.).
  • Translate customer needs/requirements into attractive value proposition and develop the business case with the offtake partner together with the Technical Application Manager.
  • Convert these projects into a pipeline of capacity reservations for Avantium's licensees and drive these to commercialization.
• Product Branding: load the Avantium FDCA and PEF brand with the brand owners and retail partners, together building consumer preference and adoption for our customer's products and/or brands.
• Marketing& Communication; in collaboration with the team in Amsterdam, lead the marketing and communication activities in the Americas (e.g., generating visibility, exhibitions, conferences, social media). Represent Avantium at conferences with the goal of increasing the general awareness on the product, building relationships with external contacts and lead generation.
• Market insights: keep track of new market reports, collect relevant data, analyze and provide perspective regarding interest areas and relevance to assist the Director Business Development in translating market insight into strategic directions.
• Reporting opportunity & project progress and forecasts to the team on a bi-weekly basis.
• Follow up on incoming enquiries (e.g., Avantium website, network).

We are a small team operating in The Americas, Europe and Asia. At times, when priorities require, you do not mind contributing or even stepping in for your peers in the other continents.

What do you bring? 

To be successful in this role, the Business Development Manager needs to be at home in the world of Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG). You understand their goals, their solutions, their challenges and way of working. Enthusiasm, resilience, a "can do mentality" and drive to make impact are the necessary skills to make our vision happen. You are a team player, because success can only be reached by working together with your colleagues, our partners and their value chain.  

We are looking for a Business Development Manager with the following background:

• Master or Bachelor degree in Business, Commercial, Marketing, Economical or broad Technical area (E.g. Industrial Engineering and Management, Energy and Environmental sciences, Product design, Economics, Marketing).
• At least 10 years of work experience in FMGC industry (e.g., food & beverage, apparel and cosmetics segments), preferably, either directly employed or as a consultant.
• At least 4 year of experience in working with customers in a commercial role as Business Developer or Sales / Marketing.
• Preferred: Familiar to operate in a technology driven industry, comfortable in intellectual property discussions and legal negotiations.
• Excellent communication skills (both oral as written), PowerPoint skills, Excel skills (business case, data analysis) and LinkedIn as a sales tool
• Experience in circular concepts, recycling and branding is advantageous.
• Personal skills: Team worker, enthusiastic, critical, but can-do mentality, result-oriented, ability to work at tight deadlines.
• Languages: Mandatory is fluency in Spanish, company language is English. Being able to speak additional languages is desirable.
• Willingness to travel for 50% to 75% of working time, including regular trips of about 1 week to stay up to date and connected with the Commercial Team in The Netherlands (some 4-6 times per year).

What do we offer?   

Avantium is a small company with a big impact. Whilst contributing to a circular economy, we offer you a unique chance to learn a lot: in science, business and management, leading people and operations, market strategies, quality and last but not least safety. Learning paths can be steep, not depending on predefined career paths and development tracks. You are in the lead of your career, what you bring to the table will be noticed and taking initiative is rewarded and recognized. We have an informal result-oriented culture, a flat organization and we recognize and celebrate the many cultures that we represent. On top of that we offer good primary and secondary benefits.  We understand the need for flexibility. If you perfect for this role but not located in Atlanta but are within the USA, apply and we can discuss this further. 

Do we have your attention? 

Let us know by applying through the website. If you have any questions, you can reach the global Director Business Development, Bineke Posthumus at Bineke.posthumus@avantium.com