Senior Business Development Manager Americas

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. 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 you fit in: 

Within the Business Unit Avantium Renewable Polymers (ARNP) we are working on the commercialization of Avantium’s proprietary 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 is commercialized through the brand name releaf®. releaf® 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 has opened the Flagship Plant in October 2024, which means that in 2025 it will be 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 operating at large scale (>100 kta) and lower cost of production. To develop the market, ARNP works together with its licensees and other 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 Senior 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 Senior Business Development Manager Americas reports to the Commercial Director.

What will you do? 

The aim of the Business Development Manager Americas role is to grow market demand of releaf® by developing partnerships with, brand owners, retail chains, converters and distributors, amongst others in the Americas region. The Senior Business Development Manager Americas will work closely with the Technical Application Manager Americas.

Key responsibilities:

• Generate and 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.
• Come to projects 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.).
• Convert these projects into a pipeline of offtake agreements and capacity reservations for Avantium’s licensees and drive these to commercialization.
• Marketing & Communication; Represent Avantium at conferences with the goal of increasing the general awareness on the product, building relationships with external contacts and lead generation.
• Report opportunity & project progress and forecasts to the Commercial Director.

Your base location is the Avantium headquarter in Amsterdam. You are willing to travel to (potential) partners and customers in the Americas for a minimum of one week per month. Given the time difference between the Americas and Europe, we require flexible working hours.  

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 Senior 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.  

More specifically, we have the following requirements for the Senior Business Development Manager Americas;

• Master or Bachelor degree in Business, Commercial, Marketing, Economical or Technical area.
• 7+ year of experience in working with customers in a commercial role as Business Developer or Sales / Marketing in the plastics, packaging or polymer industry, preferably in the Americas. Work in FMCG industry (e.g., food & beverage, apparel and cosmetics segments) is preferred.
• Potential to broaden work scope as coordinator of the global Business Development team.
• Familiar to operate in a technology driven industry, comfortable in intellectual property discussions and legal negotiations.
• Experience in value selling or concept selling of preferably sustainable and/or technical solutions
• Excellent communication skills (both oral as written), PowerPoint skills, Excel skills (business case, data analysis) and LinkedIn as a sales tool
• Personal skills: Team worker, hands-on, enthusiastic, critical, but can-do mentality, result-oriented, ability to work at tight deadlines.
• Languages: Our company language is English. Being able to speak Spanish or Portuguese is desirable.

We have a hybrid working culture, enabling the benefits of working from home while fostering an inspirational working environment. Avantium employees work on average 3 days per week at the office.

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. 

Interested? 

Let us know by applying through the website. If you have any questions, you can reach our Corporate Recruiter at [email protected].