International Principal Manager / Business Development Manager Lubricants & Energy

Entrepreneurial, Partnership, Trust, Freedom to act, Ambitious. These values don't just describe our company - they define our people too.

About IMCD Group

IMCD Group, headquartered in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, is a leading global partner for the distribution and formulation of speciality chemicals and ingredients. IMCD is a strong, innovative business partner and solutions provider for producers of consumer, industrial and durable goods in multiple business sectors, including Lubricants & Energy.

Job opening

For one of our offices in Western Europe (United Kingdom, France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Belgium or the Netherlands), we are looking for an International Principal Manager / Business Development Manager Lubricants & Energy:

You know lubricant and fuel additives, and you know how a Principal (supplier) thinks. In this role you bring that knowledge to IMCD. You are the central contact between your Principal(s) and IMCD across Europe, working with the local Principal Managers, technical teams and commercial teams in every territory where your Principals are active. You report to the Global Business Director Lubricants & Energy and travel approx. 25% of your time.

The focus is on growing the additives business across Europe and finding new opportunities in lubricants, fuels and related energy markets. You also support the identification, evaluation and onboarding of new suppliers. When a new supplier joins, you coordinate the roll-out and implementation with all countries, so that each market starts with a clear plan.

What we are looking for:

• Entrepreneurial: you spot an opportunity and pick it up, while deepening existing partnerships.
• A strong negotiator who aligns people at every level, across several countries and functions.
• Analytical: you turn performance data into clear recommendations.
• Resilient and adaptable in a fast-paced environment that changes as the group grows.

Key responsibilities:

• Be the main contact for your Principal(s) on commercial, technical, operational and development topics, and agree on growth plans together.
• Build relationships at several levels with your Principals, so that IMCD is their long-term partner in Europe.
• Steer pipeline development per country and support the local Principal Managers from opportunity to conversion, to deliver on budget and Principal targets.
• Identify Key Accounts and expansion opportunities by geography, market and product line, and set up a central action plan to grow them.
• Manage pricing, including price negotiations and payment terms.
• Support the identification and evaluation of new suppliers, and coordinate the roll-out and implementation of new Principals across all countries: market assessment, business case, onboarding and launch.
• Monitor revenue, margin, volumes, competitor activity and market trends in all territories, and flag risks early together with a mitigation plan.
• Drive digital and technical innovation to promote your Principals and product lines, including internal and external training.
• Own the product data in Salesforce and the Sales/Buyer Assistant, and the operational side of the role (forecasting, stock, supply chain and sampling), with support from the Principal Coordinator.

Required qualifications and skills:

• Degree in Chemistry or Mechanical Engineering.
• Minimum of 8–10 years of experience in commercial roles, principal or supplier management, business development or market development in lubricants, fuels, additives, base oils or related specialty chemicals.
• Knowledge of lubricant additives, fuel additives, base oils and their applications.
• Track record of growing complex accounts across several European markets, and of winning new business.
• Experience guiding commercial or cross-functional teams in a matrixed, international organisation.
• Understanding of the distribution model and what drives value in it.
• Experience with forecasting and supply chain processes, and familiarity with CRM tools such as Salesforce.
• Fluent English.

IMCD offers:

• A European role with real scope: you shape the strategy with your Principals and see the result in revenue and margin across several European markets.
• Variety: strategy, pricing, pipeline, new suppliers, digital innovation and supply chain come together in one role.
• A short line to the Global Business Director Lubricants & Energy.
• The freedom of a decentralised organisation, with the reach of a global group.
• A competitive salary and excellent secondary benefits, aligned with your country.