Job Vacancy: Business Development Executive
BACKGROUND TO THE SITUATION
Position Profile
Taking a platform chemistry technology ‘from bench to market’ is rare and represents a huge challenge for innovators. The bars are set high with safety assessment, regulations, quality thresholds, long-established supply chains, and price/volume pressures. Commercialisation involves treading a fine line between profitability and scaling up production to accelerate growth.
Aqdot are bucking the trend. It’s not just about the great technology, it’s about scale and scaling. The team have learned how to make the technology at multi-ton scale; they have established and built strong collaborations with 100+ multi-national companies who all have pain-points that this revolutionary Chemtech can address. With products now in market, and more being developed by customers and collaborators, the dynamics are changing & getting more exciting by the day.
The platform technology has applications ranging from Personal Care to Life Sciences, from heavy industry to textiles, and the opportunity for value creation is what excites the team. Focus is crucial at this transformative stage, where the commercial team are leading a license and supply business model more akin to pharma or IT industries than the chemicals industry.
The Aqdot team has a very strong inclusive and diverse culture which has undergone transformation from internal invention (with a large suite of patents to show for it) to commercialisation and collaboration, where our partners can create new products that add value to consumers and the supply chain.
With a highly engaged board and venture funding, it’s a great time to join the team!
THE ROLE
TITLE: Business Development Executive
LOCATION: Cambridge, but flexible for the best candidate for work from home with c. weekly presence in Cambridge, UK
REPORTING LINE: Business Development Leader.
DURATION / CONTRACT: Full Time
The successful candidate will join the Commercial team of 6 people, and quickly take on new accounts while learning about the technology and applications. The role will then morph into providing maternity cover during a planned 6 month absence and slow return to work. But the board has approved the additional head to support the growing Business Development needs as sales grow.
The role requires someone who must be comfortable in a technical and active sales environment, ready to turn their hand to any aspect of working within a busy SME as required.
Business is moving at a fast pace so it is hard to fully define the role, but the following outlines the new BDE responsibilities:
First 3 months:
1. Develop a commercial understanding of the technology and its value proposition to the Personal Care, Household, Industrial and Institutional markets.
2. Deep dive into the Air Filter and Anti-pollution sectors and research to take commercial leadership from December.
Ongoing:
External Responsibilities:
- Take business development leadership for selected multi-national prospects; this will require developing strong working relationships quickly in order to convert sales and develop growth.
- Become the Account Manager for selected small companies for B2B sales of the technology.
- Key Account Manage the Oderase consumer business with Ocado.
- Research multi-national target companies to identify technology needs that overlap with our Chemtech, then account-map for key decision makers and prepare account penetration plan.
- Provide back-up for Customer Services with accounts, credit control, logistics, regulatory, H&S.
Internal responsibilities:
- Support the Distributor BD Leaders with handling inquiries from their customers. This will require handling multiple enquiries and follow-ups at the same time, with differing timescales and resolutions.
- Maintain Customer Relationship Management database; develop extracts from the application to assist with risk adjusted forecasts.
- Review current Order, Shipping, Billing processes to optimise and prepare for exponential growth.
- Preparation of reports, presentations and figures for internal & external use.
Other Possibilities
- Lead Business developments in consumer healthcare and/or pharmaceuticals.
- Take sector leadership for the next priority area as the team expands out of Homecare, Personal Care and Textiles.
- Support Marketing Leader with implementation of marketing strategy
- Execute marketing campaigns across relevant media
- Support online marketing activity for company communications
- Prepare marketing activity presentations for internal and external use
PROFILE: Job Vacancy: Business Development Executive
Industry Experience
- A few years sales experience working within a Materials Science (or similar) company preferred.
- Must be interested in consumer products, and the supply chain for such products.
Leadership
- Generates alignment amongst teams
- Contributes to a high performing, fearless, results-orientated culture
- Hands on and entrepreneurial in style, comfortable with getting involved in all areas of the business with minimal support
Likely background and personal characteristics
Naturally engages with people of diverse cultures and backgrounds
- A social person who wants to enjoy work, and working in a diverse team.
- Materials Science (or similar) graduate with clear intent and character for sales and business development.
- Intellectually strong and comfortable with complex problem solving
- Highly proficient at Microsoft Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint
- Excellent verbal and written communications skills
- The ability to listen and interpret customer needs
- Forward-thinking & proactive attitude to problem solving
- Must have completed at least 12 months in graduate/post grad placement.
- Embraces opportunities for personal development
- B2B account management or Sales for commercial experience, not necessarily in chemicals.
- Above all, is looking for an exciting commercial development role in a VC backed company where entrepreneurial spirit and commercial skills could lead to a flourishing first career move.
TO APPLY:
Please send your CV to info@aqdot.com.
