As a Technical Sales Manager for Coated Papers, you will drive revenue growth by combining technical expertise in paper coating applications (such as TiO2, functional barriers, or surface treatments) with strategic sales skills to acquire new customers and support existing ones. Conduct product trials, provide on-site technical support, and align product development with market demands.
Key Responsibilities
- Sales Growth & Strategy: Identify, develop, and secure new business opportunities within the paper, packaging, or pulp industries to achieve regional revenue targets.
- Technical Support & Trials: Lead technical efforts for product evaluations, including managing on-site pilot trials to validate coating performance.
- Relationship Management: Maintain strong relationships with technical and procurement teams at customer sites and distributors.
- Product Consultation: Offer in-depth expertise on coating applications to solve customer technical issues and recommend product optimizations.
- Market Analysis: Monitor competitor activities, industry trends, and new technologies to feed information back to R&D and marketing teams.
Key Qualifications
- Education: Bachelor's degree in Paper Science, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, or a related field.
- Experience: 3–7+ years of technical sales experience in the paper coating, pulp & paper, or specialty chemicals industry.
- Technical Skills: Deep knowledge of paper coating formulations, application technologies, and process optimization.
- Communication: Strong negotiation, presentation, and troubleshooting skills, with the ability to bridge the gap between R&D and customers.
- Travel: Ability to travel frequently (up to 70-75%) within the assigned territory.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
- Regional revenue attainment and margin improvement
- New customer acquisition and market share growth
- Success rate of technical trials and new product implementations
KEY COMPENTENCIES
- Action-Oriented - Takes on new opportunities and tough challenges with a sense of urgency, high energy, and enthusiasm.
- Collaborates - Builds partnerships and works collaboratively with others to meet shared objectives (both within Cortec and external, in customer networks and with distributors).
- Communicates effectively - Develops and delivers multi-mode communications that convey a clear understanding of the unique needs of different audiences.
- Manages complexity - Makes sense of complex, high quantity, and sometimes contradictory information to effectively solve problems. Knows the product line and most common applications.
- Customer Focus - Builds strong customer relationships and delivers customer-centric solutions.
- Build networks - Effectively builds formal and informal relationship networks inside and outside the organization.
- Persuades. Use compelling arguments to gain support and commitment to others.
- Plans and Aligns - Plans and prioritizes work to meet commitments aligned with organizational goals.
- Being resilient - Rebounds from setbacks and adversity when facing difficult situations.
- Resourceful - Secures and deploys resources effectively and efficiently.
- Drives results - Consistently achieves results, even under tough circumstances.
- Instills trust - Gains the confidence and trust of others through honesty, integrity and authenticity. Maintain relationships.
- Training - Delivers training effectively to distributors and end-users and other parties as needed.
LOCATION & TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS
- Must live and work within Eau Claire, WI
PAY TRANSPARENCY & BENEFITS
The base pay range for this position is $75,000-$90,000/year plus commission, based on factors such as experience, qualifications, internal equity, and market considerations.
This role is eligible for Cortec Corporation’s comprehensive benefits program, which includes medical, dental, short- & long-term disability, and vision coverage; a 401(k)-retirement plan with a 3% company safe harbor contribution; paid time off; paid holidays; and other benefits and programs in accordance with company policy.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY & EMPLOYMENT INFORMATION
Cortec Corporation is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and childbirth), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.
Cortec Corporation is also committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and applicable state and local laws. Applicants who require an accommodation to complete the application or interview process may contact Human Resources at hr@cortecvci.com.
Employment with Cortec Corporation is at will and may be terminated by either the employee or the company at any time, with or without cause or notice, subject to applicable law.
NO THIRD-PARTY SOLICITATION
Cortec Corporation does not accept unsolicited outreach or candidate submissions from external recruiters or staffing agencies.