Key Account Manager Industrial & Fermentation

Our client Tereos is a global agricultural cooperative group that transforms plant-based raw materials, such as sugar beet, sugarcane, wheat and corn—into high-value ingredients and solutions. The Group is a leading player in sugar, starch and alcohol/ethanol, serving customers across food, industrial and bio-based markets. With deep processing know-how and an integrated industrial footprint, Tereos focuses on traceability, competitiveness and sustainability across its value chain. In industrial applications, Tereos provides tailored starch-based solutions, including for paper and corrugated cardboard, supported by application expertise and technical service.

As a cooperative group, Tereos brings together 10.300 cooperative members and has recognized expertise in the processing of sugar beet, sugar cane, cereals and lucerne. With 38 industrial sites, operations in 14 countries and the commitment of 15.600 employees, Tereos supports its clients with a wide and complementary range of products. In 2024/2025, the Group achieved a turnover of € 5.93bn.

Tereos’ societal and environmental commitments contribute to long-term performance and reinforce its role as a responsible actor.

Tereos values

Boldness

Pragmatism

Collaboration

Engagement

Result Orientation

Trust

Transparency

Our client is reinforcing its commercial and technical coverage in a strategically critical region (Benelux and West Germany) following the retirement of a key team member. The Key Account Manager Industrial & Fermentation will own and grow a portfolio of major industrial accounts, with a strong focus on paper and corrugating board, combining commercial leadership with hands-on technical support and in-plant implementation capability.

Tereos’ model in corrugating is not only product-driven: it is service- and performance-driven, with on-site technical support and troubleshooting as a key differentiator and loyalty driver in customer plants.

The role:

As Key Account Manager Industrial & Fermentation (Corrugating Board focus), you are the senior commercial owner for a high-value customer portfolio across Benelux and (West) Germany, while also acting as a credible technical reference for corrugator environments. You build durable relationships across procurement and operations, secure/renew major contracts through structured processes, and create visible value in customer plants by leading implementations and solving performance issues.

You will report to the Head of Sales Industrial & Fermentation and operate in a cross-functional environment (Product Management, Quality, Supply Chain, Technical Support) without direct authority—requiring strong influencing skills and execution discipline.

Your Responsibilities

Key account ownership & portfolio growth

• Own and develop strategic relationships with major industrial customers across Benelux and (West) Germany.
• Negotiate volumes, pricing and commercial terms, ensuring margin optimisation and sustainable growth.
• Drive structured account plans and become a trusted long-term partner for both purchasing and operational stakeholders (buyers, category managers, plant managers).

Technical leadership for corrugating customers

• Act as the technical reference for corrugating board customers, supporting them on-site in their production environment.
• Lead and follow up implementations and troubleshooting in customer plants (process issues, performance optimisation, product adoption).
• Translate customer production constraints into actionable solutions; coordinate internally with Product Management, Quality, Supply Chain and Technical Support to deliver outcomes.

New business development

• Identify white spaces and growth opportunities, with a strong development focus in West Germany.
• Proactively introduce new products and applications across paper/board and adjacent industrial segments (e.g., biotech / green chemistry where relevant).
• Monitor market dynamics (demand vs supply, competitor offerings) and propose commercial actions to increase penetration and share.

Market analysis & intelligence

• Record and consolidate relevant market data and customer signals.
• Analyse competitor offerings and positioning in the region.
• Track demand vs. supply evolution to support optimal sales planning.
• Gather and share Business & Market Intelligence to support commercial and strategic decision-making.
• Contribute to strategy for market penetration and market development within the territory.

Commercial operations, forecasting & discipline

• Maintain accurate contract administration and forecasting in CRM (Salesforce).
• Track sales performance, trends and pricing evolution; report actionable insights to key stakeholders.
• Contribute to regional commercial policy recommendations, based on market intelligence and customer signals.

Team collaboration & governance rhythm

• Participate in weekly commercial rhythms (Monday team meeting) and quarterly cross-country gatherings (BE/NL/FR/DE/SPA/POL).
• Align internal stakeholders to deliver customer satisfaction, reliability and technical excellence, without formal authority.

Your profile

You are a commercially mature, customer-facing industrial professional who combines strong relationship ownership with real technical credibility in corrugating environments.

Key attributes and experience

• Minimum 5 years relevant experience in industrial B2B sales and/or technical-commercial roles.
• Strong preference for corrugating production knowledge (hands-on understanding of corrugator processes and operational constraints).
• Ability to interact credibly across levels: shop floor and technical teams through to procurement and senior plant management.
• Commercial maturity: negotiation skill, pricing discipline, large account management, structured pipeline management.
• High EQ and resilience: service-minded, reliable follow-through, comfortable with frequent customer-facing interactions.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; able to engage from shop floor teams up to mill/plant management.
• Structured way of working with strong analytical skills.
• Results-oriented and resilient; able to influence and persuade stakeholders.
• Comfortable working autonomously and taking ownership in the field.

Languages

• Dutch & English is mandatory
• German strongly preferred
• French a plus

The organisation offers:

A high-impact Key Account mandate in a strategically critical region, combining senior commercial ownership with a differentiating technical dimension. The compensation package is competitive and aligned with the seniority and scope of the portfolio (including company car and standard Belgian benefits).

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