Sales Director Adhesives

Sales Director – Adhesives

Role Purpose

The Sales Director Adhesives is the commercial leader of the Adhesives Division. You own the full P&L and carry end-to-end accountability for revenue, margin, and profitable growth across all adhesive product lines and market segments. You set the commercial direction, build lasting customer partnerships, and rally a high-performing team around a shared ambition to win in the market.

Equally important, you are an inspirational leader who energises and develops your people. You create an environment where every team member feels empowered, challenged, and supported to deliver their best work. Your leadership style combines ambition with genuine care, turning commercial targets into a shared mission the whole team believes in.

Commercial Strategy & P&L Ownership

• Define, own, and execute the commercial strategy for the Adhesives Division, covering pricing, market prioritisation, and growth initiatives
• Carry full P&L responsibility: set annual budgets and targets, manage costs, and deliver on revenue and profitability commitments
• Periodically review and recalibrate the commercial strategy to reflect evolving market dynamics, competitive moves, and internal learnings, ensuring the division stays ahead of the curve rather than reacting to change
• Translate the strategy into clear, actionable plans with measurable KPIs for every member of the sales organisation
• Provide transparent reporting and forecasting to senior management, flagging risks and opportunities early

Customer Centricity

Customer centricity is not a buzzword in this role, it is the compass for every decision you make. You ensure the entire organisation thinks and acts from the customer’s perspective.

• Build and nurture deep, trust-based relationships with key customers, understanding their business challenges, processes, and long-term ambitions
• Be the voice of the customer internally: ensure that product development, pricing decisions, and service standards are shaped by real customer needs and feedback
• Develop a structured approach to customer engagement, from strategic account planning for top-tier clients to efficient service models for the broader portfolio
• Drive a culture where responsiveness, reliability, and proactive problem-solving define how the team interacts with every customer
• Personally engage with strategic accounts and act as an escalation point when complex situations require senior involvement

Inspirational Leadership

Your success is measured not only by the numbers, but by the strength and motivation of the team you build around you.

• Lead, coach, and inspire a team of regional sales managers, key account managers, and technical sales professionals
• Set a compelling vision that connects individual contribution to divisional success, give people a reason to go the extra mile
• Create an open, high-trust culture where feedback flows freely, accountability is embraced, and people take pride in their work
• Identify and develop talent within the team, ensuring a strong pipeline of future leaders
• Celebrate wins and learn from setbacks together, foster resilience and a growth mindset across the organisation

Cross-functional Collaboration

You work hand in hand with R&D and Operations, but always with the commercial perspective in the lead. Sales drives the “what” and “why”; R&D and Operations enable the “how.”

• Steer collaboration with R&D by translating customer needs and market opportunities into clear innovation priorities and product development briefs
• Partner with Operations and Supply Chain to ensure production capacity, lead times, and service levels support commercial commitments and customer expectations
• Take the lead in cross-functional project teams for new product launches, custom formulations, and key account projects, keeping commercial value creation at the centre
• Ensure a healthy feedback loop: market intelligence and customer insights flow to R&D and Operations; feasibility and capability input flows back to Sales
• Resolve cross-functional tensions constructively, balancing short-term customer demands with long-term operational and innovation priorities

Market & Business Development

• Identify and evaluate new market segments, geographies, and application areas for adhesive products
• Monitor competitor activities, industry trends, and regulatory changes to spot threats and opportunities early
• Represent the Adhesives Division at trade fairs, conferences, and industry forums as a senior commercial ambassador
• Build a network of industry contacts and stay connected to the pulse of the market

Your Profile

• Master’s degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Business Administration, or equivalent
• Minimum 10 years of progressive B2B sales experience in the chemical or industrial sector, with at least 5 years leading a commercial team
• Demonstrated P&L ownership and a track record of delivering profitable growth
• Deep understanding of industrial adhesive markets and technologies is a strong plus
• A natural leader who inspires by example, ambitious, empathetic, and genuinely invested in developing people
• Excellent strategic thinking paired with hands-on execution and commercial instinct
• Outstanding communication and negotiation skills; able to build credibility with customers, teams, and senior management alike
• Fluent in English; additional languages (Dutch, French, German) are a significant asset
• Willingness to travel internationally (approximately 30–40%)