Sales Director, INEOS Pigments & KOH
Purpose:
As a member of the INEOS Pigments Group Commercial leadership team, the Sales Director, leads both the Pigments and KOH sales functions, along with the Technical & Innovation team of the TiO2 business. They have responsibility for setting the strategic direction for all external sales & TiO2 product developments and overseeing sales activities to ensure that business revenue and contribution targets are met, whilst ensuring full compliance with INEOS governance requirements.
Environment:
INEOS Pigments Group is comprised of three businesses (Pigments, KOH & Tyssedal) that operate across the TiO2 value chain. With revenues in excess of $1BN, the business operates three production plants in Ohio, USA & a fourth facility in Norway. With a total of 770 employees, the group’s main office facility is in Columbus, Ohio.
INEOS Pigments is one of the largest TiO2 producers in North America, operating two plants within a single complex in Ashtabula, OH. The business has capacity to produce over 240ktes/yr of TiO2 & related Ti-Chem products (for which the business is the market leader in North America), generating total annual revenues of over $700M.
INEOS KOH operates a potassium-salt chlor alkali production plant in Ashtabula, OH, neighbouring the TiO2 assets. The sites produce 60ktes/yr of chlorine, which is vertically integrated as a feedstock in the TiO2 plants & 100kteyr of KOH, which has applications in fertilisers, agro-chemicals, airport runway de-icing & water treatment.
INEOS Tyssedal produce chloride slag, a key Ti-bearing feedstock for the TiO2 plants at Ashtabula, with high purity pig iron co-product, which is sold to iron foundries & steel producers for use in end applications such as wind turbines, car transmission systems etc.
The three businesses are relatively recent acquisitions for INEOS – Pigments was acquired in May 2019, with KOH in December 2022 & Tyssedal in September 2023. Significant synergy & integration potential exists, including with the 2 Ashtabula, OH based Pigments & KOH businesses.
In 2024, the business invested over $20M in a new state of the art Technical Centre in Dublin, OH, which houses the laboratories for the Pigments Technical and Innovation team.
Accountabilities:
Accountability 1: SHE
Responsible for the SHE performance of all activities at the Pigments Technical Centre, ensuring that the T&I team comply with INEOS SHE policies, standards and targets
Accountability 2: Pigments & KOH Sales
Defines the strategic direction and leads the execution of the Pigments and KOH business sales plan, to support targeted contribution margin and EBITDA generation, primarily by optimising the appropriate market segments, customers & geographies. Responsible for implementing pricing policies and ensuring provision of an excellent customer service experience. Engages directly with key customers, to foster good relations, generally at a senior level. Accountable for producing & maintaining an accurate sales volume and revenue forecast for the business, on weekly, 3-monthly & annual time horizons.
Accountability 3: Technical & Innovation
Oversees the definition and delivery of the Pigments Product Development programme & customer Technical Support services, ensuring full align with the commercial & operational strategies of the business. Ensures that utilisation of T&I resources (a team of 12 scientists & product regulatory specialists) is appropriately optimised. Manages the relationship with Alta (formerly INEOS Composites), who share the Technical Centre facility as tenants to INEOS.
Accountability 4: ESG
Directs the ESG programme for INEOS Pigments. Responsible for ensuring ongoing business compliance with ESG regulations and reporting obligations, external and internal, including maintaining good visibility of future requirements in all the jurisdictions that the Pigments and KOH businesses trade and operate. Aligns the TiO2 product development strategy appropriately to match ESG driven opportunities and needs.
Accountability 5: Functional Leadership
Provides vision, leadership, coaching, individual development, general line management & decision-making support to the Sales & T&I teams and colleagues at INEOS Pigments and KOH. This includes management of Pigments’ multi-regional (Noth America, Latin America and Europe) sales teams
Accountability 6: Senior Management
As a member of the INEOS Pigments Group Commercial Leadership team, the role holder has accountability for the overall strategy & performance of the functions under their remit. This includes the preparation & delivery of monthly reports at Business Management Team & quarterly Board/Mini-Exco meetings, as well as obtaining formal sanction for new commercial contracts, in-line with INEOS governance rules.
Accountability 7: Commercial Compliance
Responsible for ensuring full compliance & by observing anti-trust rules, including as the business representative at Trade Bodies, making certain that their teams are fully trained & compliant. Responsible for ensuring INEOS Terms & Conditions & formal contracts/agreements act in the best interests of the business.
Education & Experience
- Master’s degree (e.g., Procurement, Business management, Sales & marketing, or Chemical engineering with strong commercial affinity) or equivalent
- Minimum of 10 years’ experience in Commercial leadership roles (sales and / or purchasing & ideally with Technical/Development) within the chemical / process or allied industries, with recent experience in a materially similar, senior-level position
- Line Management experience with a large team, including remotely based direct reports
Technical Skills
- Thorough understanding of commercial operations, sales, customer service, technology, finance, accounting, commercial contracts, project management and business systems
- Excellent negotiation & analytical skills
- Strong knowledge of commercial contract language
- Ability to solve complex problems & to reach & implement solutions.
- Computer literacy (SAP, BW, MS Office)
- Strong relationship building, communication and presentation skills to influence external & internal stakeholders at senior levels.
Behavorial Skills
- Safety Leadership – as a senior leader the role carries special responsibility for promoting & upholding INEOs safety principles, to support the organisation in driving a strong safety culture & performance.
- Team Player & Business partner - effectively & proactively develop relationships (externally & internally) that build rapport, gain support & motivate others to adopt initiatives impacting multiple organisations
- Influence & Communication - Must be able to influence & work effectively with individuals at all levels within the INEOS Enterprises organisation & externally at senior levels within customers & suppliers. Communicate recommendations & rationales thoroughly and succinctly.
- Rigorous analytical & presentation abilities - Systematically collect, organise, analyse & present data, with continual ability to be across relevant details.
- Critical Thinking- Make timely, effective decisions sometimes with limited information; take initiative when situations are not clear. Comfortable with ambiguity. Not afraid to think “out-of-the-box.”
- Self-directed – Establish priorities to meet needs of the multiple organisations & teams that depend on this role. Have the determination to consitently see things through.
Preference is given to local candidates.
Applicants must be authorized to work for ANY employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa at this time.
The final salary offered to a successful candidate will be determined by a variety of factors, including but not limited to relevant experience in the role, industry experience, education, and other qualifications.
At INEOS, we are committed to fair and equitable compensation.
While it is not typical for a candidate to be hired at the top of the salary range for a position, compensation decisions are based on the specific circumstances of each role and candidate.