Sales Manager Filtration Africa & Nordics

The Company

Imerys is the world’s leading supplier of mineral-based specialty solutions for the industry with €3.4 billion in revenue and 12,300 employees in 40 countries in 2025. The Group offers high value-added and functional solutions to a wide range of industries and fast-growing markets such as solutions for the energy transition and sustainable construction, as well as natural solutions for consumer goods. Imerys draws on its understanding of applications, technological knowledge, and expertise in material science to deliver solutions which contribute essential properties to customers’ products and their performance. As part of its commitment to responsible development, Imerys promotes environmentally friendly products and processes in addition to supporting its customers in their decarbonization efforts.

Imerys is the world’s leading supplier of mineral-based specialty solutions for the industry with €3.4 billion in revenue and 12,300 employees in 40 countries in 2025. The Group offers high value-added and functional solutions to a wide range of industries and fast-growing markets such as solutions for the energy transition and sustainable construction, as well as natural solutions for consumer goods. Imerys draws on its understanding of applications, technological knowledge, and expertise in material science to deliver solutions which contribute essential properties to customers’ products and their performance. As part of its commitment to responsible development, Imerys promotes environmentally friendly products and processes in addition to supporting its customers in their decarbonization efforts. Imerys is listed on Euronext Paris (France) with the ticker symbol NK.PA.

The Position

Sales Manager Filtration Africa & Nordics

Job Summary

Drive profitable growth and develop strategic customer relationships across Africa and the Nordics in the Filtration market, acting as the primary commercial force to execute the market strategy and deliver exceptional customer satisfaction.

Key Tasks And Responsibilities

• Ensure compliance with all safety protocols, educating internal and external teams on preventive measures to achieve our zero LTA and non-LTA safety ambitions.
• Drive Profitable Sales Growth (Revenue Management): Grow profitable sales based on a deep understanding of customer needs, competitive landscape, and value proposition across both existing and new accounts, directly influencing:
  • Volumes
  • Revenues (Circa €14M Annual Turnover)
  • Price Effect
• Strategic Account Planning: Define and execute a robust commercial strategy and action plan for a portfolio of +/-140 customers in collaboration with Marketing and Technical Support functions (including budget proposals, commercial conditions, and profitability improvement initiatives).
• Lead Commercial Negotiations: Negotiate and secure price increases, surcharges implementation, increase share of wallet, and finalize commercial packages, along with associated terms & conditions (with legal support).
• Customer Engagement & Reporting: Maintain regular customer visits (up to 50% travel time across Africa and the North of Europe), documenting detailed sales visit/call reports in CRM, and preparing monthly performance analysis against the plan.
• Champion Customer Satisfaction (Customer Centricity): Proactively monitor and address significant customer complaints (information collection, communication of investigation progress and conclusion, and corrective actions) and be the key ear for the Voice of the Customers.
• Optimize Working Capital (Cash Management): Ensure timely cash collection and work to improve DSO (Days Sales Outstanding) and optimize Payment Terms.
• Gather Market Intelligence: Actively collect and document in CRM vital market intelligence, including mineral consumptions, performance requirements, competitors’ products/pricing, and future market trends.
• Fuel Innovation (New Business Generation): Generate and champion ideas for New Products to feed the innovation pipeline, based on key customer performance targets and future needs.
• Develop New Business: Actively pursue and close New Customers and Cross-Sell opportunities to improve the Conversion Rate for the opportunity pipeline.
• Financial Planning: Prepare, manage, and achieve accurate budget and forecasts for S&OP (Sales and Operations Planning) and finance purposes.

Job Specifications

• Relevant experience in/serving the Filtration industry, specialised distributors, industry/chemicals in general, or some specific markets such as the Bleaching Earth industry
• 5+ years of experience in a Sales Manager position
• Strong customer sense
• Strong negotiation and communication skills
• Business acumen and technical appetite
• Good understanding of basic financial and legal concepts
• Outgoing, result oriented, concern for impact, good interpersonal skills
• Ability to positively influence others w/o direct reporting lines

Ideal background/ experience

• Engineering or Business school degree
• 5+ or more years of experience in Sales, Account Management or Business Development.
• Professional fluency in English is required; fluency in French is strongly preferred, and additional Western European languages (e.g., German, Spanish, Italian) are advantageous.

Flexible within Western Europe. While France is the preferred base, we welcome applications from candidates located across Western Europe

Position Type

Full time and Permanent

IMERYS is an Affimative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer and it is our policy to not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or any other status protected by federal, state or local laws.