Main Tasks
Requirements
- To drive implementation of SBU strategy and to develop industry segment roadmaps to achieve sustainable profitable growth in designated segments, in close collaboration with sub-regional sales teams, technical service, R&D and Product management.
- Co-Responsible for achieving sales, market share and profitability targets in SBU related market segments and customers through close collaboration with sales
- Defines, initiates and leads customer projects with customers or other external partners (e.g. universities) including professional project management (planning, reporting, milestone plans, escalation management) in close collaboration with Sales, Technical service and R&D.
- To develop strategic positioning of products for respective market segments, brand positioning and marketing materials to support sales and ensure achievement of profit targets for each sub-region in Asia Pacific.
- To lead market intelligence: evaluate customer research, market conditions, competitor data and implement marketing plan alterations as needed
- Steers R&D projects according to segment roadmap and customer requirement. Decides on allocation of budget, prioritization and responsible for driving projects. Initiates and defines technical objectives of R&D projects to close portfolio gaps and create competitive edge.
- Provide inputs of the technical trends, competitor activities, customer requirements and drivers further down the value chain in the market and initiate, suggest appropriate developments and actions to achieve strategic targets
- Proactively benchmarks existing BASF solutions vs competition, initiates application and formulation work to further improve our offering, closely collaborates with global team, other SBUs and BUs as well as R&D for solution-finding.
- Translates customer needs into implementable technical work requests / target performance profiles for technical service and development team
- Identifies and supports implementation of new business opportunities in close collaboration with sales and technical service team. Bring opportunities from one country to another including bringing ideas and products from EU and NA
- Support of existing product portfolio / customer portfolio, e.g. product introduction/promotion, identifies new applications and supports market penetration
- Manage product positioning and generate technical promotion tools for sales team in cooperation with commercial marketing
- Steer new product launches, monitor their developments and lead preparations of launch packages including input to phase gate for regional and global projects
- Ensure coordination of commercial, technical and scale up activities within the region and realize synergies with other SBU’s
- Establish and maintain close relationship with key stakeholders, regulatory bodies, industry associations, distributors, key end users and customers to be the first partner of choice
- Develop an open and trusting working relationship with BASF colleagues across the countries and other regions
Requirements
- Education: Minimum Master’s degree in chemistry, (chemical) engineering and/or such related areas
- Working Experience: several years in technical marketing, commercial marketing for technical products or product management
- Track record for interacting with customers, pricing, in exploring and successfully growing new business segments
- Good verbal and written presentation skills, highly motivated team player
- Background in Polymer Chemistry especially Dispersions for Adhesives, Construction, Coatings, Paper or Fiberbonding advantageous
- Driven and experiencing in tough business times
- Strong Mandarin and English proficiency is a must
