Key Account & Business Development Manager – Chinese OEMs Europe (M/F)

Key Account & Business Development Manager – Chinese OEMs Europe (M/F)

Location: Hybrid – Creil, France

Contract: Permanent (CDI)

Scope: Europe – Chinese Automotive OEMs

Travel: Frequent travel across Europe and occasional travel to China

About NOF Metal Coatings Europe

NOF Metal Coatings Europe is a global leader in metal coating and surface treatment technologies, providing advanced corrosion protection solutions through its GEOMET® technologies and licensed network.

With a strong presence across Europe and close collaboration with Nof Metal Coatings China, we support OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers and industrial manufacturers in the automotive, transportation, energy and industrial sectors.

The Opportunity

Chinese automotive manufacturers are rapidly expanding their industrial and commercial footprint in Europe. To support this strategic transformation, NOF Metal Coatings Europe is creating a highly visible business development role at the intersection of technology, customer development and international project coordination.

We are looking for a technically credible, commercially minded professional who can operate naturally between Chinese and European business environments. The successful candidate will help us open new doors, translate customer needs into industrial opportunities and build long-term relationships with the next generation of automotive manufacturers in Europe.

This is not a purely sales-driven position. It is an opportunity for someone with an engineering or industrial background to combine technical understanding, project management and business development in an international environment.

Key Responsibilities

Business Development

• Identify and develop opportunities with Chinese automotive OEMs established in Europe or preparing their European expansion.
• Build trusted relationships with decision-makers across purchasing, engineering, quality, innovation and industrial teams.
• Develop customer-specific strategies and contribute to the European commercial roadmap for Chinese OEM accounts.
• Identify new projects early and help position NOF technologies within future vehicle and industrial programs.

Technical Sales & Customer Projects

• Understand complex customer requirements and translate them into relevant technical and commercial solutions.
• Act as a credible technical interface with customers, supported by NOF’s R&D, laboratories, technical service and licensee network.
• Coordinate qualification, product approval and industrialization activities from initial opportunity through customer validation.
• Manage multiple internal and external stakeholders and maintain momentum across long technical sales cycles.

Key Account & International Coordination

• Act as a bridge between Chinese and European stakeholders, facilitating communication, alignment and trust.
• Coordinate strategic account plans and ensure effective follow-up of customer priorities and projects.
• Support commercial negotiations and the development of sustainable long-term partnerships.
• Represent the Voice of the Customer internally and help European teams understand Chinese OEM expectations and ways of working.

Market Intelligence & Growth

• Monitor the development of Chinese automotive manufacturers, investments and industrial projects across Europe.
• Build a strong understanding of the Chinese automotive ecosystem and its European supply chain.
• Provide market intelligence and strategic recommendations to management.
• Contribute directly to the identification of new growth opportunities for NOF Metal Coatings Europe.

The Profile We Want to Attract

• A technical or engineering background in mechanical engineering, industrial manufacturing, automotive, metallurgy, materials, coatings or a related field.
• Around 5+ years of experience combining business development, technical sales, key account management and/or industrial project management.
• Experience in complex industrial environments such as automotive, aerospace, metallurgy, energy, nuclear, offshore, machinery or advanced manufacturing.
• Demonstrated ability to understand customer needs, develop customized technical projects and coordinate projects from concept to implementation.
• Comfort working with engineering teams, production environments, distributors, suppliers and senior customer stakeholders.
• Strong project management capabilities, including technical, commercial, financial and cross-functional coordination.
• Entrepreneurial mindset: able to develop a market and customer portfolio rather than simply manage an established account base.
• High level of autonomy, adaptability, relationship-building ability and credibility in front of technical customers.

Languages & Cross-Cultural Profile

• Fluent Mandarin Chinese – mandatory.
• Fluent English – mandatory.
• French strongly preferred.
• Experience living, studying or working in both Chinese and European environments is a strong advantage.
• Ability to understand cultural nuances and communicate effectively across organizations and countries.

Why Join NOF Metal Coatings Europe?

• Take ownership of a strategic growth area with direct exposure to European and international management.
• Work at the crossroads of business development, engineering, automotive innovation and international project management.
• Help shape NOF’s approach to Chinese OEMs in Europe rather than inherit a fully established model.
• Collaborate with teams across Europe and China and with a broad industrial and licensee network.
• Develop a role with significant autonomy, visibility and potential for long-term impact.
• Join an industrial technology company whose solutions are integrated into demanding automotive and manufacturing applications.

What Success Looks Like

You will progressively become a trusted contact for Chinese automotive customers in Europe, identify and convert strategic opportunities, coordinate technical qualification projects and help establish durable partnerships between NOF, its European network and Chinese OEMs.

If you combine technical curiosity, industrial experience, commercial drive and the ability to build trust across Chinese and European cultures, this role offers the opportunity to build something genuinely new.