Sales Manager France, Benelux & North Africa – Paints & Coatings

Location: France, anywhere ideally near a major airport for international travel

Our client is a global leader in mineral-based performance solutions, supplying a broad range of industrial sectors including paints & coatings, construction, plastics, adhesives, and specialty chemicals. With a long history of innovation and manufacturing excellence, the company operates dozens of production sites worldwide and employs thousands of people across Europe, the Americas, Asia-Pacific, and Africa.

They are now seeking an experienced Sales Manager – Paints & Coatings to drive commercial performance across France, Benelux and North Africa. This is a strategic and customer-facing role responsible for managing a €20–25M revenue portfolio and 40–45 key accounts across the region. Accounts range from €300K to €2M per customer, combining medium and large strategic clients.

The role requires balancing new business development with a “hunter” mindset and long-term relationship building and key account management, while navigating a complex internal and market environment.

What You Will Do

• Lead profitable sales growth across the region, driving volumes, revenues, margins, and pricing performance.
• Develop and execute strategic account plans in coordination with Marketing, Technical Support, and S&OP teams.
• Own all major contract negotiations, commercial packages, and strategic pricing initiatives.
• Manage a portfolio of 40–45 key accounts , ranging from €300K to €2M revenue per account , including medium and large strategic clients.
• Navigate internal complexities across multiple functions and teams, which may evolve depending on market conditions or geopolitical factors .

Customer Experience & Market Influence

• Build strong, long-term relationships with key accounts in the Paints & Coatings sector.
• Act as the regional voice of the customer, ensuring top-tier satisfaction and rapid response to issues.
• Conduct regular customer visits (~60% travel ) and maintain accurate CRM reporting and performance analysis.
• Understand customer processes, key technical challenges, and market drivers; technical expertise is not required but technical curiosity is essential .

New Business Development & Innovation

• Identify and convert new customer opportunities, cross-sell solutions, and increase share of wallet.
• Support innovation by feeding customer insights and performance needs into the product development pipeline.
• Drive continuous improvement in conversion rates and opportunity management.
• Oversee a complex portfolio of 13 mineral families and over 100 products , ensuring alignment with customer needs and business priorities.

Financial & Operational Excellence

• Support working capital optimisation through improved DSO and payment terms.
• Deliver accurate forecasts for budgeting, S&OP, and finance.
• Ensure full adherence to safety culture and promote best-in-class standards with internal and external stakeholders.

What We Are Looking For

We are looking for a commercial “hunter” who is also a strong relationship builder, with a solid understanding of key account management in complex industrial environments.

What You Bring

• Bachelors degree in Engineering, Chemistry, Materials Science, Marketing, or similar
• Experience in the Paints & Coatings industry (mandatory) or with key suppliers to the coatings sector such as mineral producers, TiO₂ producers, binder/resin manufacturers, specialty raw material suppliers.
• 5+ years of experience in Sales, Account Management or Business Development
• Native French and fluent English are required for this role, other language is a plus
• Strong understanding of industrial processes and performance minerals is a plus
• Technical curiosity and understanding of industrial customer challenges
• Proven success managing a significant revenue portfolio
• Good understanding of basic financial and legal concepts
• Strong negotiation and commercial strategy skills
• Ability to influence cross-functional teams without direct authority
• Customer-centric mindset and strong interpersonal skills
• Entrepreneurial mindset with strong ownership
• Strong stress resilience, curiosity and proactive drive

Why Join

This is a high-visibility commercial role within a global industrial leader , offering the opportunity to:

• Own and grow a €20–25M regional business
• Work with major coatings producers
• Operate in a dynamic international market
• Contribute to innovation in sustainable performance minerals

The company offers a permanent contract and competitive compensation package .

Only candidates who meet the specified requirements will be considered for the role. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.