Global Key Account Manager - Intermediates

Position Summary

As a cornerstone of Vantage’s customer-first strategy, the Global Key Account Manager for Intermediates is responsible for the commercial leadership and development of Vantage’s largest global intermediary accounts across EMEA, APAC, and North America.

This role focuses on managing and growing the Top Global Key Accounts, covering high-volume anionic surfactants serving multiple end markets.

We have an open Global Account Manager – Intermediates opportunity at Vantage. This is a key role within the global sales organization for both Personal Care and Performance Solutions business, requiring strong commercial judgment, deep customer engagement, and the ability to operate effectively in commodity and semi-commodity market environments.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Key responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Create, manage, and deliver sales, gross margin, and profitability targets for assigned global key accounts, in line with business and account strategies.

• Own and execute global account strategies for Top 10 Intermediates customers across EMEA, APAC, and North America.

• Develop and manage long-term contracts, framework agreements, and pricing structures aligned with market and feedstock dynamics.

• Build and maintain strong customer relationships through regular engagement at multiple organizational levels to support long-term partnerships.

• Identify and develop new business opportunities and commercial models, including partnerships with customers, producers, and suppliers.

• Monitor and assess market trends, competitive activity, and pricing dynamics within commodity and semi-commodity environments, providing relevant commercial intelligence.

• Resolve commercial, contractual, or supply-related issues in collaboration with internal stakeholders to maintain customer trust.

• Prepare forecasts and strategic account reviews and presentations related to current and new business activity.

• Collaborate closely with manufacturing, supply chain, procurement, finance, and technical teams to ensure alignment on customer commitments.

• Support accounting and customer service teams in collection activities and financial governance.

• Collaborate with key stakeholders to drive commercial excellence and alignment across the organization.

• Ensure alignment of global key account development with the Leuna manufacturing asset and portfolio strategy.

Note: The responsibilities listed above are not exhaustive and may be subject to updates or periodic review.

Education & Experience

Desired background:

• Bachelor’s degree in chemistry, chemical engineering, business, or a related field.

• 5–8+ years of experience in sales, key account management, or commercial roles within the chemical industry, preferably in intermediates, surfactants, or commodity/semi-commodity markets.

• Proven experience managing large global accounts with significant revenue responsibility.

• Language skills: Fluent in English (written and spoken). Additional languages are a plus.

• Location: Flexible / remote. Ideally located near a major international airport.

Experience:

• More specifically, we are looking for the following attributes and competencies:

• Strong knowledge of principles and methods for selling, negotiating, and managing high-volume chemical products.

• Ability to research, understand, and develop global key accounts in complex market environments.

• Professional and effective communication skills, both verbal and written, with customers, internal teams, and senior management.

• Strong planning, organizational, and time-management skills with the ability to manage multiple global priorities.

• High level of commercial and financial acumen, including comfort working with revenue, margins, and profitability.

• Strong presentation skills and the ability to communicate complex topics clearly to diverse audiences.

• Ability to apply analytical and logical thinking to commercial and market challenges.

• Willingness and ability to travel 50% or more of the time, including international travel.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Vantage is an equal opportunity employer.  Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status or any other protected category. 

About Vantage

Vantage provides natural solutions to our customers’ technical performance and marketing needs through a unique combination of chemistry, application expertise and service. Underpinned by our broad portfolio of formulations, ingredients and actives that are built on a backbone of sustainable oils, fats and their derivatives, Vantage targets selected markets and applications including personal care, food, surface treatment, agriculture, pharma, and consumer and industrial performance. Vantage is headquartered in Deerfield, IL., operates in 11 countries worldwide and employs more than 1,000 talented professionals focused on delivering exceptional customer experiences with every interaction.

We are a dynamic people-centered organization where you’ll be part of a collaborative global team. Embracing our cultural diversity, we learn from each other to constantly improve, adapt and iterate. We value the voices and talents of our colleagues, empowering them to drive their unique ideas to completion. We’re convinced that exceptionally motivated employees produce outstanding results and we celebrate them by fostering a culture of recognition, development, learning, excellence and shared achievement. Most importantly, we know you’re going to like it here.  For more information visit: vantagegrp.com or LinkedIn/vantage.