Manager, Business Development

The Marine Business Development Manager is an individual contributor who leads market growth and sales execution within the marine industry, with primary accountability for profitable revenue expansion and strategic relationship development. This role includes prospecting, forecasting, meeting sales objectives, and coordinating activities across cross-functional teams to support account goals. The ideal candidate is able to sell effectively at all organizational levels and build strong relationships that position Avient as the partner of choice. Success requires proficiency in customercentric selling approaches and in communicating the value of Avient's products, services, and technical capabilities. This individual will assist customers in problem-solving to deliver tailored solutions and is expected to bring energy, professionalism, and a high degree of initiative to daily responsibilities. They must be capable of working independently while also coaching and influencing colleagues in marketing and other disciplines. Strong cross-functional leadership and the ability to drive alignment across peer and management levels are essential. Experience with thermoplastic and thermoset composite solutions is preferred, and marine industry experience is a plus. This position requires up to 75% travel.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

The purpose of the Sales Function is to deliver:

• Profitable revenue growth, including robust new business development.
• Achieve stated gross margin targets as a percentage of sales.
• Approach the sales process with a high degree of professionalism and effectiveness by successful utilization of customer centric selling skills and tools, such as use of scorecards, business reviews, EVE tools, high/wide/deep, 5 warning signs, prospecting & new account calls, development of a robust sales funnel, collecting ARs, avoidance of bad debts, cross selling, and effective CRM system management.
• Develop account relationships, identify opportunities and capture the specification for Avient's products at strategic accounts within assigned geography or industry.
• Establish, track and close new business targets consistent with short and long-term objectives at designated accounts within the territory.
• Develop contact matrix and establish strong relationships with key decision makers and project facilitators.
• Prospecting and cold calling.
• Develop, execute and manage sales plans, sales budgets, and expense budgets.
• Negotiate pricing and contracts to deliver value and growth.
• Establish account development plans and network resources up, down and across both the customer's organization and Avient.
• Deliver the planned results (AOP).
• Develop account relationships, identify opportunities and capture service opportunities at strategic accounts within assigned geography or industry.
• Understand key players, applications, requirements, trends, and needs as well as Avient's potential and share within the targeted industry. Become an industry and product expert to leverage successes across the industry.
• Coordinate closely with regional sales teams as well as collaborating with the technical area as necessary to accelerate and drive profitable growth through solutions selling to targeted accounts.
• Establish a linkage between the customer's business strategy and Avient's capabilities.
• Monitor the competition to better understand issues and threats and develop plans to eliminate barriers.
• Implement Avient's, pricing and market strategies as well as business practices. Negotiate customer contracts and value packages to insure an acceptable return on Avient resources invested.
• Participate in strategy development, help position the business and develop the offer. Assist in defining the target markets, and commercial strategy.
• Establish individual performance standards, goals and objectives - measure and provide feedback.
• Develop written Account Plans for strategic accounts including metrics to define annualized sales potential at each account.
• Develop, execute and manage sales plans and budgets. Manage expenses and report in a timely fashion.
• Manage strategic relationships, cultivate new alliances, and monitor competitive activity.

Scope

Personnel: Individual contributor.

Budget: None.

Sales Revenue: Territory specific.

Essential duties and Responsibilities:
The purpose of the Business Development Function is to:
* Understand key players, applications, requirements, trends, and customer needs within the marine industry. Monitor Avient's market position and competitive activity, serving as an industry and product expert to leverage success across the sector.
* Collaborate internally to develop market strategies, define target accounts, and shape the commercial plan for the marine industry.
* Deliver profitable revenue growth through strong new business development. Build and manage a robust sales funnel through effective prospecting and consistent CRM utilization. Establish, manage, and close new business targets aligned with short- and long-term objectives. Partner with technical teams to accelerate growth through solution-based selling.
* Achieve material margin targets as a percentage of sales.
* Execute the sales process with a high degree of professionalism using customer-centric selling tools (e.g., business reviews, economic value estimators, high/wide/deep relationship development, and early warning indicators).
* Develop relationships with key decision makers and influencers, identify opportunities, and drive specification of Avient solutions at strategic marine accounts.
* Create written Account Plans for strategic accounts, including metrics that define annualized sales potential. Build networks across both customer organizations and Avient to align customer strategies with Avient's capabilities.
* Negotiate pricing and supply agreements to deliver value, drive growth, and ensure an acceptable return on invested resources.
* Partner with the credit team to support timely accounts receivable collection and minimize risk of bad debt.
* Understand the solutions offered by other Avient business units and collaborate cross functionally to generate and pursue cross selling opportunities.
* Execute sales plans, manage sales and expense budgets, and provide timely reporting of expenses.

Scope
Personnel: Individual contributor
Sales Revenue: Marine industry specific

Qualifications:

Leadership Behaviors as a Leader of Self
* Plays to Win,
* Acts Customer Centric
* Drives Innovation and Profitable Growth
* Collaborates Seamlessly across Avient
* Motivates and Inspires
* Develops Others and Self
Sales & Customer Service
* Strategic Selling Discipline
* Prospecting and Cold Calling
* Tactical Sales Techniques
Personal Skills
* Self-Confidence
* Negotiation and Influencing
* Assertive
* Self-Motivated
* Time/Priority Management
* Works well on teams and independently
* Organization Skills
Software Skills
* Microsoft Suite - Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint
* CRM systems

Our purpose at Avient Corporation is to be an innovator of materials solutions that help our customers succeed, while enabling a sustainable world.

Innovation goes far beyond materials science; it's powered by the passion, creativity, and diverse expertise of 9,000 professionals worldwide. Whether you're a finance wizard, a tech enthusiast, an operational powerhouse, an HR changemaker, or a trailblazer in materials development, you'll find your place at Avient.

Join our global team and help shape the future with sustainable solutions that transform possibilities into realities. Your unique perspective could be the key to our next breakthrough!

We believe that all of our global employees are leaders and that the six most important behaviors for driving our strategy and culture are the same no matter if an employee is a leader of self, a leader of others, or a leader of the business.

By playing to win, acting customer centric, driving innovation and profitable growth, collaborating seamlessly across Avient, and motivating and inspiring and developing others and yourself you will accelerate your ability to achieve Avient's strategic goals, to meet our customer needs, and to accomplish your career goals.

At Avient, we believe a wide variety of thoughts, ideas and backgrounds gives us the creativity to be successful in a rapidly changing world. In support of this, we stress equality of opportunity for all qualified individuals in accordance with applicable laws. Decisions on hiring, promotion, development, compensation or advancement are based solely on a person's qualifications, abilities, experience and performance.

Avient is an equal opportunity employer. We maintain a policy of non-discrimination in providing equal employment to all qualified employees and candidates regardless of race, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, color, religion, national origin, disability, genetic information, protected veteran's status, or other legally protected classification in accordance with applicable federal, state and local law. If you need an accommodation because of a disability to complete an online application, please contact the Avient HR Team by emailing, ApplicationAccommodation@Avient.com.