Commercial Manager - Europe

Company: This company is a well-established international manufacturer and supplier of natural and speciality ingredients to the flavour, fragrance, food 
and beverage industries. The organisation supports a broad international customer base, ranging from major global groups to specialist and regional 
manufacturers. The business combines modern manufacturing and technical capabilities with an agile, entrepreneurial culture. It is recognised for its 
product quality, customer relationships and ability to develop tailored ingredient solutions for international markets. Following continued investment and 
commercial growth, the company is now seeking to appoint a Commercial Manager - Europe to strengthen its international sales capability and accelerate 
growth across key markets.

Role: The company is seeking an experienced and commercially driven Commercial Manager to develop its business across Europe. The successful individual 
will manage a combination of key accounts and geographical responsibilities, with the final portfolio shaped around their experience, network and market 
strengths. The preferred candidate will have a strong background selling ingredients into flavour and fragrance companies. Fragrance experience and an 
established network would be particularly valuable, although candidates with strong flavour or broader speciality ingredient experience will also be 
considered. This is a hands-on business development position requiring a self-directed individual who can build relationships, create opportunities and 
operate effectively without extensive day-to-day support. The person may be based anywhere in Europe, provided they can travel easily to customers and 
spend regular time at the company’s European headquarters. The position offers the opportunity to bring experience from a more structured organisation 
into an agile business where the successful individual can influence commercial strategy, improve ways of working and see the direct impact of their 
contribution.

Main Responsibilities
• Develop and execute a commercial growth plan across agreed European markets
• Generate new business with flavour, fragrance and adjacent ingredient customers
• Support the continued development of the company's fragrance ingredient portfolio
• Manage and grow an agreed mix of global key accounts, regional customers and country responsibilities
• Build a high-quality opportunity pipeline and convert projects into profitable, sustainable revenue
• Develop trusted relationships with commercial, procurement, technical, creative and senior customer contacts
• Identify customer requirements and coordinate samples, technical information, trials and development support with internal teams
• Prepare account plans, sales forecasts, budgets and progress updates against agreed targets and KPIs
• Lead pricing and commercial negotiations while protecting margin and long-term customer value
• Monitor market trends, competitor activity, customer investment and emerging opportunities
• Represent the company at customer meetings, industry exhibitions, conferences and networking events
• Maintain accurate CRM records, opportunity stages, contact information and commercial reporting
• Collaborate closely with sales colleagues, technical teams, production, customer service and senior leadership
• Contribute ideas that improve commercial processes, account ownership, forecasting and internal communication
• Travel regularly across Europe, with wider international travel where required

Key Requirements
• Approximately five to ten years of successful B2B commercial experience within flavour, fragrance or speciality ingredients
• Proven experience selling ingredients to flavour and fragrance houses
• An established network within fragrance ingredients would be highly advantageous
• Strong flavour-sector experience will also be considered
• Demonstrated success in originating new business and developing profitable customer relationships
• Experience managing key accounts, geographical territories or a combination of both
• Strong understanding of consultative and technically led sales cycles
• Commercially astute, with confidence in pricing, negotiation, forecasting and margin management
• Fluent English is essential
• French would be highly desirable, with other European languages beneficial
• A degree in Business, Chemistry, Food Science or a related discipline would be helpful but is not essential
• Able to translate technical product capabilities into relevant customer value propositions
• Highly self-motivated, hands-on and comfortable operating independently
• Experience within a structured company and a continuous-improvement mindset would be valuable
• Collaborative, open and able to build credibility across different functions, cultures and levels of seniority
• Based within straightforward reach of a major European airport
• Comfortable with regular customer travel and visits to the company's European headquarters
• Motivated by the opportunity to take ownership and make a visible contribution within a growing international business