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Business Unit / Mission
Lead the transition to solution-based sales in the coatings business
Instead of being an “order taker,” start from customer issues (quality, cost, yield, productivity, delivery time, defects) and provide optimal proposals that include both products and operational processes
Job Responsibilities
1. New Business Development (0→1)
Select target industries, build hypotheses, conduct market research → create lists → secure appointments → visit → propose → close deals independently
Understand competitors, price ranges, adopted specifications, and decision-making processes
2. Solution-Based Sales (Problem Solving)
On-site customer interviews (processes, equipment, materials, environment, defect status)
Specification proposals (product selection, coating conditions, process improvement, alignment of quality standards)
Trial planning (evaluation items, schedule, pass/fail criteria) and follow-up on results
Quotation, condition negotiation, contract and order handling
3. Deepening Existing Accounts (1→10)
Improve retention rates of key accounts, expand adopted items and usage volume
Horizontal expansion within the customer (other plants, lines, product groups)
4. Internal Coordination (Bridge to Operations)
Collaborate with factory, technical, quality, and production teams to promote trials, improvements, and delivery adjustments
Initial complaint handling, hypothesis of causes, and planning for recurrence prevention (executed by operations)
5. (For Manager Candidates)
Design sales KPIs, manage pipeline/gate, standardize sales processes
Train team members (proposal templates, interview design, deal reviews)
Required Qualifications
Ability to think from the customer’s perspective, articulate issues, and turn them into proposals
Experience independently conducting market research and new business development (industry not specified, B2B preferred)
Comfortable with customer visits and on-site negotiations, strong communication skills to involve stakeholders
Basic PC skills (Excel/PowerPoint: quotations, proposal materials, simple analysis)
Preferred Qualifications
B2B sales experience in coatings, chemicals, adhesives, inks, building materials, industrial supplies
Experience handling products for factories (understanding manufacturing decision-making, ability to converse on-site)
Experience working at Japanese or foreign companies, or handling Japanese clients
Ability to communicate in English or Japanese (not mandatory but a plus)