Account Manager- Mid West

Job Summary: Lead the commercial growth and business development strategy for an assigned geographic territory. Develop and execute a territory growth plan by strategically targeting new customers, expanding existing account relationships, and prioritizing opportunities that align with Adhesive Research’s long-term business objectives. Serve as the primary commercial leader for the territory by building trusted customer relationships, leveraging deep technical and application knowledge, and leading cross-functional teams to deliver differentiated solutions that drive sustainable, profitable growth and an exceptional customer experience. Essential Functions:Owns the commercial performance and long-term growth strategy for an assigned geographic territory. Develop and execute a strategic territory business plan that aligns with AR’s growth priorities, target markets, and long-term business objectives. Proactively identify, target, and secure new business opportunities through strategic prospecting, market analysis, and relationship development. Grow and strengthen existing customer relationships by identifying new applications, expanding product adoption, and delivering value-driven commercial solutions. Develop a deep understanding of customer applications, manufacturing processes, market trends, and AR’s technologies to position differentiated solutions and create competitive advantage. Serve as the commercial “leader” for the assigned territory by coordinating and influencing cross-functional teams including Operations, Innovation, Market Development, Product Management, Quality, Supply Chain, Customer Service to deliver exceptional customer outcomes. Build trusted relationships with customer stakeholders across technical, operations, and executive leadership levels.Lead customer engagements including business reviews, technical presentations, pricing discussions, quotations, and commercial negotiations. Champion the voice of the customer by translating market insights into actionable business strategies, product development opportunities, and service improvements. Develop and maintain a robust opportunity pipeline and accurate sales forecast to achieve territory sales, profitability, and growth objectives. Work closely with Market Development and Product Management to monitor industry trends, competitive activity, and market dynamics to identify emerging opportunities and potential risks.Partner with the Innovation teams to support product evaluations, application development, customer qualifications, and scale-up activities for new development. Resolve customer challenges by leading cross-functional problem solving efforts and ensuring timely, effective communication and execution. Maintain accurate CRM documentation, sales reporting, forecasting, and territory performance metrics. Represent AR at customer meetings, industry conferences, trade shows, and other commercial events.Continuously evaluate territory potential, prioritize high-value opportunities, and allocate time and resources to maximize long-term profitable growth.Exercise sound business judgment in prioritizing customers, opportunities, and resource investments to maximize long-term value for both the customer and AR. Travel domestically as required to support customer relationships and business growth.Job Specifications:Bachelor’s degree in a marketing, business, scientific or engineering discipline required; technical and/or mechanical aptitude preferred.Minimum of 3-5 years of progressive experience in technical sales, business development, or application engineering within the pressure-sensitive adhesive tapes, specialty materials, or a related technical industry. Demonstrated success identifying, developing, and closing new business opportunities while growing existing customer relationships. Strong technical aptitude with the ability to quickly develop expertise in AR’s products, applications, manufacturing processes, and customer technologies. Ability to understand customer challenges, identify unmet needs, and recommend value-driven technical and commercial solutions. Demonstrated ability to lead customer opportunities by coordinating and influencing cross-functional teams without direct authority. Strong commercial acumen with experience managing sales pipelines, territory planning, forecasting, and business development activities. Excellent relationship-building, communication, presentation, and active listening skills with the ability to engage technical, operational, purchasing, and business stakeholders. Proven ability to balance short-term commercial execution with long-term strategic market development and growth. Self-motivated, highly organized, and capable of effectively managing multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment. Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, PowerPoint, Word), CRM systems, and sales planning tools. Demonstrated initiative, resilience, and a growth mindset with a passion for winning new business, delivering exceptional customer experiences, and achieving measurable business results. Willingness and ability to travel extensively throughout the assigned territory to support customer relationships and business development activities (~40% -60 % overnight)