Our client is the world’s leading producer of Niobium, a chemical element/mineral resource that primarily improves the strength of steel and has many different applications. The nature of their business involves the extraction, processing, manufacturing, and marketing of this chemical element, developing and providing technology for each application and final product. The task is to add value to the supply chain where the element is used. This element is widely used in structures for buildings, bridges and façades, structures of automotive bodies and also in superconducting magnets of MRI scanners and hot parts of aeronautic engines, to name but a few examples. They work closely with a variety of industries involved in steel production, welding, nuclear, and electronics, and dedicate their special attention to their customers, wherever they may be globally.

Due to expansion within Asia, they are seeking a Market Development Specialist – Asia to be responsible for Interaction with their customers and the whole supply-chain of the niobium-containing products, including a variety of industries around the world.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

MARKET DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST - ASIA

Responsibilities

· Providing marketing support to their customers (focus on steel production), potential customers and partners in the whole world, intermediate and end-users of steel with the objective of solving problems, improving quality, reducing costs, improving productivity and production stability, or developing the production of a specific product.

· Research scenario, identifying market necessities and potentials.

· Establishing links with various companies, agents, consultants, and suppliers within the supply chain to facilitate potential new business and technology developments.

· Building knowledge of customers and informing them on market demand, market trends and the demands for technology.

· Coordinate technical projects and technology developments involving companies, universities, research centers/institutions and customers.

· Niobium technology management (monitoring, transfer, implementation, development, dissemination, promotion, documentation, and generation).

· Intensive routine of business trips in Asia to interact with the steel mills.

Requirements:

This is a business development focused role which would require a background education and solid experience in the specific area of expertise of long and flat steel products. It also requires communication and personal skills for an international role with direct interaction with customers and partners.

· The candidate is required to be a Materials/Metallurgy/Industrial/Mechanical engineer.

· Undergraduation in Materials or Metallurgy plus a postgraduation in Business Administrationis highly appreciated.

· Minimum of 10 years’ experience working in steel mills with good knowledge of steel products and production processes (steelmaking, continuous casting, hot rolling, finishing/conditioning, and heat treatments).

· Experience and knowledge on steel characterization, including microstructure analysis, mechanical testing, and interpretation of results.

· Solid experience interacting with shop floor steel production (rolling mill).

· Specific understanding of the role of Niobium in micro alloyed steels and experience with Niobium micro alloyed steels are very positive differentials.

· The candidate is expected to be fluent in English language and exhibit a very well-developed set of communication skills.

· Ability to develop working relationships with people from different backgrounds and cultures (customers, sales, production, industry leaders). Teamwork is an extremely important aspect internally and externally in this role.

· It is of the utmost importance that the candidate can objectively and proactively manage and lead the implementation of action plans with customers.

Qualifications:

· Engineering with any of those backgrounds: Materials, Metallurgy, Production, Mechanical.

· Bachelors’s degree in Materials or Metallurgy plus a Masters degree in Business Administration is highly appreciated.

Competencies:

· Fluency in English

· Ability to develop working relationships with people from different backgrounds (customers, salespeople, production shop operators, industry leaders)

· Good communication skills

· Ability to implement action plans with customers, to follow up the actions, and to identify the divergences and propose countermeasures to keep the plan on track

· Results oriented

· Proactive

· Excellent adaptation skills