Senior Sales/Account Manager OEM - #54021

About Umicore

Powering the cars of today and tomorrow. Reducing harmful emissions. Giving unique properties to high-end applications. Giving new life to used metals. As a global advanced materials and recycling group, we develop, produce, and recycle materials for a better life.

About Battery Materials Solutions

Umicore’s battery materials solutions are delivering the future of electric mobility. We improve safety, enable faster charging and boost the range and durability of batteries. But our innovation does not stop there.
We offer our customers industry leading battery recycling solutions for critical metals like cobalt, nickel, lithium and copper.
To deliver a circular and sustainable battery materials value chain, we cannot stand still. Solving complex mobility challenges demands ambitious thinking and continuous innovation. This is where you come in.

What you will be doing

We are currently looking for a Senior Sales/Account Manager (OEM) to join our office in Brussels, Belgium. In this role you will develop and navigate strategic relationships with global automotive OEMs, securing Umicore’s position as a key transformation partner in the rapidly evolving EV battery value chain. This entrepreneurial role combines strategic business development, customer engagement, market intelligence, and operational sales to drive business growth and secure long-term commercial partnerships. You act as the customer's trusted counterpart while translating market opportunities into tangible business results.

Responsibilities:

Strategic Customer Engagement & Deal Making

• Build and maintain senior-level relationships with key OEM stakeholders.
• Navigate corporate structures to influence long-term sourcing strategies & position Umicore as strategic partner
• Identify, develop, and convert strategic opportunities into secured business.
• Lead and close complex commercial negotiations, long-term agreements, partnerships, and strategic supply discussions.
• Drive commercial growth by building a strong opportunity pipeline and securing new business awards.

Market & Industry Intelligence

• Monitor market, competitive, regulatory, geopolitical, and supply chain developments impacting customer & business strategy
• Gather customer and industry intelligence to support commercial decision-making & strategic positioning.
• Translate market insights into actionable business opportunities.

Technical & Business Leadership

• Understand OEM technology roadmaps, battery strategies, and industry trends.
• Engage credibly on technical, commercial, and operational topics across the battery value chain
• Connect customer requirements with Umicore's capabilities, innovation roadmap and growth ambitions.

Operational Sales & Customer Management

• Maintain oversight of ongoing customer programs, quality topics, and supply-related matters.
• Coordinate customer-facing activities across Sales, Operations, Quality, Supply Chain, and R&D.
• Support issue resolution while safeguarding long-term customer relationships.

External Representation & Thought Leadership

• Represent Umicore at conferences, industry events, and customer forums.
• Deliver presentations and participate in panel discussions.
• Build and leverage a strong network across OEMs, cell manufacturers, and industry stakeholders.

Influencing & Stakeholder Management

• Influence decisions and drive alignment without direct authority.
• Navigate complex stakeholder environments across customers and internal teams.
• Act as the voice of the OEM within Umicore and the voice of Umicore towards the customer.

Who we are looking for:

• 10–15 years of experience in automotive OEM sales, key account management, business development, or strategic partnership roles
• Master’s degree in engineering, (material) science or equivalent with a strong technical interest in battery value chains
• Strong commercial acumen combined with a good understanding of technology, supply chains, and market dynamics.
• Proven track record of winning, negotiating, and growing strategic business with global automotive OEMs.
• Strong understanding of automotive sourcing processes, nomination cycles, supplier management and executive decision-making structures.
• Fluent English (both written and spoken), additional European languages (e.g. French) are a plus
• Excellent communication, negotiation, presentation, and stakeholder management skills.
• Entrepreneurial, self-starting, hands-on, and comfortable operating in ambiguity.
• Mature professional presence with the ability to engage and influence senior executives.
• Willingness to travel frequently (approx. 30%) to maintain a strong physical presence with key customers and at major industry touchpoints.

What we offer

We aim to lead the way. Not just for our customers, but for our employees too. That is why we strive to create a collaborative environment in which we can all succeed, and a culture through which we can all share ideas, develop our expertise and advance our careers. We engage in building an inclusive work culture that offers equal opportunities for all employees irrespective of their diverse backgrounds. As you would expect from a world-leading organisation, we will also reward your contribution with a competitive salary and benefits. With all this and more, imagine what you could do?

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