Commercial Manager - Germanium Solutions

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 Electro-Optic Materials

 Power in space. Vision at night. Coatings thinner than human hair. Umicore is a world leader in material solutions for the space, optics and electronics industries – enabling every day cutting-edge technologies. We guarantee our customers high performance products, secure access to supply and recycling technologies that give materials a new lease of life.

What you will be doing

We are currently looking for a Commercial Manager – Germanium Solutions to join the team in our office based in Olen, Belgium. Reporting to the Global Commercial Director, you will be managing the day-to-day business for Europe/Asia (China excluded) sales of the germanium based products along with product management including planning and capacity monitoring.

Responsibilities:

• Conduct customer visits and maintain relationships with existing accounts.
• Represent the commercial team within the EOM organization.
• Explore, evaluate and develop germanium sales and recycling opportunities in Europe/Asia (excl. China) through market studies and customer visits.
• Prepare, negotiate and conclude sales, purchase and recycling contracts based on technical, environmental, logistical and commercial considerations.
• Benchmark, map and analyse competitors and provide recommendations for improvement.
• Identify and assess new application fields for germanium and its derivatives and contribute to related business plans with Strategic Business Development.
• Maintain and classify product documentation (specifications, pricing, product cards, TDS, MSDS, etc.).
• Act as central point of contact for production planning and capacity questions, ensuring clear priorities and smooth material flow.
• Monitor material movements in and out and communicate implications to the internal team.
• Provide sales management data including forecasts, account documentation and activity reports.
• Assist in the annual budget preparation process.
• Represent the company at conferences, fairs and industry events.
• Support internal alignment across commercial, production and strategic development teams.

Who we are looking for

Requirements:

• 2 -5 years of experience in a commercial, sales role in a similar industrial environment (semiconductors, chemicals, photonics, metals, etc.)
• Master’s degree in Science or Engineering, or equivalent experience
• Fundamental knowledge and keen interest of chemical and physical processes in chemistry and/or metallurgy
• Experience working with external stakeholders across different stages of the value chain
• Ability to identify and develop new business opportunities
• Strong negotiation skills, including understanding of financial and logistical aspects
• Ability to gather, analyse and summarize market intelligence into clear reports
• Fluency in English; additional languages (especially Dutch) are a plus
• Strong teamwork mindset and ability to collaborate across functions
• Demonstrated problem‑solving skills, with curiosity and creativity
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to operate effectively in a multicultural, international setting
• Strong commercial acumen and customer‑oriented mindset

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?

If our infrared solutions can help deliver night vision systems, IMAGINE WHAT YOU COULD DO?

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