**Must speak Mandarin and be willing to move to France**
A French leader in speciality aluminas, a strategic input and essential component of the battery separator and a key element for battery safety, requires a Market Manager to lead an existing team of technical experts, manage a network of partners, and leverage their industrial positions in China and Asia more broadly, overseeing a geographically dispersed sales teams.
The ideal person will have the capability to establish an effective link between our European/American production culture and the market (and its end-client players) dominated by Chinese industrial players operating worldwide
Context and challenges
The proposed position covers the battery separator segment and TIM (Thermal Interface Management) products across China, Europe, the US, and Southeast Asia. Beyond battery separators (EV and ES), the development of alumina sales in the broader battery market is expected, as part of ongoing or upcoming projects.
Additional aspects of the role
– Technical scope: Engineer with an industrial mindset, ideally with knowledge and experience in
technical materials and batteries.
– Cultural and linguistic scope: Franco-Chinese or Sino-French profile; the candidate must be
fluent in both French and Mandarin and understand cultural norms and practices.
– Additional requirements: Strong leadership and teamwork skills, with the ability to collaborate
effectively with engineers, sales representatives, experts, and technicians.
Responsibilities
– Develop sales of speciality alumina for batteries (separators and other applications) to enable
the client to capitalise on the expected strong market growth.
– Leverage in-depth market knowledge to propose a strategy and development projects for new
production platforms in relevant regions, using the appropriate technology.
– Monitor customers’ technical developments and validate/propose technical and economic
solutions.
– Position the client as the market leader in both market share and technology for alumina used in
separators.
– Expand the use of alumina in the broader battery sector (casing, cathode edge coating, etc.).
– Promote the use of alumina over potential competing or substitute products in these markets.
– Alongside the sales team, build and manage a global network focused on battery applications and alumina usage.
Competences and skills
– Fluency in Chinese (Mandarin) and French.
– Strong understanding of cultural norms and interpersonal dynamics in both environments.
– Minimum Bac (Master’s degree), engineering or equivalent, with a strong background in
economics/business development.
– Mobility required (based in France with frequent travel: Europe, China, Asia, and the US).
– Knowledge of the battery market and technical materials.
