Ceramic Materials Sales Representative: Europe

Ceramic Materials Sales Representative: Europe

Company name: Washington Mills

Position type: Full-Time

Location: Home office based in Germany

Territory: Germany, with broader customer engagement across Europe

Travel: Up to 50% across Europe

Role focus: Business development, account management, and technical-commercial collaboration

Washington Mills is looking for a technically strong and commercially driven sales professional to grow our ceramic, abrasive and refractory materials business in Europe. This is a high-impact role for someone who enjoys developing new business, managing key customer relationships, and identifying new applications for advanced materials across a variety of B2B markets. You will work closely with customers, R&D, manufacturing, and senior leadership to turn market insights and relationships into commercial growth.

Founded more than 150 years ago, Washington Mills is one of the world’s most established producers of abrasive, ceramic, and refractory grains and powders. With global manufacturing and distribution capabilities across North America and Europe, the company combines deep technical expertise, reliable quality, and a long track record of helping customers solve demanding application challenges. Washington Mills is committed to innovation, product development, and long-term partnerships across a wide range of industrial markets.

Why Join Washington Mills

• High-impact role with direct influence on market growth in Germany and Europe
• Opportunity to work at the intersection of commercial strategy, customer development, and advanced materials applications
• Collaboration across sales, R&D, manufacturing, and senior leadership
• Established international platform with the agility to pursue new ideas, applications, and partnerships

• Develop and grow the materials business in Germany and throughout Europe through a balanced mix of new business development and account management
• Identify new customers, applications, and market opportunities across relevant industrial segments
• Build and maintain strong relationships with customers, prospects, and strategic partners through effective in-person and remote engagement
• Create and manage a robust pipeline of opportunities and use CRM tools to track progress, customer activity, and commercial priorities
• Work with customers to understand performance requirements and translate technical and commercial needs into clear internal actions
• Support customer qualification and technical validation processes from early opportunity through commercialization
• Manage existing customer relationships, including pricing, forecasting, supply planning, and ongoing commercial development
• Collaborate closely with sales, R&D, manufacturing, and senior leadership to identify and develop new opportunities
• Monitor technical literature, patents, and market developments to identify emerging trends, applications, and commercial opportunities
• Travel as needed across Europe to develop business, support customers, and represent Washington Mills in the market

• 8+ years of experience in technical B2B sales, account management, or business development within industrial materials or related sectors
• Bachelor’s degree in Materials Science, Chemistry, Engineering, Metallurgy, Process Engineering, or a related technical discipline; an advanced degree is an advantage
• Strong technical understanding of materials, chemistry, ceramics, abrasives, refractories or related industrial processes, with the ability to translate technical capabilities into customer value
• Proven success in new business development, customer relationship management, portfolio growth, and pipeline management
• Curiosity and initiative to develop business in technically complex markets and explore new applications and industries
• Strong written and verbal communication skills both in German and English, with a structured and analytical working style
• Ability to build credibility and long-term relationships with customers, technical stakeholders, distributors, and internal teams
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and CRM tools; familiarity with AI-enabled productivity tools is an advantage
• Willingness and ability to travel up to 50%, including overnight travel across Europe
• High professional integrity and commitment to ethical, trustworthy business conduct

Interested? If you are excited by technical sales, new market development, and customer-driven innovation in industrial materials, we would welcome your application. Visit washingtonmills.com/careers to apply.