Position Overview
The Channel Manager will play a crucial role in maintaining and growing the sales and margin of PQ's product lines across the United States and Canada, primarily through the distribution channel. This role owns the regional channel strategy — selecting, developing, and managing distributor relationships across both large national and smaller regional partners. Combining commercial acumen, technical curiosity, and strong relationship-management skills, the Channel Manager will expand share, open new applications and markets, and deliver on volume, revenue, and margin objectives. This role requires effective communication, a proactive approach to problem-solving, and collaboration with cross-functional teams to ensure customer satisfaction and profitability.
Key Responsibilities
Channel & Distribution Strategy
• Develop and execute the regional channel strategy for the business, aligning distributor coverage, market segments, and applications with company growth objectives.
• Manage and grow relationships across the full distribution spectrum — from large, national/multi-regional distributors to smaller, specialized regional partners — ensuring appropriate coverage, service levels, and mindshare.
• Lead distributor selection, onboarding, and performance reviews; establish clear expectations, growth plans, and scorecards for each partner.
Sales and Customer Management
• Serve as a key point of contact for assigned distributors and select accounts, handling inquiries and addressing any issues or concerns.
• Build and maintain strong relationships through regular communication and on-site engagement via visits, phone, email, and Teams.
• Maintain accurate records of customer interactions, agreements, and sales activities in the CRM.
Lead Generation and Prospecting
• Drive demand generation and growth through the channel: identify new applications, end markets, and customers.
• Support distributors with training, joint sales calls, and technical resources to develop and close opportunities.
• Usher opportunities through the sales pipeline to closure, both for your direct portfolio and in concert with distributor partners and account managers as appropriate.
Commercial Activities
• Own volume, revenue, and margin targets for the assigned channels and accounts; monitor performance against plan and take corrective action as needed.
• Set and manage pricing within corporate guidelines, balancing competitiveness with margin objectives, and manage price increases and cost pass-through through the channel.
• Monitor market trends, competitor activities, and customer feedback to identify opportunities for growth or areas for improvement.
• Maintain an accurate sales pipeline and demand forecast in the CRM; provide regular reporting on activity, opportunities, and wins/losses.
Collaboration and Communication
• Collaborate cross-functionally with business leaders, product management, technical service, customer service, supply chain, and operations to ensure customer needs are met and growth initiatives are supported.
• Gather and communicate market, competitor, and customer intelligence to inform product, pricing, and commercial strategy.
• Represent the company at industry trade shows, distributor events, and customer meetings.
Qualifications
• Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Chemistry, Engineering, or a related field (or equivalent experience).
• 10+ years of B2B sales or commercial experience, preferably in chemicals, specialty chemicals, or industrial materials.
• Demonstrated experience managing distribution — including both large national distributors and smaller regional partners — with a track record of driving growth through the channel.
• Proven ability to develop and execute channel/territory strategy and translate it into measurable volume, revenue, and margin results.
• Experience managing direct commercial accounts, including pricing, negotiation, and account planning.
• Strong commercial and analytical skills; comfortable with forecasting, pricing analysis, and CRM-based pipeline management.
• Excellent relationship-building, communication, and presentation skills across all levels of a customer or distributor organization.
• Self-directed and able to manage a broad territory independently; willing to travel approximately ~50% within the US and Canada.
• Located in, or willing to relocate to, Greater Chicago area (preferred) or Malvern PA.
• Preferred: direct experience with silicates and/or silicas or adjacent inorganic specialty chemistries.
EHS Responsibilities
• Communicates, promotes and personally demonstrates Safety/Health (including PQP Principles) as #1 priority
• Participation in risk assessment audits as applicable
• Understand PQ Principles (PQP) and how they are implemented in the site organization, rules and procedures
• Completes HSE training requirements identified for the job in a timely manner
PQ is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected characteristics. Click on the link to read Know Your Rights: Workplace discrimination is illegal (eeoc.gov) . For more information, please review the link Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal | U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (eeoc.gov) .