Head of sales and business development

Sales & Business Development Leader – LATAM

Location: Brazil | Work Model: Remote

Region: Latin America (LATAM)

About the Company

Our client is a global innovator in high-performance polymer and flash-spun material technologies , providing advanced material solutions across industrial protection, healthcare, technical textiles, semiconductor, packaging, and sustainable applications.

Driven by innovation and scalable manufacturing capabilities, the company delivers application-oriented B2 B solutions to customers worldwide through established industrial and distribution networks.

As part of its global expansion, the company is now building its presence across Latin America and is looking for an entrepreneurial commercial leader to establish and grow the regional business.

The Role

We are seeking an experienced Sales & Business Development Leader based in Brazil to lead the development of the company's protective garments and apparel business across LATAM.

The role will focus on both branded material solutions used in protective garment manufacturing and a portfolio of finished protective clothing . The successful candidate will combine strong industry knowledge with commercial and technical capabilities, helping customers identify the right solutions based on performance, regulatory, application, and supply chain requirements.

As the first commercial hire in LATAM , this is a highly entrepreneurial role. The successful candidate will be expected to build the market from the ground up — identifying opportunities, developing customer relationships, establishing distribution channels, supporting product trials, and converting opportunities into sustainable revenue.

Key Responsibilities

1. Business Development & Market Building

Develop and execute the LATAM business development strategy for protective apparel, disposable garments, PPE, and technical clothing. Identify, develop, and convert new business opportunities with garment manufacturers, converters, distributors, PPE brands, and end users . Build the company's customer and partner network across key LATAM markets. Identify target accounts, applications, market segments, and new routes to market. Establish and expand the company's presence and brand recognition in the regional protective apparel market. Develop the business from an early-stage market position, taking ownership from lead generation through to commercial execution.

2. Portfolio Sales

Promote and sell branded high-performance materials used in the production of protective garments. Develop sales of the company's finished protective garment portfolio. Understand customer requirements and recommend the most appropriate solution based on performance, application, regulatory, cost, and supply chain considerations . Develop commercial proposals, negotiate with customers, and manage the sales cycle through to closure. Build and maintain a healthy sales pipeline and provide regular forecasts and market updates.

3. Technical & Application Support

Advise customers on material selection and protective garment performance requirements. Support technical discussions relating to fabric performance, barrier properties, material selection, garment construction, and manufacturing processes . Work closely with customers and internal technical teams on product trials, testing, qualification, and garment evaluations. Translate customer requirements into practical material and product solutions. Support customers through product evaluation, qualification, and onboarding.

4. Market Development & Intelligence

Monitor market trends, competitive activity, customer needs, and regulatory developments across LATAM. Identify emerging applications and growth opportunities within protective clothing, disposable garments, PPE, and technical textiles. Develop market intelligence and provide actionable insights to global product, R& D, and commercial teams. Identify opportunities for new products, applications, partnerships, and market entry strategies. Represent the company at relevant industry events, exhibitions, and customer forums.

5. Customer & Partner Engagement

Build long-term relationships with garment manufacturers, distributors, PPE brands, procurement teams, and key end users. Conduct customer visits, product presentations, technical discussions, and commercial negotiations. Develop strong relationships across technical, procurement, commercial, and senior management levels. Support customers throughout product evaluation, qualification, implementation, and ongoing business development. Develop and manage strategic distributors and channel partners where appropriate.

6. Cross-Functional Collaboration

Work closely with global sales, marketing, product development, R& D, technical, operations, and supply chain teams. Bring LATAM customer and market requirements into global product and commercial discussions. Coordinate customer projects and ensure effective follow-up from opportunity identification through commercialization.

Requirements

Experience & Technical Knowledge

Minimum 5+ years of relevant sales or business development experience in one or more of the following areas: Protective garments / protective apparel Disposable apparel PPE products Technical textiles Nonwoven materials High-performance materials used in protective clothing Proven experience working with garment manufacturers, converters, distributors, PPE brands, or industrial end users . Good understanding of materials used in protective clothing, including nonwovens, laminates, technical fabrics, polymers, or barrier materials . Understanding of protective clothing standards, certification, and performance requirements is highly desirable. Experience selling finished protective garments or PPE products is a strong advantage. Technical knowledge of textiles, materials science, polymer engineering, or a related field is preferred.

Commercial Capabilities

Strong track record in B2 B sales and business development , preferably within technical or engineered products. Ability to develop new markets and generate business from a relatively low existing customer base. Strong consultative selling and solution-selling capabilities. Excellent negotiation, presentation, and relationship-building skills. Comfortable engaging with both technical stakeholders and senior commercial/procurement decision-makers. Strong business acumen and ability to understand customer economics and supply chain requirements.

Languages

Fluent English is required. Portuguese is required for the Brazil-based role.

Success Profile

The ideal candidate is entrepreneurial, hands-on, commercially driven, and comfortable operating in a build-up environment .

As the company's first commercial hire in LATAM, this person will not simply manage an existing customer base. They will be expected to build the business from scratch — identify prospects, open doors, develop relationships, create opportunities, support technical evaluations, establish channels, and ultimately generate sustainable revenue.

The successful candidate will combine deep knowledge of protective garments and technical textiles with strong commercial execution , enabling the company's branded materials and protective clothing solutions to become preferred solutions for customers across multiple industries.

We are looking for someone who:

Takes ownership and operates with a high level of autonomy. Is comfortable being hands-on across the entire sales cycle . Has a strong hunter mentality and enjoys opening new markets. Can build relationships from scratch and turn technical discussions into commercial opportunities. Is technically credible with customers while remaining commercially focused. Is willing to travel extensively across LATAM as the business develops. Can work effectively with a global organization and multicultural teams. Is excited by the opportunity to build something new and create the foundation for the company's LATAM business .

What Makes This Opportunity Attractive?

First commercial hire in LATAM with significant ownership and visibility. Opportunity to build a regional business from the ground up . Exposure to innovative high-performance polymer and advanced material technologies. Direct interaction with global commercial, technical, and R& D teams. Broad responsibility covering business development, sales, technical application, and market development. Opportunity to shape the company's LATAM go-to-market strategy and long-term regional growth . Remote-based position in Brazil with significant regional responsibility.