Technical Sales & Application Manager

About the Opportunity

We are building a new specialist industrial-lubricant business in Indonesia, supported by an established manufacturing, product-development and technical organization in China.

Our focus is not commodity lubricant selling. We provide application-driven solutions for demanding industrial customers in sectors such as aluminum, steel, mining, metalworking, automotive components, machinery and general manufacturing.

This is an opportunity to join the founding commercial team and play a meaningful role in building the business from the beginning.

You will work directly with company leadership, customers and our China headquarters. You will have the freedom and responsibility to develop accounts, solve technical problems, build customer trust and convert opportunities into lasting commercial business.

We are looking for a builder, not a caretaker.

Position Purpose

The Technical Sales & Application Manager will combine technical understanding with strong commercial ownership.

The successful candidate must be able to understand industrial applications, recommend appropriate lubricant solutions, communicate credibly with engineers and plant managers, and progress opportunities through quotation, negotiation, order, payment and repeat business.

This is not a purely technical-support position. The role carries direct responsibility for sales results.

Key Responsibilities

Customer Development and Sales

• Identify and develop customers in aluminium, steel, mining, automotive components, machinery, metalworking and general manufacturing.

• Build relationships with plant managers, maintenance managers, production teams, engineers, procurement teams and senior decision-makers.

• Develop new business through direct prospecting, referrals, industry networks and customer visits.

• Qualify opportunities based on technical need, commercial potential and likelihood of conversion.

• Prepare and present product proposals, value propositions and commercial offers.

• Participate in pricing discussions and commercial negotiations.

• Progress opportunities through to purchase order, payment and repeat business.

• Maintain clear actions, responsibilities and timelines for every active opportunity.

• Maintain and regularly update the company’s shared opportunity board.

• Contribute directly to the company’s sales and gross-profit targets.

Technical and Application Responsibilities

• Understand customer machinery, operating conditions, lubricant usage, production processes and maintenance challenges.

• Recommend suitable industrial lubricants and related products.

• Conduct or coordinate site surveys, application reviews, product trials and performance evaluations.

• Explain technical advantages and operational value clearly to both technical and commercial stakeholders.

• Develop practical solutions for equipment reliability, lubricant consumption, process performance and maintenance problems.

• Follow product trials through to technical approval and commercial conversion.

• Coordinate with the China headquarters technical team when additional expertise or product support is required.

• Support customers after the sale and help resolve application or performance issues.

• Use technical credibility to build long-term customer confidence and repeat business.

Commercial Ownership

• Manage the full commercial cycle from opportunity qualification to payment collection.

• Coordinate internal technical, commercial and operational resources required to close business.

• Work closely with the Business Development & Key Account Manager on joint customer development.

• Take ownership of quotations, negotiation, order progression and commercial follow-up for assigned opportunities.

• Work with Commercial Operations on order status, delivery and receivables.

• Protect pricing discipline, margin quality and long-term account value.
  

Required Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in any discipline.

• Approximately 6–12 years of relevant professional experience.

• At least 3 years of experience in technical sales, industrial sales, application engineering or a closely related commercial role.

• Demonstrated experience working with industrial B2B customers.

• Experience participating in quotations, negotiations and order closing.

• Ability to communicate with both technical personnel and commercial decision-makers.

• Fluent Bahasa Indonesia.

• Working proficiency in spoken and written English.

• Spoken Mandarin Chinese is a major advantage.

• Willingness to travel frequently to industrial sites.
  

Preferred Industry Experience

Candidates from the following backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply:

• Industrial lubricants.

• Metalworking fluids.

• Rolling oils.

• Hydraulic oils, gear oils and industrial greases.

• Specialty chemicals.

• Bearings, hydraulics, compressors, filtration systems or industrial machinery.

• Aluminium, steel, mining, automotive components and metalworking.

• Maintenance, reliability, production or process engineering with strong lubricant knowledge.

Candidates from customer industries may also be considered when they have strong knowledge of industrial lubricant applications and clear commercial ability.