Business Line Manager-EMEA

Nikkiso Clean Energy & Industrial Gases is a leading provider of cryogenic pumps, heat exchangers, process systems, turboexpanders, services, and solutions for the liquefied natural gas (LNG), liquefied hydrogen (LH2), and industrial gases industries. Applications include fueling stations, marine engines, peak shaving, power generation, virtual pipelines, carbon capture, geothermal power and well stimulation. We are a subsidiary of Nikkiso Company Ltd, a leading industrial manufacturer headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, with $1.5 B USD in annual revenue, 8000 + employees worldwide, and publicly traded on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

The Business Line Manager will lead the commercial development and sales performance of the business line across EMEA, delivering sustainable, profitable growth through effective regional strategy, strong customer engagement, and the development of a capable, accountable sales team.

Reporting directly to the Vice President of Global Sales, the role will translate company objectives and Product Director strategies into regional commercial plans. These plans will reflect market segmentation, customer needs, competitive intelligence and the value proposition of our technical products and engineered solutions.

The successful candidate will combine strategic thinking with practical sales leadership, sound commercial judgment and a commitment to developing people. They will build strong working relationships across Sales, Technical Sales, Applications and Product Management to convert market opportunities into successful business outcomes.

Location: Germany or Remote. 

Regional Strategy and Market Development

• Develop and execute a regional commercial strategy aligned with company objectives, the market segmentation approach and the strategic direction of Product Directors.
• Define priorities by market segment, geography, customer account and product offering, supported by market data and customer feedback.
• Translate regional strategy into actionable growth plans, resource requirements and measurable objectives.
• Position products and solutions through clear value propositions that address customer priorities, technical requirements and project economics.
• Provide structured market feedback to Product Directors to inform product positioning, portfolio priorities and future development.
• Review and adapt regional plans as market conditions, customer requirements and competitive dynamics change.

Commercial Performance and Planning

• Be accountable for achieving agreed regional sales, order intake and commercial margin targets within delegated authority.
• Lead regional sales budget preparation and provide reliable forecasts and project pipeline visibility to support business planning.
• Maintain a balanced pipeline across priority segments, accounts and products, with sufficient coverage to support near-term targets and longer-term growth.
• Establish a disciplined cadence of sales reviews covering opportunity qualification, conversion, forecast accuracy, risks and corrective actions.
• Guide pricing, bid strategy and commercial negotiations in accordance with company policies and approval limits.
• Ensure consistent CRM adoption and accurate reporting of opportunity values, stages, expected award dates and next actions.

Sales Team Leadership and Development

• Lead, coach and manage the regional sales team, establishing clear expectations for performance, customer engagement and accountability.
• Develop resource and succession plans that align sales capacity, skills and geographic coverage with regional growth opportunities.
• Assign territories, account responsibilities, sales targets and individual Management by Objectives (MBOs).
• Conduct regular performance and development reviews, recognising achievement and addressing performance gaps promptly.
• Identify training needs and support development in technical product knowledge, value-based selling, negotiation, account management and commercial judgment.
• Support recruitment, onboarding and career development to build a strong and sustainable regional organisation.

Customer Engagement and Account Leadership

• Build a culture of proactive customer engagement, multi-level selling and long-term customer retention.
• Ensure account plans develop relationships across engineering, procurement, operations, project management and executive leadership.
• Personally support strategic accounts, major opportunities and senior customer relationships.
• Promote early engagement with end users, EPCs and other relevant stakeholders to influence project requirements and position our solutions.
• Coordinate with other regions on shared accounts and international projects to maintain consistent customer engagement.
• Support the resolution of customer concerns and maintain commercial continuity through order handover and project execution.

Cross-Functional Coordination

• Coordinate regional sales activities with Technical Sales and Applications teams to support opportunity qualification, solution development and timely proposals.
• Establish shared opportunity priorities, clear responsibilities and realistic commitments with supporting functions.
• Maintain clear commercial leadership and customer communication while drawing on technical expertise throughout the sales process.
• Escalate resource constraints, proposal delays and unresolved risks early, working with functional leaders to agree corrective actions.
• Work with Product Directors and Marketing to equip the team with relevant positioning, sales tools and product training.

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, business administration or a related discipline, or an equivalent combination of professional qualifications and relevant industry experience.
• At least 10 years of progressive experience in technical sales, business development or commercial management within industrial equipment, engineered solutions or related markets.
• At least five years of direct sales team leadership, including target setting, coaching, performance management and resource planning.
• Demonstrated success developing and executing regional growth strategies and achieving sales objectives.
• Experience managing geographically dispersed teams and customers across multiple countries, preferably within EMEA.
• Strong understanding of complex project sales, extended sales cycles and customer organisations with multiple decision-makers.
• Financial and commercial acumen, including sales budgeting, forecasting, pricing, margin management and contract negotiation.
• Experience working effectively within a global organisation across technical, product and operational functions.
• Professional fluency in English and willingness to travel regularly across EMEA, with occasional international travel.

Desirable

• Industry experience in industrial gases, LNG, cryogenic equipment or related process technologies.
• Experience selling to EPCs, industrial gas companies and major industrial end users.
• MBA or postgraduate qualification in business, leadership or a relevant technical discipline.
• Additional languages relevant to the EMEA region.

Leadership Attributes

• A well-rounded leader who combines strategic perspective with active involvement in sales execution.
• Commercially astute, customer-focused and accountable for results.
• Effective at motivating teams, developing talent and building trust across functions and cultures.
• Self-directed and disciplined in managing time, priorities and resources.
• Curious and committed to continuous learning, receptive to feedback and willing to adjust strategies when evidence supports change.
• Clear and constructive in communication, with the confidence to make decisions and address difficult issues.
• Committed to ethical business conduct and delivering on customer commitments.

Measures of Success

• Achievement of regional sales, order intake and commercial margin targets.
• Delivery of regional strategic initiatives and agreed MBOs.
• Growth in qualified pipeline, opportunity conversion and priority market penetration.
• Forecast accuracy and CRM data quality.
• Customer retention, account development and strength of strategic relationships.
• Sales team performance, capability development and succession readiness.
• Effective coordination with Technical Sales, Applications and Product Directors.