Business Development Manager (Battery Materials) – Japan

Industry: Advanced Materials / Battery Value Chain / EV Ecosystem

Location: Japan (any city)

Employment Type: Full-Time

Travel: Extensive domestic travel required

Citizenship Requirement: Native Japanese candidates only

Role Purpose

The Business Development Manager will lead commercial initiatives for cutting-edge nano-silicon and advanced battery materials within the electric vehicle (EV) and broader battery value chain.

The role focuses on building the business from the ground up, driving customer acquisition, supporting product validation with OEMs and cell manufacturers, and positioning the company as a leader in next-generation battery materials.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic & Commercial Leadership

• Drive end-to-end business development for advanced nano-silicon materials used in EV batteries and energy storage solutions.
• Identify and unlock new commercial opportunities across the battery value chain—raw materials, cell manufacturing, pack assembly, and related applications.
• Build and execute segment-specific go-to-market strategies to accelerate the adoption of battery material technologies.

Customer Engagement & Pipeline Development

• Develop and manage a strong pipeline of key accounts, including EV OEMs, battery cell manufacturers, pack integrators, and advanced materials users.
• Cultivate strong stakeholder relationships across technical and commercial teams.
• Transform customer interest into approvals, specifications, and measurable business growth.

Technical Sales & Product Enablement

• Understand and articulate the working principles, performance attributes, and technical advantages of advanced battery materials.
• Translate customer requirements into clear inputs for R&D and product development teams.
• Facilitate technical discussions, product trials, evaluations, and validation programs.

Market Positioning & Brand Development

• Strengthen brand presence by representing the company at industry forums, exhibitions, tradeshows, technology conferences, and customer roadshows.
• Benchmark market needs to support new product grade introductions and the innovation pipeline.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Act as a strategic interface between R&D, product teams, and customers to ensure perfect alignment between market needs and product capabilities.
• Coordinate internal and external stakeholders for the smooth execution of commercial initiatives.

Required Qualifications & Experience

Academic Background

• Bachelor's or Master's degree (B.Tech/BE/ME) in: Chemical Engineering, Materials Engineering, Process Engineering or related technical disciplines

Professional Experience

• 7–10 years of experience in Sales and Business Development within the battery materials, advanced materials, chemicals, or EV ecosystem.
• Strong exposure to:
• Battery value chain
• EV industry commercial dynamics
• B2B technical sales
• Market expansion & channel development
• Proven experience in customer acquisition and strategic sales planning.
• Demonstrated job stability (minimum 2+ years tenure per organisation).

Technical Competencies

• Battery materials knowledge (nano-silicon, graphite/silicon composites, anode materials, carbon materials, etc.)
• Ability to explain complex material science concepts to customers.
• Experience with validation cycles, specification approvals, and technical qualification processes.

Commercial Competencies

• Strong negotiation and key account management skills.
• Ability to independently build markets and segments from scratch.
• Experience in brand establishment and market positioning.

Soft Skills

• High customer orientation
• Strong stakeholder management
• Excellent communication in Japanese and English
• Strategic thinking with a hands-on execution mindset
• Ability to thrive in a fast-growing, innovation-driven environment

Reporting Structure

• Reports directly to: Head of Specialty Products / Director of Advanced Materials

Additional Notes

• Extensive domestic travel expected.
• Incentives, variable pay, and benefits will follow market standards.
• Employment and compliance processes will be supported by a third-party partner.