Sales Specialist

Overview

Title:
Sales Specialist

Location:
Houston, TX

Who we are

Kuraray America, Inc. (KAI) is a global leader in specialty chemical, fiber, and resin production. Kuraray America is a wholly owned subsidiary of Kuraray Company, Ltd. Based in Tokyo, Japan. Kuraray has operations in 32 countries and employs more than 11,000 employees, including over 800 in the United States.

Why Kuraray

Kuraray is building a better tomorrow, today. Our team members are dedicated to expanding our business with committed professionals who share essential values such as integrity, excellence, teamwork, and accountability.

As a part of Kuraray America, Inc., our team shares the advantages of working for the leader in specialty chemicals, resins, and fibers. Our international presence and resources allow us to be a world-leading innovator in the industries we service. As a new team member, you can expect to earn responsibility quickly. Our commitment to our people is visible in our comprehensive benefits package.

You will have the opportunity to enjoy competitive salaries and benefits, incentive opportunities, and an excellent work environment.

Position Summary

The Sales Specialist supports revenue growth across an assigned territory by assisting with customer development, sales execution, and account management activities. This role supports the EVAL business, serving customers across end-use industries such as packaging (including food and pharmaceutical), automotive, and other specialty industrial applications where high barrier performance and technical collaboration are important. Working closely with senior sales team members, technical teams, and internal partners, the Sales Specialist develops foundational knowledge of products, markets, and customers while contributing to sales initiatives, customer engagement, and pipeline development.

This role requires extensive travel (50%+) to maintain customer engagement, support business development, and represent the company at industry events.

Customer Development & Prospecting

• Develop and execute customer contact plans aligned with product launches and relevant sales campaigns
• Serve as the primary point of contact for customer inquiries and complaints; resolve issues directly or escalate complex matters to the appropriate resources
• Build new customer relationships and expand market reach through targeted outreach efforts

Sales Execution

• Establish clear objectives for each sales call or customer meeting
• Deliver presentations using standard materials; ask targeted questions to assess customer interest and identify information needs
• Match standard products and services to customer requirements, including appropriate quantities and configurations
• Present solutions with clear rationale within standard commercial terms; escalate requests for concessions to senior colleagues as needed

Customer Relationship Management

• Log customer interactions and follow-up actions in the CRM system promptly after each contact
• Maintain active call plans to support customer retention and ongoing business development
• Collaborate with internal colleagues to strengthen external customer relationships and meet customer needs

Account Development

• Build and maintain a professional network within the assigned sales accounts
• Represent the organization at trade shows and industry events to identify opportunities, promote products, and support brand reputation

Data Analytics & Reporting

• Build and maintain interactive Power BI dashboards; connect to SAP and Excel data sources
• Translate raw data into actionable insights and identify meaningful trends
• Gather reporting requirements from stakeholders and communicate findings clearly to non-technical audiences
• Proactively identify and resolve data inaccuracies and report performance issues
• Coordinate with external data management vendors for import records and market statistics

• Bachelor's degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Polymer Engineering/Science, Business, or a related field
• Minimum of 1 year of sales experience, preferably in the chemical industry
• Demonstrated track record of meeting or exceeding sales targets
• Strong communication,…