About APRIL
Asia Pacific Resources International Limited (APRIL) Group is one of the world's leading producers of pulp and paper, known for technological excellence, efficiency, and sustainable forest management. Our flagship PaperOne brand and other products are used daily in packaging, printing, and writing applications, and sold in over 70 countries. With operations in Riau Province, Sumatra, Indonesia, APRIL employs around 9,000 people directly and supports more than 90,000 livelihoods through its wider ecosystem, contributing to sustainable growth and community development.
More details of APRIL at: http://www.aprilasia.com/
About the Role
Based in Dubai, the Senior Manager, Paperboard Sales (Europe) will lead APRIL's commercial growth across key European markets. The role is accountable for driving revenue and profitability, strengthening customer and channel partnerships, and expanding APRIL's market presence for its paperboard portfolio. Reporting to the Dubai Country Head and working closely with the Global Head of Paperboard Sales and cross-functional teams in Singapore and Asia, this position combines strategic leadership with hands-on executionbalancing market development, pricing strategy, and customer relationship excellence to deliver sustainable growth in alignment with APRIL's global objectives.
Key Responsibilities
1. Market & Business Development
- Drive market penetration, revenue growth, and profitability across assigned European markets.
- Identify, develop, and maintain relationships with key customers, distributors, and channel partners.
- Expand customer base and product mix to maximize returns and strengthen market positioning.
- Develop and communicate clear value propositions for targeted customer segments.
2. Sales Strategy & Performance Management
- Manage annual sales targets, forecasting, and strategic planning to achieve sustainable business growth.
- Lead pricing and margin optimization in line with business goals and cost controls.
- Take ownership of Sales KPIs in the Business Unit's Balanced Scorecard and ensure consistent delivery.
3. Market Intelligence & Commercial Insight
- Monitor market trends, pricing dynamics, inventory levels, and competitor activities to support data-driven decisions.
- Collaborate with internal teams (T2, supply chain, logistics, finance) to ensure alignment between market intelligence and operational planning.
- Provide timely business intelligence and recommendations to the Global Head for strategic decision-making.
4. Customer Relationship & Service Excellence
- Strengthen customer engagement and satisfaction through proactive issue resolution and service improvement.
- Handle customer complaints, payment follow-up, and shipment coordination with professionalism and accountability.
- Develop plans to motivate channel partners and maintain high retention and loyalty levels.
- Identify new business opportunities within existing accounts and potential markets to drive revenue growth and market expansion.
5. Global Collaboration & Reporting
- Support the Global Sales Head on volume allocation, pricing, and market intelligence sharing.
- Prepare and deliver presentations to clients, trade partners, and internal leadership teams.
- Align regional sales execution with APRIL's global paperboard sales strategy and corporate objectives.
Requirements:
1. Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in business, Engineering, or Science; MBA preferred.
- Minimum 10 years of sales experience in the paperboard or related materials industry, with at least 5 years managing regional or global accounts.
- Proven success in developing and executing sales strategies across Europe.
- Strong familiarity with European customers, distributors, and trade channels.
- Excellent communication skills in English; proficiency in additional European languages is an advantage.
2. Skills & Competencies
- Strategic and commercial acumen, with strong analytical and market-planning capabilities.
- Strong negotiation and presentation skills with the ability to influence key stakeholders.
- Ability to manage complex customer portfolios and multiple concurrent priorities.
- Proficiency in sales forecasting, CRM systems, and data-driven decision-making.
- Collaborative mindset with experience working across functions and geographies.
3. Personal Characteristics
- Results-oriented and self-driven, with high ownership and accountability.
- Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build trust-based relationships.
- Resilient and adaptable in fast-paced, multicultural environments.
- High integrity, professionalism, and alignment with RGE's values and sustainability principles.
