Ecolab is seeking a Business Development Manager, PFAS & Emerging Contaminants – Europe, to lead commercial development and market growth for advanced ion exchange solutions addressing PFAS and other emerging contaminants across the European market. This role will focus on developing new markets and strategic applications and will be primarily responsible for market creation, specification development, opportunity acceleration, and strategic influence. Revenue accountability is shared with regional sales teams who retain commercial ownership of customer accounts.
This role will develop and execute the regional growth strategy, build relationships with key customers and market influencers, identify and advance strategic opportunities, and support adoption of Purolite ion exchange technologies for emerging water treatment challenges.
The successful candidate will combine business development expertise, technical credibility, and knowledge of the European water market. The position will work closely with municipal and industrial end users, engineering and consulting firms, technology partners, OEMs, distributors, regulators, and Ecolab commercial and technical teams.
While PFAS treatment will be an initial focus, the position will also identify and develop opportunities in other emerging contaminants and advanced water treatment applications aligned with Ecolab's growth strategy.
How you'll make an impact:
Market Development & Strategy
- Develop and execute the European business development strategy for PFAS treatment using ion exchange technology.
- Identify opportunities across municipal drinking water, industrial process water, wastewater treatment, environmental remediation, groundwater treatment, and landfill leachate applications.
- Develop competitive positioning against activated carbon, membrane technologies, destructive technologies, and alternative ion exchange solutions.
- Identify and develop new applications and market opportunities involving PFAS and other emerging contaminants.
- Monitor market trends, regulatory developments, competitive technologies, and evolving customer requirements across Europe.
- Translate market and customer insights into actionable commercial strategies, product requirements, and growth initiatives.
- Identify priority countries, applications, customers, engineering firms, and strategic partners to accelerate market penetration.
Business Development & Commercial Growth
- Build, maintain, and regularly review a qualified pipeline of strategic opportunities with clear stage-gate progression, probability assessments, and growth forecasts through specification, pilot testing, commercial evaluation, and implementation. Develop relationships with municipal and industrial customers, engineering consultants, OEMs, system integrators, technology providers, and other key market stakeholders.
- Support Ecolab sales teams and channel partners in developing PFAS and emerging contaminant opportunities.
- Position Purolite ion exchange solutions based on technical performance, lifecycle economics, operational considerations, and customer requirements.
- Drive specification activity with engineering consultants, design firms, utilities, EPC contractors, and OEM partners to position Purolite technologies early in project development.
- Support commercial proposals, technical evaluations, customer presentations, and strategic account development.
- Collaborate with global colleagues to apply experience and best practices from established PFAS treatment markets to European applications.
Technical & Application Development
- Serve as a knowledgeable commercial resource for PFAS treatment using ion exchange technology.
- Work with technical teams to evaluate water chemistry, treatment objectives, system operating conditions, and resin selection.
- Support bench-scale testing, pilot programs, performance evaluations, and full-scale implementation as appropriate.
- Communicate technical concepts and performance data effectively to technical, commercial, and regulatory audiences.
- Identify gaps in existing treatment solutions and provide market input to support development or optimization of future products and applications.
Regulatory & Market Intelligence
- Maintain awareness of European and country-specific regulations and policies affecting PFAS, drinking water, wastewater, industrial water, and other emerging contaminants.
- Evaluate how regulatory changes may influence customer priorities and market demand.
- Monitor public funding programs, infrastructure investment initiatives, and remediation grants that may support PFAS treatment projects.
- Develop clear internal guidance and customer-facing messaging regarding treatment implications of evolving regulatory requirements.
- Represent Ecolab at relevant industry conferences, technical forums, customer workshops, and professional organizations.
Cross-Functional Leadership
- Lead cross-functional project teams (technical service, regulatory, applications, marketing, supply chain, and country sales teams) and strategic initiatives through influence rather than direct reporting authority.
- Provide European market intelligence and customer feedback to global emerging technologies leadership.
- Coordinate with regional sales teams while providing specialized business development support for complex or strategic opportunities.
- Help develop technical and commercial tools, case studies, training materials, and market-development programs.
- Contribute to global strategies for PFAS and other emerging contaminant treatment applications.
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Chemistry, Environmental Science, Water Treatment, or a related technical discipline, or equivalent relevant experience.
- Demonstrated experience in business development, technical sales, application development, or market development within water treatment, environmental remediation, specialty chemicals, filtration/separation technologies, or a related industry.
- Experience working with customers and technical stakeholders on complex treatment applications.
- Ability to interpret technical information and translate it into practical commercial solutions and customer value propositions.
- Strong communication, presentation, and relationship-building skills. Demonstrated ability to represent a company at industry associations, conferences, technical committees, and regulatory forums.
- Ability to manage multiple strategic opportunities and work effectively across functions and geographies.
- Willingness and ability to travel throughout Europe and periodically internationally.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience with PFAS treatment, ion exchange, activated carbon, membrane treatment, or other advanced water treatment technologies.
- Knowledge of the European municipal drinking water, industrial water, wastewater, or environmental remediation markets.
- Understanding of European regulations and market drivers related to PFAS and emerging contaminants.
- Existing relationships with European engineering firms, consultants, water utilities, industrial customers, regulators, technology providers, or system integrators.
- Experience developing new markets or commercializing emerging technologies.
- Experience supporting pilot testing and translating technical performance into commercial system designs or proposals.
- Advanced technical or business degree.
- Fluency in English plus one or more additional European languages.
Measures of success
- Establish Ecolab as trusted technical and commercial partners for PFAS treatment in Europe.
- Build and maintain a strong, qualified pipeline of PFAS and emerging contaminant opportunities across Europe.
- Initiate and successfully advance pilot projects, demonstration programs, and technical evaluations through commercial implementation.
- Increase specification and adoption of Purolite ion exchange technologies in targeted European markets.
- Develop strategic relationships with engineering firms, utilities, industrial customers, technology providers, and other key market influencers.
- Deliver actionable market, regulatory, competitive, and technology intelligence to support European and global growth strategies.
Generate profitable growth from PFAS and create a foundation for growth beyond PFAS into other emerging contaminant applications in partnership with regional commercial teams.
VORTEILE, DIE WIR BIETEN
Ecolab ist bestrebt, umfassende und marktgerechte Leistungen anzubieten, um die Bedürfnisse unserer Mitarbeiter und ihrer Familien gerecht zu werden. Wir bieten Leistungen, um die Gesundheit und das Wohlbefinden unserer Mitarbeiter zu unterstützen, wie z. B. Gesundheits- und Abwesenheitsrichtlinien. Wir bieten auch Leistungen, die das finanzielle Wohlergehen unserer Mitarbeiter fördern sollen, einschließlich kurz- und langfristiger finanzieller Anreize sowie Alterseinkommen und -planung. Spezifische Angebote können je nach Standort variieren.