Commerical Director, Specialty Chemicals

Role details

Summary

TETRA Technologies, Inc. is a global organization whose foundation and strength comes from the drive and dedication of our team members. We value equal employment opportunity to stimulate creativity and innovation in our workforce as we use our collective talents to develop unique solutions to address the world's energy challenges.

Founded in 1981, TETRA (NYSE: TTI) is an energy services and solutions company focused on developing environmentally conscious services and solutions that help make people's lives better. With operations on six continents, the Company's portfolio consists of Energy Services, Industrial Chemicals, and Critical Minerals. In addition to providing products and services to the oil and gas industry and calcium chloride for diverse applications, TETRA is expanding into the low-carbon energy market with chemistry expertise, key mineral acreage, and global infrastructure, helping to meet the demand for sustainable energy in the twenty-first century.

Visit the Company's website at www.onetetra.com for more information or connect with us on LinkedIn.

Essential Duties

TETRA Technologies, Inc. is seeking a results-driven Commercial Director to lead profitable growth and commercial strategy for the Specialty Chemicals division. This role owns the full commercial cycle — from market and account strategy through negotiation, contracting, and long-term customer partnership — across TETRA’s specialty chemical product lines, including calcium chloride and bromine derivatives not used in oilfield completion. The role also owns pricing and volume allocation, customer service, and global product management and strategy.

The Director will build and lead a high-performing sales and customer service team, expand TETRA’s footprint with existing and new customers, and partner closely with operations, R&D, supply chain, and executive leadership to align commercial strategy with production capability and margin objectives. Direct reports include U.S. sales representatives and the customer service team. This is a highly visible, individually accountable leadership role reporting to the Senior Vice President, Specialty Chemicals.

• Develop and execute the commercial growth strategy for the Specialty Chemicals division, including target markets, key accounts, pricing strategy, and channel approach.
• Own pricing and volume allocation, including the price book and discount approvals.
• Own and grow a portfolio of strategic accounts, building executive-level relationships with customers across industrial, specialty, energy storage, water treatment, oil and gas, and other end-market segments.
• Lead, coach, and scale a team of sales, customer service, and business development professionals; set territory plans, contribution margin and volume targets, and performance expectations, and hold the team accountable to results.
• Identify, evaluate, and pursue new commercial opportunities, including new applications for existing products, adjacent markets, and channel partnerships.
• Lead complex contract negotiations, pricing proposals, and supply agreements in coordination with legal, finance, and operations stakeholders.
• Lead global product management and strategy, and partner with R&D, manufacturing, and supply chain teams to align customer needs and market feedback with product development and production planning through the S&OP process.
• Build and maintain accurate sales forecasts, pipeline reporting, and market intelligence to inform division-level planning and executive decision-making.
• Run a disciplined sales operating rhythm: forecast and pipeline, timely customer call reports, monthly margin review with leadership, and build CRM as the system of record.
• Monitor competitive landscape, industry trends, and regulatory developments affecting specialty chemicals, and translate insights into actionable commercial strategy.
• Represent TETRA at industry conferences, trade shows, and customer events to strengthen brand presence and generate new business opportunities.
• Collaborate with marketing to develop positioning, messaging, and sales enablement tools that support the commercial team’s effectiveness.
• Establish and track key performance indicators (margin, price realization against the price book, volume versus plan, order-fulfillment service levels, customer retention) and report results regularly to senior leadership.
• Champion a culture of safety, integrity, compliance, and customer-first service consistent with TETRA’s values in every customer interaction.

Requirements

• EDUCATION:

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or a related field; MBA or advanced degree a plus.

• EXPERIENCE:

10+ years of progressive sales, business development, or commercial leadership experience in specialty chemicals, industrial chemicals, or a related industrial/energy sector.

• Minimum 5 years of experience directly managing and developing a sales or commercial team
• Demonstrated track record of driving profitable growth and price realization and closing complex, high-value commercial agreements
• Proven ability to build relationships at the executive level with customers, partners, and internal stakeholders

• LICENSES/CERTIFICATIONS:

None required.

• TRAVEL:

Up to 40-50%, including domestic and select international travel.

• KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS:
• Strong working knowledge of specialty chemical products, applications, delivered-cost economics (freight, mode, and product form), and customer buying processes within energy and industrial markets
• Excellent negotiation, contract, and pricing strategy skills
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to use CRM and sales data (e.g., Salesforce) to drive pipeline management and forecasting accuracy
• Exceptional communication and executive presentation skills, both written and verbal
• PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
• Experience selling calcium chloride, bromine derivatives, specialty minerals, or other freight-sensitive industrial chemicals
• Experience in product line management, growth strategy, and P&L management
• Existing network of customer relationships within the specialty chemicals or oilfield services market
• Experience operating within a matrixed organization, collaborating across R&D, operations, supply chain, and finance
• Familiarity with TETRA’s product lines or direct competitors in calcium chloride or bromine derivatives
• CORE COMPETENCIES:
• Strategic and commercial thinking, with the ability to translate market insight into an actionable growth plan
• People leadership — recruiting, coaching, and developing a high-performing, accountable sales organization
• Customer-centric mindset with strong business acumen and financial literacy (margin, pricing, and P&L impact)
• High personal accountability, integrity, courage, discipline, and a bias toward action in a fast-paced, matrixed environment
• Executive-level influence and relationship-building, internally and externally
• OTHER:
• Submit to and satisfactorily complete pre-employment background, medical, alcohol, and drug screening
• Must possess a valid driver’s license (required for business travel)

Physical Duties

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, see, talk, and hear, and to use a computer and telephone for extended periods. The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk plant and customer sites, and wear required personal protective equipment.

The employee may occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.

Work Environment

The requirements are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.

This role is based primarily in an office environment with regular travel to customer sites, production facilities, and industry events, which may include exposure to typical field and plant conditions, including outdoor weather, noise, and areas requiring personal protective equipment.

Equal Opportunity Employer

This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.

For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.