Commercial manager - illinois - ethanol

Do you want to join a purpose driven company who are making a global impact on society and creating a healthier environment both now and for future generations?

If working with an honest, fair, reputable, responsible and rapidly expanding global organisation is high on your agenda, joining our team could be for you.

Here at Whitefox Technologies we have a fantastic opportunity to join our innovative, growing technology business, where YOU can help grow our presence in the US ethanol market, building senior producer relationships and driving revenue growth as our Commercial Manager, US Ethanol.

This role will see you working remotely from the Midwest, USA, with 40–50% travel to producer sites and periodic travel to our London office. Reporting to the Commercial Director and working closely with colleagues across engineering, product, customer service and project management, this role is key to growing Whitefox’s revenue in the US ethanol market.

To be successful in this role, you will be a commercially astute relationship-builder with direct experience in the US ethanol industry, financially and technically credible with both customers and engineers, and comfortable operating independently in the field.

Join Whitefox in shaping a more efficient industrial future. As part of our team, you’ll turn insight into action, driving smarter processes, solving real-world challenges, and helping deliver advanced membrane solutions that enable industries to produce more with less.

Every improvement you make moves us closer to our 2030 goal of being globally trusted leaders in efficiency and innovation.

The main responsibilities of this role include but are not limited to:

• Drive revenue growth in the US ethanol market, owning the order intake and revenue target for your first full financial year in roll.
• Represent Whitefox Blueprint values, standards, and safety culture to customers and external stakeholders during site visits and support activities.
• Build and hold senior relationships in your own right across an agreed portfolio of US ethanol producers, running customer meetings unaccompanied.
• Own the US ethanol sales pipeline in CRM, keeping opportunity data accurate and current and delivering a monthly forecast the leadership team can rely on.
• Operate independently in the field at 40–50% travel, acting as a credible point of cover for the Commercial Director during absences.
• Other related duties as assigned.

What you’ll bring

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in business, engineering or a related field, or equivalent industry experience.

Experience

• Direct experience in the US ethanol industry: producers, plant economics, and how customers make buying decisions, is essential.
• A track record of consultative, solution-led selling on long, engineering-led capital sales cycles.
• Genuine CRM and commercial pipeline discipline, with the financial and analytical acumen to build and defend a customer payback / ROI case.
• The communication and technical credibility to hold a substantive conversation with both engineers and producer leadership, and to work collaboratively across product, customer service, project management and engineering.

Competencies

• Efficiency – achieves goals with the resources available.
• Organisation & planning – prioritises and sequences work.
• Follows through on commitments.
• Drive – pursues goals with energy and ambition.
• High standards – holds self and others to the bar.
• Teamwork – collaborates effectively across functions.

We recognize that experience comes in many forms. If you don’t meet every requirement but are excited about this role, we encourage you to apply.

At Whitefox we look for people who align with our core values:

• Innovation & Strategic Thinking: Creative, curious, and structured problem-solver who thinks beyond conventional approaches, applying both strategic and pragmatic lenses to develop commercially and technically sound solutions.
• Communication: Strong presentation and communication skills, with the ability to clearly convey complex technical concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Collaboration: Builds strong cross-functional relationships and collaborates effectively across commercial and technical teams, contributing to a high-performing, team-oriented environment.
• Learning Agility & Resilience: Demonstrates adaptability in a fast-paced environment, quickly learning new concepts, embracing challenges, and maintaining momentum through change and ambiguity.
• Outcome-Driven Execution: Highly organized and results-oriented, with the ability to manage multiple opportunities simultaneously and deliver efficient, high-impact outcomes.

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Schedule: Standard US full-time hours (40 hrs/week), Monday to Friday, with the flexibility that a field-based commercial role requires.

Travel within USA: 40–50%

Additional pay: Bonus pay (20% target annual bonus)

Benefits: 401(k) matching, Dental insurance, Health insurance, Paid time off, Professional development assistance.

We are an equal opportunities employer, and we welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of their sex; religious or similar philosophical belief; political opinion; race; age; sexual orientation; or, whether they are married or are in a civil partnership; or, whether they are disabled; or whether they have undergone, are undergoing or intend to undergo gender reassignment.

Find out more about being part of Whitefox Technologies, diverse, inclusive and innovative culture. ‘Waste Less and Produce More’. Voted as one of the 50 Hottest Companies in the Advanced Bioeconomy, The Digest. Named as one of the Sunday Times Top 10 Green Tech companies to watch. Winner, BusinessGreen, International Impact Award: Energy Efficient Ethanol Plants. Winner, Clean Energy Awards: Most Efficient Biofuels Separation Technology Provider.