Technical Business Development Manager - Sustainable & Functional Adhesives (m/f/d)

What you will do

As a Technical Business Development Manager for Sustainable & Functional Adhesives, your mission is to complement technical and IP expertise with strong business development skills. You will identify and engage potential customers for novel tape adhesives, develop business plans, and prioritize adhesive applications based on customer needs. Your technical background must be robust enough to facilitate effective communication with the R&D team, while your commercial acumen will drive the translation of technology into market success.

Responsibilities

Technology & Market Exploration (0–6 months)

• Identify and evaluate early-stage sustainable adhesive technologies aligned with tesa’s strategic focus.
• Conduct market research, trend analysis, and competitive intelligence to assess commercial potential.
• Develop proof-of-concept business cases and validate key assumptions through rapid experimentation.
• Engage with universities, research institutes, and startups to establish technology partnerships.
• Represent the Sustainable Materials & Technologies squad in open innovation ecosystems, industry networks, and consortia.

Incubation & Business Model Validation (6–18 months)

• Co-develop minimum viable products (MVPs) with R&D and external partners.
• Build and engage pilot customers to validate real-world applications and refine value propositions.
• Define go-to-market strategies, test pricing models, and explore commercialization pathways.
• Secure strategic collaborations with early adopters, technology partners, and pilot customers.
• Lead early-stage business development efforts, ensuring a structured path toward scalability.

Scaling & Business Growth (18+ months)

• Develop and execute a scaling strategy for successful innovations.
• Build a sustainable ecosystem of strategic partners, suppliers, and customers.
• Secure internal and external investments to accelerate market entry.
• Integrate validated business opportunities into tesa’s core portfolio or spin off into new ventures.
• Establish operational structures to support long-term growth and commercialization.

What you will need

• PhD in Materials Science, Polymer Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or related field is a must-have.
• Demonstrated experience in open innovation, technology scouting, and building partnerships with research institutes, universities, and startups.
• Proven ability to identify and validate early-stage technologies not yet available in the market.
• Strong technical understanding to communicate effectively with R&D and innovation partners.
• Excellent networking, communication, and project management skills.
• Fluent in English.

What you can expect

tesa is one of the world's leading manufacturers of adhesive tape solutions, with a range of more than 7,000 products. With passion for technology, we drive innovation, reliability, and sustainability to shape a better future.

Our solutions make a difference in the work, products, and lives of our customers across a variety of industries, including Automotive, Electronics, and Home applications. With this, we address a broad segment of business customers, but also you as a private consumer.

You might be surprised to discover the many places where our adhesive solutions are at work, from the battery in your electric car, to the display of your mobile phone, and even in the elevator in your building. Wherever you look, you'll find tesa - holding the world together since more than 125 years.