Business Development Manager

About the Role

TaiSan is developing next-generation polymer electrolyte systems to enable Sodium Batteries 2.0 — delivering higher energy density, improved safety, and scalable manufacturing pathways.

We are seeking a Business Development Manager to lead strategic partnerships, supplier engagement, and customer relationships across the chemical, battery, and automotive ecosystems. This role will be central to translating TaiSan’s R&D progress into commercial traction.

You will work closely with the CEO and technical leadership to build strategic alliances, secure pilot opportunities, and position TaiSan within the global battery value chain. This is a high-ownership role suited for someone comfortable operating in a fast-moving deep-tech startup environment.

Key Responsibilities

1. Strategic Partnerships & Supplier Management

• Identify, evaluate, and engage raw material suppliers (polymers, salts, additives, solvents).
• Build long-term strategic relationships with chemical manufacturers.
• Support negotiation of supply agreements, MOUs, and collaboration frameworks.
• Assess supplier scalability, cost structure, and reliability.
• Coordinate technical-commercial alignment between suppliers and TaiSan’s R&D team.

2. Customer Development (Battery & Automotive)

• Develop and manage relationships with battery manufacturers, cell producers, and automotive OEMs.
• Identify early adopters for pilot projects and joint validation programs.
• Lead commercial discussions from initial outreach to partnership structuring.
• Translate technical performance metrics into compelling commercial value propositions.
• Support customer due diligence processes and technical-commercial documentation.

3. Market Expansion & Ecosystem Positioning

• Map the sodium-ion and next-generation battery ecosystem.
• Identify high-impact collaboration opportunities across the value chain.
• Monitor competitor positioning and partnership activity.
• Contribute to go-to-market strategy for Gen 1–3 systems.
• Support strategic entry into new geographies and verticals.

4. Conferences, Representation & Networking

• Represent TaiSan at international battery, chemical, and automotive conferences.
• Proactively schedule meetings with potential partners and customers.
• Deliver high-level commercial and strategic presentations.
• Build visibility within the battery innovation ecosystem.
• Capture structured insights and follow-up actions post-events.

5. Commercial Strategy & Deal Structuring

• Develop partnership models (JDA, pilot programs, licensing, supply agreements).
• Support pricing strategy development.
• Contribute to revenue forecasting and pipeline management.
• Maintain structured CRM tracking of leads and partnerships.
• Align commercial milestones with technical roadmap.

6. Internal Cross-Functional Alignment

• Work closely with R&D to align commercial discussions with technical feasibility.
• Translate customer feedback into structured internal insights.
• Support preparation of investor-facing materials related to traction and partnerships.
• Provide structured reporting on BD pipeline and partner progress.

Requirements

• 5+ years of experience in business development, partnerships, or commercial roles within chemicals, batteries, advanced materials, or automotive sectors.
• Strong network within at least one of the following industries: battery manufacturing, specialty chemicals, automotive OEMs.
• Demonstrated experience managing strategic partnerships or supplier relationships.
• Ability to translate complex technical concepts into commercial narratives.
• Excellent negotiation and stakeholder management skills.
• Strong presentation and communication skills.
• Comfortable working in an early-stage, high-growth deep-tech environment.

Preferred

• Experience in energy storage or next-generation battery technologies.
• Familiarity with polymer materials or electrolyte systems.
• Experience structuring joint development agreements (JDAs).
• International business development exposure.
• Experience working with scaling manufacturing supply chains.

Success Profile

The ideal candidate:

• Is proactive and relationship-driven.
• Understands long-cycle B2B industrial sales.
• Is comfortable navigating technical-commercial discussions.
• Can operate strategically while executing tactically.
• Is motivated by building partnerships that accelerate climate-tech innovation.

Impact

This role will directly influence TaiSan’s commercial trajectory by:

• Securing validation partners and pilot customers
• Establishing robust supply chains
• Positioning TaiSan within the global sodium-ion ecosystem
• Accelerating transition from R&D to commercialization