Source.One - Category Lead - Resins

Category Lead Resins Source

SourceOne SourceRe SourcePlus SourceIntel

India's largest tech-led B2B industrial-materials distribution platform

Pune, India

About Source:

Source (source.one) is India's largest and fastest-growing technology-led B2B platform for industrial materials currently ~7,000cr ARR across Polymers, Chemicals, Minerals, TiO2, Solvents, Recycled Polymers and Compounded materials, and expanding into new verticals. Source is profitable, among the largest players in Indian industrial-materials distribution, and backed by India SME Investments and Param Capital (Mukul Agarwal family office).

Distribution runs on two brands: SourceOne, an asset-light, back-to-back distribution business for virgin/commodity materials material owners quote prices, and Source orchestrates the trade so buyers transact at one best price, entirely digitally, without Source owning inventory; and SourceRe, which extends the same trust and technology to recyclables and reprocessed materials.

The Iron Triangle:

Commerce, Logistics, Finance. Source's core thesis is that no back-to-back trade is complete on price alone it has to be orchestrated across three legs at once: Commerce (sourcing, pricing, matching buyer to seller at the best landed price), Logistics (freight, routing, delivery reliability) and Finance (credit, insurance, working-capital funding of the trade cycle). Most traditional trade channels are strong on one leg and weak on the other two; Source's moat is running all three together, in-house and at scale, for every transaction. Resins already sits inside a proven iron triangle this role is accountable for running and scaling that machine for the category, not building it from scratch.

Intelligence: SourcePlus & SourceIntel:

Alongside Distribution, Source runs an Intelligence pillar that turns the platform's pricing, market and transaction data into monetisable products. SourcePlus (plus.source.one) sells real-time price-discovery and market-insight subscriptions to buyers and sellers (~20-25L/mo today). SourceIntel (intel.source.one) is a GST/entity-level intelligence product PAN/GST-wise visibility into what's being bought and sold still in build and not yet monetised. Both are proof that Source's data, not just its distribution volume, is a standalone asset; Resins pricing and transaction data directly feeds this intelligence layer.

The Opportunity:

We are hiring a Category Lead to own and scale the Resins category within Source's Petrochemicals business. Resins is an established, high-volume part of Source's Polymers franchise (~40kt/month, ~500cr/year across the wider vertical) this is not a 0-to-1 mandate but a category-ownership role: growing seller and buyer depth, tightening margin and freight economics, and running the category with full commercial accountability. You will inherit an operating platform, an existing buyer/seller base and a proven playbook, and be measured on volume, margin and market share growth from day one.

Where You'll Take Us Next:

- Own and grow the Resins category P&L expand seller and buyer coverage, defend and grow market share, and improve profit per kg through better sourcing, pricing and freight decisions.

- Deepen category-specific expertise build out SKU-level pricing intelligence, grade/quality differentiation, and buyer-segment strategy that generalist teams can't replicate.

- Plug into Source's growth levers credit (Source's 150cr credit capacity and upcoming anchor-led SCF), logistics optimisation via TMS, and trust & awareness the same lowering-buyer-price-to-drive-volume flywheel that runs Polymers, Solvents and TiO2 today.

- Partner with regional and functional leadership work closely with Source's regional Virgin Polymers teams, product/tech, and operations to keep Resins growing inside the existing back-to-back distribution model.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Category strategy & market ownership:

- Own the Resins category thesis: target sub-segments, grades, end-use industries (Plastics, Paints, Packaging, etc.), and volume/price-band economics.

- Track the competitive landscape (stockists, integrated importers, traditional distributors) and identify where Source's back-to-back, tech-enabled model wins share.

2. Sourcing, sales & execution:

- Own and expand the seller base (producers, importers, traders) and buyer base for Resins; personally manage key accounts and high-value relationships.

- Run and continuously improve pricing/quoting logic (seller price + freight + margin, one price to buyer) in partnership with Source's product and tech teams.

- Drive volume and margin targets month-on-month, optimising the profit-per-kg volume equation rather than per-unit margin alone.

3. Operations & team:

- Work within Source's post-order operating model (single Order Manager owning fulfilment end to end) to ensure Resins orders are executed reliably and efficiently.

- Build and manage a category team (account managers, category executives) as volume and complexity grow.

4. Reporting & ownership:

- Report to the Lead Virgin Polymers (or equivalent Petrochemicals leadership), with full ownership of the Resins category's revenue, margin and volume performance.

What You'll Deliver in the First 12 Months:

- Measurable growth in Resins volume and market share against a defined baseline.

- An expanded, quality seller and buyer base with improved fill rates and repeat-order behaviour.

- A tightened pricing/quoting model that improves profit per kg without sacrificing volume.

- A functioning category team (account managers/ops) hired and operating under you.

- A clear recommendation on category expansion new grades, new buyer segments, credit-enabled trades, or cross-sell into Source's existing 22,000+ buyer/seller base.

Who You Are Must-Haves:

- Minimum 8-12 years in the Resins/Polymers industry on either the trading/distribution side or in a commercial role at a producer, importer, or converter. Direct resins market experience is non-negotiable.

- Proven commercial ownership a track record of owning revenue and margin for a product line, region, or account book, not a purely functional sales or procurement role.

- A strong, activatable network existing relationships with resins buyers and/or sellers that can be brought on-platform quickly.

- Comfort operating in a fast-paced, metrics-driven, tech-enabled environment this is a hands-on commercial role, not an advisory one.

Nice to Have:

- Experience in a distribution, trading, or marketplace model, rather than pure manufacturing.

- Exposure to GST-era organised trade in commodities similar to how Polymers, PVC and PET consolidated post-GST, which Source rode early.

- Prior experience managing or scaling a team.

What Will NOT Work Here:

- Someone who has only ever executed against a fixed sales quota and has never owned category-level margin or volume outcomes.

- Someone who needs a fully built-out team or budget before they'll move this role requires hands-on account and order management alongside strategic ownership.

- A brand-chaser rather than a value-for-money operator Source's model wins on price leadership and trust, not premium positioning.