Senior Director of Technical Services - Specialty Solutions

PLZ is committed to product stewardship and innovation, strong ethical standards, sustainable operations and most importantly, the development of our people.

Whether at our manufacturing facilities or corporate headquarters, PLZ prioritizes health and safety, and offers you the support you need to create the career you want, through engagement, equity and inclusion, and opportunity.

The Senior Director of Technical Services Specialty Solutions is responsible for leading the R&D, Regulatory, and Technical Data functions of the Specialty Solutions business unit at PLZ.

The Specialty Solutions team primarily services customers in the Functional Fluids, Paint & Adhesives, and Pesticides product categories.

Location : The preference for this position is to be located in the St. Louis or greater Chicago area with the ability to travel 25-50% across North America.

Key Responsibility :

This role will be responsible for developing & managing the Technical Services departments, creating a robust new products & innovation pipeline, managing the effectiveness & efficiency of team and systems, developing streamlined process and standard operating procedures, and driving connectivity with cross-functional teams to meet customer needs and ensure valued communication with customers and vendors.

• Lead, coach, develop, and manage a team of 25+ technical professionals including creating onboarding, training, coaching and development programs for R&D, Regulatory, and Technical Data at all levels and resource allocation
• Drive platform innovation across key strategic categories
• Provide insight and recommendations for PLZ wide policies and procedures improvements that drive speed to market and customer satisfaction
• Develop, implement and maintain standard operating processes for the technical departments while ensuring that the processes lead to efficient and effective operations of the function
• Conduct analysis and synthesize recommendations to drive improvements throughout the Technical Services function
• Develop and achieve extensive KPIs related to new product development as well as portfolio maintenance and manage the function based on the appropriate use of the KPIs
• Lead formula, component & chemical harmonization and rationalization
• Collaborate cross-functionally (with Sales, Supply Chain, Operations, EHS, Project Management, IT) to ensure safety, manufacturability, compliance, game changing customer experience and the execution of growth & financial plans
• Work closely with the Sales organization to ensure high quality and timely services are delivered to customers
• Ensure that effective corrective actions are taken in response to customer / consumer complaints or identified quality issues
• Work closely with regulatory agencies, trade associations and other related regulatory bodies as needed to influence US and Canadian regulatory policies
• Maintain the chemical management system (Product Vision) to aid in the development of new formulations and ensure proper hazard communication is being achieved
• Forecast hiring needs and manage functional budgets and expenditures
• Develop, implement and report out on ESG priorities i.e. product stewardship and recycling initiatives

Qualifications :

• Minimum of 10 years of Technical Services or related experience in a manufacturing environment aerosol and liquid chemical technical experience preferred
• Minimum of 3 years in a leadership role
• BS or higher degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering or Biology required
• Proven track record of being an exceptional leader demonstrated through communication (non-verbal / verbal), employee coaching / developing, delegation, cross functional partnership, ownership / responsibility, team results, decision making, and emotional intelligence
• Critical thinker with advanced problem-solving skills
• Strong initiative and drive to resolve problems and implement process improvements
• Results-oriented, data-driven mind-set, and strong business acumen with the ability to make difficult decisions
• Outstanding time management skills with multi-tasking capabilities and impeccable attention to detail and accuracy
• Past experience with assessing talent, leading teams in different locations and working across multiple business units
• Ability to display strong technical, interpersonal and analytical skills
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a diverse team environment, across remote and multiple location, and operate independently to achieve objectives
• Exceptional organization skills with the ability to manage and prioritize tasks
• Excellent oral and written communication skills with the ability to build strong relationships with customers, vendors and co-workers
• SAP and ProductVision experience preferred
• ERP integration / migration experience preferred
• SharePoint, Smartsheet experience preferred
• Proficiency in Windows, Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Outlook and other MS Office applications

PLZ Corp offers a robust suite of benefits including :

• Medical, Dental & Vision benefits.
• Company paid Life and Short-Term disability.
• Voluntary benefits including additional life, disability, and hospital / accident insurance.
• 401k & company provided match.
• Paid Time Off
• Bonus incentive programs (Note, bonuses are subject to the rules governing the program, whereby an award, if any, depends on various factors, including, without limitation, individual and organizational performance.)

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, protected veteran status or other protected status.

EEOE / M / F / Vet / Disabled. All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.