Director, Corporate Strategy

USG is an industry-leading manufacturer of building products and innovative solutions. For over 120 years, Chicago-based USG has developed award-winning wall, ceiling, flooring, sheathing, and roofing products that enable customers to build outstanding spaces where people live, work, and play.

With over 8,700 employees across North America and operations around the world, we are steadfastly committed to our core values : safety, innovation, quality, integrity, service, diversity, and efficiency.

We’re big enough that our professionals have the resources to make a difference, yet small enough that you’re not just a number.

You’ll work on key initiatives and build strong relationships across the company that will position USG for growth into the future.

USG offers work-life balance, specialist and general / managerial career paths, promotion from within, exceptional benefits, and incredible long-term career opportunities for the right professional.

Each year, we have hundreds of employees who celebrate milestone anniversaries with us.

Key Accountabilities

Capital Strategy

• Develop and maintain a holistic low-cost manufacturing strategy for the USG lines of business
• Analyze industry trends and develop demand forecasts to inform capital investment decisions and priorities
• Evaluate potential capital investments across multiple dimensions, including :
• Current and future delivered cost position relative to competitors
• Locations and capacity sizes to consider for investment
• Potential raw material sources and delivery modes
• Role of warehouses and / or distribution centers to provide top tier service
• Network optimization analysis
• Comprehensive view across all USG product categories
• Assist in the capital authority proposal and approval process
• Conduct return on investment calculations and sensitivity analyses
• Oversee BU capital investments including planning, approvals, and execution

Profitability Improvement and Growth Strategy

• Analyze profitability drivers across multiple dimensions (e.g., channel, geography, product, customer, mode)
• Identify profitability themes and trends across all dimensions
• Develop opportunity set of potential areas of focus and improvement levers
• Measure potential impact of each opportunity and assess ability to execute
• Prioritize initiatives for the gypsum business to implement
• Drive implementation and adoption with sales, manufacturing, and logistics

Strategic Projects

• Direct the development and maintenance of long-range operational forecasts regarding volume, market share, financial requirements, human capital needs, etc.
• Assist in the development of the annual planning and budgeting process for business units
• Lead special projects at the direction of business unit presidents
• Assist with resource load allocation versus business unit annual priorities

M&A Support

• Conduct a market scan to identify potential acquisition targets
• Prioritize potential M&A investments relative to strategic fit, return on investment, and ability to execute
• Coordinate potential joint venture and acquisition deals with internal and external stakeholders
• Assist operational teams with post-merger integration planning

Business Operations Support

• Provide advice and counsel on operational matters of the business
• Ensure strategic financial measurements are consistently applied
• Work to improve service position (VOC, quality improvement)
• Drive internal process efficiencies and lead administrative activities for key BU activities
• Provide input into demand forecasts and other analytics related to production scheduling, profitability, and customer specific requests
• Collaborate with USG Corporation and members of shared services

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; MBA strongly preferred
• 3+ years of experience in management consulting preferred
• Experience in B2B commercial environments with a manufacturing or industrial goods company preferred
• Strategic mindset and ability to structure analyses
• Strong problem-solving skills and ability to think creatively to test boundaries and long held assumptions
• High-level of business and financial acumen, including financial modeling skills
• Ability to seek and synthesize information into a coherent and powerful strategy
• Experience in capital planning, project implementation planning, and program execution
• Ability to collaborate with other business leaders and functional groups to achieve shared objectives
• Assertive team player that plays to win; enthusiasm and tenacity to carry out difficult tasks to the end
• Outstanding relationship-building skills
• Ability to influence without direct authority
• Effective communicator
• Comfortable dealing with and directing change
• Strong balance of intellectual and emotional intelligence

Key Competencies

• High-level of business and financial acumen
• Strategic mindset and ability to structure analyses
• Strong problem-solving skills and ability to think creatively to test boundaries and long held assumptions
• Able to collaborate with other business leaders and functional groups to achieve shared objectives
• Able to motivate others to achieve agreed upon objectives
• Strong analytical skills, including advanced Excel capabilities
• Strong balance of intellectual and emotional intelligence
• Comfortable dealing with and directing change
• Strong project management skills
• Able to influence without authority

Location and travel requirements

• This role is based in Chicago, Illinois at our downtown headquarters
• USG currently utilizes a hybrid work model in which employees are expected to work onsite 2-3 days / week
• Travel for this role will be limited, likely no more than 5-10% over a year timeframe

Rate of pay may be adjusted based on the qualifications and experience of the candidate.

USG employees enjoy a number of benefit options for themselves and their families. These include two medical insurance options, as well as vision and dental coverage.

The cost of these optional programs varies based on coverage level - employees generally pay 25% of the monthly premium cost, USG pays the rest.

These coverage options are offered on the first day of employment with no waiting period.

Additionally, USG employees enjoy both a 401(k) Investment Plan with company match and a pension plan. Beyond these main features, employees may also choose from a number of additional programs like life insurance, accident insurance, legal insurance, even pet insurance, just to name a few.

USG also offers Quarterly (hourly) / Annual (salary) bonus potential for all employees based on performance metrics tied to safety, quality, and productivity.

USG also provides employees with paid time off and paid holidays.

Since 1902, Chicago-based USG has been a leader in producing innovative, award-winning products and systems to build everything from major commercial developments and residential housing to home improvements.

USG's employees are committed to the highest levels of customer satisfaction and quality in everything we do. Our steadfast commitment to the company's core business values innovation, quality, integrity, service, diversity, efficiency and safety have helped us become the company we are today.

EOE including disability / veteran