Job Description
This position will be responsible for leading and managing a portion of the Architectural Commercialization Engineering (CE) team. This position is accountable for contributing to and/or leading Engineering support for New Product Development, Maintenance of Business, Continuous Process Improvement, 6-sigma, and Quality Investigation projects.
This role is not remote/hybrid. This role will report to Sherwin-Williams Morikis Global Technology Center located at 6745 Miller Road, Brecksville, OH 44141.
20% Travel
Responsibilities
Key responsibilities with limited to moderate supervision and input:
• Define and communicate clear goals, roles, responsibilities, and performance expectations for members of the GSC Architectural Commercialization Engineering and Engineering Lab teams.
• Lead, develop, and coach a team of engineers and technicians, ensuring strong technical expertise and effective execution of commercialization engineering activities.
• Manage Commercialization Engineering support for Architectural Paint, Specialty New Product Development (NPD), and Maintenance of Business (MOB) projects, ensuring successful project delivery aligned with business objectives.
• Drive the allocation and prioritization of team resources to support project timelines, quality requirements, and organizational goals.
• Lead and/or support Continuous Improvement initiatives within the GSC Commercialization process to enhance development speed, operational efficiency, and overall product quality.
• Partner closely with Commercialization Engineering leaders and cross-functional stakeholders to coordinate project support, resolve technical and operational challenges, and implement process improvements.
• Foster a culture of safety, accountability, collaboration, and continuous learning across engineering and laboratory teams.
• Monitor key performance indicators and team effectiveness, identifying opportunities to improve productivity, quality, and customer satisfaction.
1. Leadership
• Provide leadership and oversight for Architectural Commercialization Engineering (CE) project activities, ensuring risks and issues are identified early, addressed proactively, and fully resolved prior to implementation.
• Align team priorities, resources, and execution with departmental and organizational strategic objectives to support Commercialization Engineering and business goals.
• Select and develop high-performing employees while fostering an open, collaborative, and accountable team environment that promotes engagement and productivity.
• Champion a culture of diversity, inclusion, respect, and teamwork, creating an environment where all employees can contribute and succeed.
• Leverage data, technical expertise, and effective influencing skills to drive sound decisions, gain stakeholder alignment, and achieve desired business outcomes.
• Promote and model the use of Design for Six Sigma (DFSS), data science, scientific thinking, and structured problem-solving methodologies across R&D and commercialization activities.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement, innovation, and learning while encouraging the adoption of best practices and new capabilities within the team.
• Ensure a strong commitment to safety, quality, compliance, and operational excellence in all team activities.
2. Business Management
• Effectively manage team workload, priorities, and resources to ensure projects are executed efficiently, meet established objectives, and are delivered on schedule.
• Drive accountability within the team for developing project plans and meeting key milestones and deadlines that support business needs and commercialization objectives.
• Partner with Commercialization Engineering leadership to prioritize project portfolios, balance resource allocation, and optimize team capacity to meet changing business demands.
• Identify, assess, and communicate project risks, issues, and business impacts in a timely manner; develop and recommend effective solutions and mitigation plans with limited to moderate guidance.
• Monitor project progress and resource utilization, making data-driven adjustments to ensure successful project execution and achievement of quality, cost, and timing targets.
• Collaborate with cross-functional stakeholders to align project priorities, resolve barriers to execution, and support delivery of business objectives.
• Drive disciplined project management practices and continuous improvement initiatives to enhance operational efficiency, predictability, and overall business performance.
3. Employee and Team Development
• Develop and strengthen team capabilities by actively coaching employees and leveraging Individual Development Plans (IDPs) to support professional growth, technical expertise, and career progression.
• Effectively utilize delegation, mentoring, and stretch assignments to build technical depth, leadership skills, and succession readiness within the team.
• Assess resource needs and recommend staffing, training, tools, and other investments required to meet current and future business objectives.
• Foster an environment of open communication, collaboration, and knowledge sharing that promotes employee engagement, innovation, and continuous learning.
• Provide regular performance feedback, coaching, and recognition to support employee development and drive high performance.
• Conduct performance evaluations and manage performance concerns in a timely and constructive manner, developing improvement plans and taking appropriate corrective actions with limited to moderate guidance.
4. Communication
• Establish and maintain effective communication and collaboration across R&D, Operations, Quality, Supply Chain, and other functional teams to support successful project execution and business objectives.
• Provide clear, concise, and timely written and verbal communications regarding project status, risks, priorities, and outcomes to stakeholders, leadership, and team members.
• Develop the team's technical and business communication skills through coaching, delegation, mentoring, and stretch assignments that increase visibility and influence across the organization.
• Ensure project goals, expectations, priorities, and deliverables are clearly communicated and understood, fostering alignment, accountability, and effective execution.
5. Safety and Quality
• Promote and ensure compliance with all safety, housekeeping, ISO, and company standards.
• Foster a strong safety culture through training, proactive risk identification, and effective corrective actions.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives that enhance commercialization processes, balancing quality, efficiency, and speed to market.
• Drive the use of data-based problem solving and root cause analysis to improve safety, quality, and operational performance.
Qualifications
Minimum Requirements
• Must be legally authorized to work in the country for which you are applying for employment (without now or in the future needing sponsorship for employment work visa and/or permanent residence status)
• Must be at least 18 years of age
• Must have a bachelor's degree in a Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics ("STEM") field
• Must have at least 1 year of supervisory or project management experience in R&D
• Must have at least 3 years of relevant experience within R&D and with coatings development (formulation, processing, testing)
• Experience in technical and professional mentorship
• Experience in project team leadership
Preferred Qualifications
• BS/BA in Engineering
• Experience managing R&D employees
• Experience with Architectural, Building Materials, Aerosol and/or Woodcare coating products
• Experience in Commercialization role or Commercialization Engineering
• Experience leading large project teams, and/or complex projects from concept through launch
• Experience working with Operations, Procurement, and/or Sourcing to support new product launches or resolve quality issues
• Design for Six Sigma Certified or Trained