Role Overview
The R&D Manager - Building & Construction plays a critical role in driving product innovation, formulation development, and successful commercialization across the Building & Construction segment. This hands-on leadership position requires active engagement in laboratory and pilot environments to develop, optimize, and scale polymer-based coatings, adhesives, fire-retardant systems, and structural solutions.
Working cross-functionally with Sales, Marketing, Operations, Quality, and Supply Chain, the Manager leads New Product & Solutions Development (NPSD) initiatives, ensures effective technology transfer into manufacturing, and aligns R&D priorities with commercial growth objectives. This role serves as the technical bridge between customer needs, product strategy, and scalable manufacturing execution.
Key Responsibilities
Team Leadership & Program Execution
- Lead, mentor, and develop the Building & Construction R&D team; foster accountability, execution discipline, and innovation.
- Align R&D portfolio priorities with business strategy; manage NPSD projects through stage-gate processes.
- Own project scope, timelines, and resource allocation; proactively adjust to meet commercial and operational objectives.
- Drive cross-functional coordination for pilot trials, field validation, launch readiness, and technology transfer.
- Support M&A initiatives including technical due diligence, capability assessment, and post-acquisition integration.
Technical & Product Development
- Develop and optimize formulations utilizing polyurethane, PMMA, epoxy, acrylic, and hybrid chemistries.
- Translate market and customer requirements into differentiated, manufacturable product platforms.
- Provide technical leadership to accelerate innovation, improve performance, and reduce time-to-market.
- Lead structured experimentation, validation, and qualification protocols to ensure commercial viability.
Manufacturing & Quality Partnership
- Provide technical support across multiple manufacturing sites, including scale-up, troubleshooting, and cost optimization.
- Ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and ISO 9001 standards; support internal, external, and customer audits.
- Promote and reinforce safety standards within R&D and manufacturing environments.
Strategic R&D Leadership
- Represent Building & Construction R&D in cross-functional and strategic planning forums.
- Develop and report KPIs tied to portfolio health, speed-to-market, cost performance, and innovation pipeline value.
- Identify and leverage synergies across business units to share technologies, platforms, and best practices.
Qualifications
- 7+ years of experience in product development and new application identification within building materials or adjacent industrial markets.
- 3+ years leading technical programs or managing R&D teams.
- Strong background in building & construction markets; experience with corrosion protection, flame-retardant systems, structural reinforcement, or related applications preferred.
- Demonstrated experience implementing stage-gate NPI processes and project management tools.
- Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams in a regulated manufacturing environment.
- Willingness to travel up to 25% to support manufacturing sites, customer engagement, and field trials.
Education
- Bachelor's degree in Chemistry, Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, or related discipline required.
- Advanced degree preferred.
