Business Manager (Automotive)

About the role

The Business Manager oversees the Automotive market for Global Compounds in North America. This role creates market-specific growth strategies and business plans aligned with the sales team, including supply agreements. The Business Manager identifies competitive threats and opportunities, manages the product portfolio and customer pricing for optimal profitability, and develops business recommendations for inventory optimization, new product development, and acquisitions/diversification.

Responsibilities

• Market Strategy & Growth
  • Develop and execute market growth strategies for target verticals and priority geographies.
  • Perform market mapping, customer segmentation, and trend assessment to identify high-value opportunities.
  • Monitor competitive landscape (products, pricing, technology) and translate insights into action plans.
  • Align regional plans with global strategy to ensure a unified product direction and clear value proposition.
  • Oversee the market segment profit and loss performance.
  • Execute profitability and product mix data analyses by market, customer, and product.
  • Develop recommendations for improved and optimized profitability.
• Product Strategy & Lifecycle Management
  • Own the portfolio strategy and roadmap; define positioning, differentiation, and target applications.
  • Manage lifecycle from concept to launch, continuous improvement, rationalization, and phase-out decisions.
  • Track portfolio performance using KPIs (e.g., margin, volume, mix, yield, cost-to-produce, share) and lead corrective actions.
  • Build business cases for product investments, regional expansions, and portfolio optimization initiatives.
  • Manage, facilitate, and communicate the following:
    • Product portfolio
    • Promotable products
    • Supply agreements
    • Commercial Stage Gate (CSP) program
    • New product development
    • Next-generation improved product development
    • Cost reduction initiatives
    • Technical Work Requests (TWR) approvals and prioritizations
    • Vertical integration (intra-divisional customers)
    • Horizontal integration (global synergy programs)
    • Overall market intelligence
• Pricing & Value Management
  • Establish and maintain regional pricing guidance based on value, competition, and raw-material movements.
  • Partner with Sales on quoting strategy, key negotiations, and value-based selling tools.
  • Analyze profitability by application, customer segment, and geography to drive margin improvement.
• Customer Interface & Business Development
  • Serve as customer interface for business development tied to:
    • Market share and strategic position within the market
    • Next-generation product development
    • New product development
    • Cost reduction collaboration
    • Market/Industry group activities
    • Brand/Marketing initiatives
  • Develop recommendations and support the following:
    • Monthly sales and pricing forecasts
    • “Top Down” strategic sales pipeline
    • Finished goods inventory
    • Make to order (MTO)
    • Standard products and consignment (MTS)
    • Make to forecast (MTF)
    • Slow-moving inventory
    • Scheduling and demand planning (includes sample lines)
• Acquisition/Diversification
  • Develop and support acquisition and diversification strategies.
• Comply with all Company policies and procedures.
• Perform any additional responsibilities or tasks as assigned.

Requirements

• B.A. in Business or Technical Discipline.
• 10+ years of field experience in at least one of the following areas:
  • Technical sales
  • Technical services
  • Market/product development
• Thorough understanding of the Polymer business end-use process technology.
• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Strong leadership and collaboration skills to work across functions.
• Business and marketing acumen.
• Customer interface experience.
• Financial acumen.
• Ability to define new product market opportunities, including market sizing, value proposition development, and pricing analysis.
• Ability to collaborate with sales, supply chain, R&D, and finance.
• Strong ability to drive process.
• Excellent critical thinking and problem-solving skills to create logical, executable strategies.
• Organized and effective at managing multiple projects.
• Strong work ethic and intellectual curiosity to research and become market experts.
• Proficient in Excel, PowerPoint, and Word.

Physical Demands

• Frequently required to sit, stand, walk, use hands to touch, handle, or feel, reach with hands and arms, and talk or hear.
• Occasionally required to stoop, kneel, or crouch.
• Must regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds.
• Specific vision abilities required include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment

• Noise level in the work environment is usually moderate, typically based in an office.
• Some work may be required in operating units, which can require usage of required PPE including safety glasses, hearing protection, etc.
• May result in exposure to outside elements and may require usage of stairs and elevators.
• Up to 25% travel, including auto or air travel, may be required to visit customers and/or attend trade shows.