Product Manager - Gel Coat & Resin

About the role

The Product Manager – Gel Coat & Resin Formulated Systems is responsible for driving the strategic direction, commercial success, and lifecycle management of IP Corporation's portfolio of formulated gel coats, resin systems, and other specialty polymer products. This role serves as the primary connection between customers, sales, R&D, manufacturing, supply chain, and regulatory teams to ensure products meet evolving market needs while delivering profitable growth.

Responsibilities

• Manage the full lifecycle of assigned gel coat, resin, and specialty formulated product lines, from concept and formulation development through commercialization, optimization, and product retirement.
• Develop and execute product roadmaps aligned with business strategy, customer needs, manufacturing capabilities, and market opportunities.
• Define product positioning, value propositions, target applications, and performance objectives.
• Conduct regular portfolio reviews to identify opportunities for line extensions, reformulations, cost optimization initiatives, and portfolio rationalization.
• Identify and promote the adoption of gel coat and resin technologies across existing and emerging applications, specifications, and markets.
• Support and lead new product introductions by partnering with cross-functional teams throughout development and commercialization.
• Serve as the voice of the customer by translating application requirements—including processing behavior, cure profiles, regulatory compliance, aesthetics, durability, specifications, and cost-in-use—into actionable product development priorities.
• Partner with Sales and Technical Service to support customer visits, technical discussions, product evaluations, application trials, and strategic account initiatives.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with key customer stakeholders across both direct and distribution channels.
• Maintain strong technical knowledge of gel coat and resin chemistry, additives, fillers, pigments, inhibitors, curing technologies, and formulated systems.
• Ensure products comply with applicable regulatory, environmental, and safety requirements while supporting strong product stewardship practices.
• Lead or support reformulation initiatives driven by regulatory changes, raw material availability, supply chain challenges, or cost optimization efforts.
• Partner with laboratory and technical service teams to support product validation, troubleshooting, customer trials, performance testing, and field issue resolution.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, or a related technical field.
• Five (5) or more years of experience within specialty chemicals, formulated products, gel coats, resin manufacturing, or related industries.
• Experience in Product Management, Technical Marketing, Applications Engineering, or another customer-facing technical/commercial role.
• Strong understanding of gel coat and resin markets, product lifecycle management, application requirements, and value-based selling.
• Demonstrated ability to successfully lead cross-functional initiatives and influence stakeholders without direct authority.
• Experience working directly with customers, including strong negotiation, communication, and relationship-building skills.
• Proven ability to work safely and independently.
• Valid U.S. Driver's License.
• Ability to travel up to 50% domestically.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, including Excel and PowerPoint.

Preferred

• Hands-on experience with gel coat, resin, vinyl ester, unsaturated polyester (UPR), epoxy, or other thermoset resin formulations.
• Experience managing pricing strategies, feedstock volatility, and raw material sourcing within specialty chemical markets.
• Product line P&L or margin management experience.
• Experience supporting multi-site manufacturing operations or global product portfolios.
• Familiarity working with distribution channel sales models.
• Experience using Salesforce or other CRM platforms.
• MBA or advanced technical degree.
• Knowledge, Skills & Abilities: Strong commercial mindset supported by technical credibility with customers and internal technical teams. Ability to balance customer performance requirements with manufacturing capabilities, supply constraints, and profitability objectives. Strong strategic thinking and business acumen. Excellent communication and presentation skills with both technical and non-technical audiences. Proven ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment. Effective problem-solving and data-driven decision-making skills. Strong collaboration and relationship-building abilities across cross-functional teams. Ability to influence decisions and drive alignment without direct reporting authority. Comfortable working in dynamic market environments with changing customer and feedstock conditions.