R&D Group Leader

The Global R&D Protective & Marine Energy Lead will own new product stage gate development and maintenance of business projects. Primary segment responsibilities include Linings.

Job duties include contact with other employees and access to confidential and proprietary information and/or other items of value, and such access may be supervised or unsupervised. The Company therefore has determined that a review of criminal history is necessary to protect the business and its operations and reputation and is necessary to protect the safety of the Company's staff, employees, and business relationships.

Metrics
Adhere to Safety, Quality, People, Service and Cost requirements established via collaboration with Management.
Specific tasks for this core responsibility include the following:
1. Team follows all safety procedures and attends all safety meetings.
2. Safety issues are reported and rectified promptly.
3. 5S HKE compliance is achieved and maintained effectively.
4. Team adheres to quality procedures in accordance with Global Business Management System.
5. Ensure cost savings goals are met.

Product
Maintain overall leadership responsibilities necessary to complete product commercialization activities consistent with Marketing collaboration, including New Product Development and Maintenance of Business projects. Maintain Stage Gate documentation and completion timing as tracked through Critical Operating Tasks.
Specific tasks for this core responsibility include the following:
1. Provide technical inputs to support new business cases.
2. Ensure Project Plans and Product Designs are used to establish clear and well documented requirements with project stakeholder teams.
3. Ensure project documentation is maintained in Navigator.
4. Meet Critical Operating Task requirements including, but not limited to stakeholder meetings, gate reviews, scale-ups, test batches, closing reports, debrief meetings.
5. Ensure final product meets Key Performance Indicators as defined by Critical to Quality metrics.
6. Present technical portion of projects during gate reviews.
7. Participate in P&M Pipeline planning and execution.
8. Provide timely monthly report content to R&D Director.
9. Establish and maintain resource allocations for project work.
10. Facilitate Market Segment meetings.

Leadership
Maintain overall leadership responsibilities to ensure active and appropriate participation in fundamental organizational activities. This includes personal participation in Goal Establishment, Talent Assessment, Promotional Reviews, Organizational Reviews, Succession Planning and Performance Appraisals. This also includes team participation in Safety, House Keeping Excellence, Classroom Training, Conferences, Field Experiences, Employee Engagement activities and GBMS support.
Specific tasks for this core responsibility include the following:
1. Onboard new employees using Onboarding and NHOT plans and checklists.
2. Establish and maintain technical and non-technical training plans for team members.
3. Collaborate with individuals to complete internal training in alignment with Strategic R&D Core Learning Plans.
4. Ensure participation in appropriate industry and technical conferences.
5. Coordinate appropriate manufacturing experience for team members.
6. Coordinate appropriate field trial experience for team members.
7. Prepare and execute Individual Development Plans for members of your team where appropriate.
8. Establish timely individual performance goals.
9. Complete timely performance appraisals and mid-year reviews.
10. Meet with individuals to establish and conduct regular reviews of career and growth plans.
11. Facilitate and lead project debriefs.

Continuous Improvement
Maintain overall leadership responsibilities associated with ensuring active and appropriate participation in Continuous Improvement activities. This includes personal participation via Project Prioritization, Resource Allocation, Project Debriefs, Quality Excellence including, but not limited to: Associated Root Cause completion & Plant Technical Service led initiatives, Budgeting, Design for Six Sigma implementation & support, Open-Source technology integration, Knowledge Transfer activities, Acquisition Integrations, and development of Subject Matter Expertise. This also includes team participation in Senior Technical Council, Open-Source projects, development of Subject Matter Expertise and committees such as Safety, House Keeping Excellence, ISO Audits, Calibration, Raw Material, Innovation Excellence/ Tech Summit, and Percy Neyman.
Specific tasks for this core responsibility include the following:
1. Ensure team is engaged and participating in CI and Opportunity Rex initiatives.
2. Ensure team is engaged and participating in Committee & Group responsibilities.
3. Ensure team is engaged in P&M Quality initiatives, activities, and ARC investigations.
4. Maintain Global Budget process and documentation per area of responsibility.
5. Ensure team is engaged in collaborations with P&M R&D teams in APAC, EMEAI and LATAM.
6. Support Innovation through engagement with Open Source, STC personnel and PCG R&D Innovation.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
* 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).
* Bachelor's degree in a Science, Technology, Engineering or Math field.
* Minimum of 3 years of experience in a performance coatings development lab setting
* Formulation of industrial/performance coating products.
* Experience leading a technical team on either product development projects or major technical or continuous improvement initiatives.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
* Advanced degree in a Science-related area
* 5+ years developing protective coatings, specifically atmospheric coatings used to prevent corrosion on metals due to exposure to weather, humidity, saline environments, elevated temperatures, and aggressive chemicals.
* Formulation of epoxy, urethane, vinyl ester, acrylic, alkyd, polysiloxane, polyurea, high heat resistant silicone and zinc rich coatings for protective applications in the Oil and Gas and Alternative Energy spaces.

Travel Requirements: Up to 20%

Upon completion of construction, the individual selected for this role will primarily work at the new Sherwin-Williams Global Technology Center in Brecksville, Ohio. Construction is expected to be complete in 2025. Until then, the role will be based at 4440 Warrensville Center Rd, Warrensville Heights, OH 44128.