Director, Engineered Plastics

Basic Function

Business Directors are responsible for overseeing the success of a particular Product Line within a Region. They are responsible to develop and execute a Product Line strategy to generate profitable growth, meaning, growth in Revenue and Profit above the industry average.  By doing that, the Business Director contributes to achieve the Regional and Division Goals.
Business Directors commonly have a great deal of autonomy when it comes to making decisions about how best to accomplish these goals. They set the business strategy, manages a Product Line and provides direction to the commercial team that includes Sales, New Business Development, Innovation, Technical Service and Manufacturing.  The Business Director is also responsible for the decision-making process relative to the IBP Demand Process as well as to participate in the Supply Planning process, by defining capabilities needed to address current and potential markets.  Managing the Product Life Cycle is also responsibility of the Business Director which includes defining the strategy for profitable growth and directing the priorities for the innovation pipeline.

Business Directors report to the Regional VP and have a collaborative network with the other Business Directors in the other Regions with the purpose of sharing market trends, develop Global Customer programs and to identify common Innovation projects. Even when reporting to the Region, the Business Director needs to convey to the market the Global footprint and capabilities that the company has.  

Roles & Responsibilities

•    Develops, Implements and Executes the Product Line Strategic Plan for the Region. “Where we play and how we play to win”.
•    Leads a cross functional business team developing strategy and driving execution to ensure business goals are met. This is accomplished even though most team members supporting the business do not report to the BM. Everyone understands that the Business Director sets the direction and functions execute the strategy. Works with functional leaders to define resource needs to execute business plan.
•    Developing marketing strategies for products or services that take into account customer needs, competitor offerings, and industry trends. Gets support from Strategic Marketing managers.
•    Determining pricing strategies for new products or services based on costs of production, research and development expenses, and profit margins
•    Managing budgets, financial activities, and cash flow for the business unit. Working with Finance and Strategy to align on Business results reporting and margin improvement as well as in modeling different Business scenarios for organic profitable growth.
•    Overseeing operations and ensuring that customer service standards are met.  Working with Supply Asset Management, improve OTIF and increase service levels at the time that Inventory levels are properly managed from a service and working capital point of view.
•    Develop Strategic Relationships with key Suppliers to gain a competitive advantage in both, cost position and market growth with new application developments.  Working with Procurement and Innovation to address opportunities.
•    Ensuring that all legal requirements are met, product stewardship, environmental regulations, and other rules and regulations
•    Working with Regional VP to develop organizational goals and objectives, as well as to implement and execute Regional strategies within the Product Line.
•    Developing Business reports on performance to disclose gaps and actions to mitigate risk for not meeting budget and goals.
•    Leads the projects that are impacting positively or negatively the Product Line (Acquisition integrations, Plant closures, Product Line additions, etc). Also, leads the relationship with JVs related to the Product Line.
•    Developing a strategic plan for the business unit to support company goals including sustainability and other corporate goals.

Min. Qualifications

Education: Have at least a bachelor’s degree in business related fields or engineering.  Very desirable to have a master’s degree in business administration (MBA).

Training & Experience: Business Directors typically have several years of experience in a managerial role. They may have worked as a manager or director in a similar industry or business unit. They may have worked in a similar role for a different company.
 
Business DIrector Skills

Communication: Communicate with a variety of individuals and groups, including employees, managers, executives and customers. Effective communication is crucial. Understand what others are saying and motivate others to work toward common goals is a key skill of the Business Director.

Influencing: This role runs the business through providing strategic direction to the commercial, growth teams, operations, supply chain and has very clear decision rights for the business which functions are to execute. Being effective in working collaboratively in a matrix organization and getting results is key for this roles success.

Decision-making: Business Directors make many decisions throughout the day, including those that affect the company’s bottom line. Effective decision-makers can analyze a situation and determine the best course of action. They can also evaluate the success of their decisions and make changes when necessary.

Collaboration: Business Directors often work with other leaders in their organization to develop strategies and tactics for their unit. Collaboration allows them to work with others to find the best solutions to challenges and find ways to improve their unit.

Problem-solving: Business Directors often oversee multiple teams and departments, which means they may be responsible for resolving issues that affect multiple teams or departments. Problem-solving skills can help business unit leaders identify and address issues quickly and efficiently.

Adaptability: Business Directors need to have the ability to adapt to changing circumstances. This is because business units often have multiple goals and objectives that may change over time. Being able to adapt to these changes can help you lead your team to success.
 

Competencies