A global chemical manufacturer is seeking a Technical & Business Manager – Polyurethane Foam Solutions to support and expand its polyurethane foam business across North America.
This role is intended for a polyurethane foam professional with strong technical and customer-facing experience, who can bridge application development, technical service, and business support while contributing to both technical execution and commercial growth across automotive and industrial markets.
The position works closely with customers, manufacturing partners, and global R&D teams to ensure successful application performance, customer satisfaction, and sustainable business expansion.
Role Highlights
- Support technical and commercial activities for polyurethane foam systems across North America
- Work directly with customers, manufacturing partners, and global R&D teams
- Play a key role in application development, technical support, and customer engagement
- Contribute to business growth through technical insight, customer interaction, and market understanding
- Operate in a cross-functional environment bridging technical, operational, and commercial team
Key Responsibilities
Technical Service & Application Support (Core)
- Provide technical expertise and application support for polyurethane foam systems (e.g., flexible or molded foam)
- Conduct product trials, evaluations, and troubleshooting at customer and production sites
- Act as a technical advisor to customers and internal stakeholders
- Coordinate closely with R&D teams on product improvements and application development
Customer Engagement & Business Support
- Build and maintain relationships with key customers in automotive and industrial markets
- Support identification of new applications and business opportunities
- Provide technical input to customer discussions, including product positioning and value proposition
- Contribute to understanding market needs, competitive positioning, and customer requirements
Operational & Production Coordination
- Work with manufacturing partners (including toll manufacturers) to support product implementations
- Assist in process alignment, scale-up, and issue resolution related to polyurethane foam applications
- Ensure products meet customer specifications, cost targets, and performance expectations
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Collaborate with global teams to align technical activities with business objectives
- Support introduction of new products into commercial applications
- Facilitate communication between customers, R&D, operations, and commercial teams
Qualifications
Required Experience
- Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Polymer Science, or related field
- Approximately 10+ years of experience in polyurethane foam systems (flexible, molded, or related)
- Experience in technical service, application development, or customer-facing role
- Exposure to manufacturing, production, or process environments
Preferred Background
- Experience with automotive applications (OEM or Tier 1 suppliers)
- Experience with polyurethane raw materials, systems, or foam formulation
- Background in chemical companies or polyurethane system suppliers
- Experience working alongside external manufacturing or tolling partners
- Exposure to commercial activities such as product positioning, customer strategy, or business support
Skills
- Strong technical problem-solving ability
- Customer-facing communication skills
- Ability to work across technical and commercial functions
- Application-oriented mindset
- Analytical thinking and practical judgment
- Project coordination
- Ability to operate effectively in a cross-functional, dynamic environment
Travel
Approximately 25–30% travel within North America
