Team Manager, Technology

Team Manager, Technology - CB4 - NM Job Description

At Axalta, the strength of our company lies in our people, and our legacy is built on more than 145 years in the coatings industry. With over 12,000 employees globally and $4.5B annual revenue, singular focus on providing brilliant coatings sets us apart. Axalta Coating Systems is the only leading global coatings company dedicated solely to the development, manufacture and sale of liquid and powder coatings. We serve customers in the automotive, transportation, general industrial and architectural and decorative sectors. Our innovative products and services include paint, color matching tools, application technologies and customer training and business management systems.

Role Summary:

Axalta Coating Systems is seeking an experienced coatings formulator to join the Global Refinish research and product development team. This assignment will be located at Axalta’s new Global Innovation Center (GIC) in Philadelphia, PA. This person will be responsible for leading a group of skilled scientists and technicians in support of existing paint products and new product developments for the global refinish market. As such the formulator should be familiar with ingredients used in both inks and paints and how these ingredients are manipulated to achieve desired properties. In this highly visible role, the successful candidate will possess a strong technical background and be experienced in developing, coaching and managing a team to produce, procure and deliver technical innovations, solutions, products and processes to support growth initiatives.

Key Responsibilities:

• Manage formulation programs and related R&D projects.
• Lead a small team of professionals and associates to perform designed experiments.
• Define critical tests to relate coating properties to end use performance criteria.
• Summarize and present findings to management and external customers.
• Responsible to understand and expand IP estate using innovation.

Basic Qualifications:

• Ideal candidate will possess an advanced degree in Chemistry or Chemical Engineering; at least 7 years of experience will be considered in lieu of an advanced degree.
• The successful candidate will have formulation experience with inks and/or coatings.
• Understanding of printing and spraying applications.
• Capability to adapt to rapidly evolving market with loosely defined objectives.
• Excellent written & oral communication skills to internal and customer audiences.
• Project management and experience with Stage-Gate process
• Candidate must possess strong problem-solving skills.
• Ability to practice a high level of confidentiality.
• Experience in supporting customers that demand high levels of quality and ability to partner with customers for mutual benefit.
• Knowledge of designed experimentation and statistical data analysis
• Experience in lean manufacturing environments.
• Share Axalta’s values of integrity, critical thinking, effort, and efficiency.
• Candidate must have a working proficiency with Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel.
• Willingness and ability to travel (<20% of working time).

Key Behavioral Competencies:

• A change agent that has successful track record of building strategic relationships with key stakeholders globally
• Action and results oriented
• Attention to details
• Business acumen
• Ability to take complex, disparate information and translate into executive summaries
• Excellent organizational & relationship management skills
• Ability to multitask and prioritize work in a self-directed capacity
• Ability to balance the potentially competing needs of multiple customers in a matrix environment
• Outstanding communication skills and ability to operate across countries, communicate and coordinate effectively across organizational boundaries
• Ability to positively influence others, create a passion for excellence, and execute multiple projects while meeting customer expectations
• Project Management knowledge and capability

Our Company:

Axalta has remained at the forefront of the coatings industry by continually investing in innovative solutions. We engineer technologies that protect customers’ products – whether they are battling heat, light, corrosion, abrasion, moisture, or chemicals – and add dimension and beauty with colorful finishes. We have a vast and ever-evolving portfolio of brands primed to play an important part in everything from modernizing infrastructure around the world to enabling the next generation of electric and autonomous vehicles.

Axalta operates its business in two segments: Performance Coatings and Mobility Coatings, which serve four end markets, including Refinish, Industrial, Light Vehicle and Commercial Vehicle, across North America, EMEA, Latin America and Asia-Pacific. Our diverse global footprint allows us to deliver solutions in over 140 countries and coat 30 million vehicles per year. We’ve recently set an exciting 2040 carbon neutrality goal, in addition to 10 other sustainability initiatives, and we take pride in working with our customers to optimize their businesses and achieve their goals.