What are the responsibilities and job description for the Technical Service Manager position at Synthomer?
What are we looking for?
We are seeking a technical expert in Coatings to support, maintain, and grow the decorative, protective and specialty segments of this market in the Americas region. In this individual contributor role, the Technical Service Manager, will have regular contact with customers including: on-site visits, resolution of customer issues, promotion of new technologies for adoption at traditional and new customers and participation at relevant tradeshows/conferences. This role is also a key team member at our Akron Technical Center and regularly leads product / process change activities and new product development projects that impact Synthomer’s Coatings business.
What you’ll own in this role…
- Work jointly with internal account managers to maintain existing business and to secure new business in the Americas Coatings market.
- Regular travel to customer sites and conference / tradeshow venues for face-to-face meetings with customers and others in the industry.
- Effectively troubleshoot customer issues in a team environment by determining the root cause and working to resolve issues in a timely manner.
- Fully support and frequently lead new product development initiatives that are targeted for the Americas Coating market.
- Direct lab work at the Akron Technology Center to support the resolution of customer issues, complete raw material / process changes, and support the development of new products.
- Actively engage our customers to gain a continuing understanding of their internal value needs (including operations, applications, end use), our competition’s strengths and weaknesses from their view, and their unmet needs which next generation products are expected to fulfill.
- Participate in trade associations / tradeshows and present technical papers that are relevant to the industry or that support our new product introductions.
What you’ll need to be successful…
- Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry or related science. Master’s Degree preferred.
- Minimum of 10 years’ experience in formulation and application of decorative / protective coatings, technical service of coatings or materials commonly used in coatings, background in emulsion polymers and chemical crosslinking technology.
- Familiarity with industry standards and test methods used for evaluating the performance of decorative and protective topcoats.
- Excellent problem-solving skills with the ability to find unique and innovative solutions to address customer needs.
- Superior team player with the capacity to work in a fast-paced, ever-changing environment.
- Demonstrated ability to work independently with minimal supervision as part of a matrixed organization and to successfully complete projects and initiatives in required time frames.
- Effective communicator and active listener with solid interpersonal skills to foster strong customer relationships.
- Commitment to individual safety and the safety of others around you.
- Agile multi-tasker who can prioritize work daily to meet project timelines and customer demands.
- International Travel requirement of 10% (including Canada and Mexico) to support and promote Synthomer’s objectives in the Americas region.
- Strong Microsoft Office skills (Word, Excel and PowerPoint). SharePoint experience preferred.
Qualifications that can set you apart...
- Related experience dealing with customers in Canada / Mexico
- Fluent in second language (French or Spanish)
- Project management experience; familiarity with Stage-Gate process
- LSS Green-Belt or familiarity with using Design of Experiments methodology
Why Synthomer?
We are ambitious!
We have grown significantly – both organically and inorganically. We are a FTSE 250 listed company, 22% of our revenue comes from newly commercialized products, and we’re recognized in the top-quartile for chemicals manufacturing safety.
We believe in high challenge, high support!
We are keen to let you contribute in real roles from day 1. We expect a lot, but offer a lot, too. This includes onboarding, induction and learning events, networking opportunities, mentoring and personal development planning. So, be up for an inspiring long-term career adventure.
We personalize our approach to development!
At Synthomer, you won't find generic career tracks or development programs but rather a one-size-fits-one approach to employee development. We'll partner with you to ensure you have the right experiences that build your capabilities and accelerate your career growth.
We have grown significantly – both organically and inorganically. We are a FTSE 250 listed company, 22% of our revenue comes from newly commercialized products, and we’re recognized in the top-quartile for chemicals manufacturing safety.
We believe in high challenge, high support!
We are keen to let you contribute in real roles from day 1. We expect a lot, but offer a lot, too. This includes onboarding, induction and learning events, networking opportunities, mentoring and personal development planning. So, be up for an inspiring long-term career adventure.
We personalize our approach to development!
At Synthomer, you won't find generic career tracks or development programs but rather a one-size-fits-one approach to employee development. We'll partner with you to ensure you have the right experiences that build your capabilities and accelerate your career growth.
