Manager, Product Development

About the role

The Manager, Product Development will lead the development of water‑borne basecoat and primer technologies for the automotive coatings business. This role coordinates cross‑functional topics, drives phase‑gate projects, and ensures global knowledge exchange within the Coatings Business Unit.

Key responsibilities

• Coordinate team topics such as EHS, IT, and production efficiency.
• Lead and execute phase‑gate development projects on time and within budget.
• Set resin design targets together with the BC‑resin team using polymer chemistry and physics.
• Maintain in‑depth knowledge of basecoat and primer application, appearance, and performance requirements from automotive OEMs.
• Present basecoat technology to internal and external stakeholders worldwide.
• Collaborate with production to optimise manufacturing processes.
• Lead a technical team of 2‑8 technicians and ensure compliance with IATF and other quality standards.
• Drive lean and digital initiatives to improve data control and efficiency.
• Provide training on basecoat/primer technologies and mentor team members.

Required profile

• Master’s degree in Polymer Chemistry or Polymer Physics (PhD preferred).
• Minimum 8 years of experience in automotive OEM coatings development for a Master’s graduate, or more than 5 years for a PhD graduate.
• Proven ability to manage multi‑disciplinary projects and lead technical teams.

Required skills

• Polymer Chemistry
• Polymer Physics
• Resin Design
• Basecoat Technology
• Primer Technology
• Automotive OEM Coatings
• IATF Quality Standards
• EHS Compliance
• Lean Project Management
• Digital Data Control