Innovation Director, Americas

at  JM Huber Corporation

Portfolio Business: Huber Engineered Materials
Miller Chemical and Fertilizer, LLC, a J.M. Huber Company is a global leader in the manufacture and distribution of crop adjuvants, plant growth regulators, nutritional fertilizers, and specialty agrochemicals with an 81-year heritage.
J.M. Huber Corporation is one of the largest privately held, family-owned companies in the United States. Established in 1883, we are a diversified, global supplier of specialty and commodity chemicals, hydrocolloid solutions, engineered wood products, and natural resources to customers spanning a wide variety of industries. With approximately $3 billion in sales and 4,000 employees worldwide, we have a material presence in more than 20 countries.

POSITION SUMMARY

Responsible for all innovation and technical matters pertaining to R&D and new product Development for HAS (Huber AgroSolutions) business unit in the Americas (North America and Latin America). As the leader of the HAS Innovation function in the Americas, this position should oversee the formulations of existing products while developing successful new products and solutions to enable commercial growth and enhanced competitive advantage. This position is a member of the HAS North America Leadership Team, helping to drive and deliver superior results for the business, reporting to the SVP M&A and General Manager HAS, North America. The position will also have matrix relationship to Global Innovation Director.

SPECIALIZED/TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE OR REQUIRED SKILLS

• M.S. in chemistry, chemical engineering, agriculture or a related field. Preferable Ph.D.
• 15+ years experience in leading Technology/R&D teams in the field of agricultural chemicals
• Experience with biostimulants, adjuvants and/or biological formulations is highly desirable
• A successful track record of new product developments and technical accomplishments with significant business impact delivering profitable growth
• Experience using a structured Stage-Gate process for new product developments
• Ability to analyze complex market and technical problems, distilling down the information to the most important and critical factors required to achieve success.
• Ability to manage resources and set priorities to deliver maximum impact
• Excellent communication and presentation skills; ability to adapt to various business audiences
• Fluent in English, conversational Spanish or Portuguese
• Demonstrated ability and passion in working collaboratively with cross-functional teams, including commercial, technical, operations, and regulatory colleagues
• Good leadership skills including the ability to lead, motivate and inspire direct reports and colleagues to a common goal
• Demonstrated ability to effectively influence and lead at all levels from grower to C-suite leaders with and without direct authority
  Our employees are our strongest asset, and their safety, health, and well-being is our highest priority. We respect the individual by providing opportunities for professional and personal development. Our Principles drive us to create an inclusive workplace where employees share core values, show dignity and respect toward others, and work hard to achieve their best performance.
  J.M. Huber Corporation is an EEO / AAP employer. Pre-employment drug screening is required.

• Member of the HAS North America Leadership Team
• Partners with the product management function to lead and manage the NPD (New Product Development) pipeline.
• Ensures Innovation projects are well organized, properly resourced, and follow the NPD stage gate process, from inception to launch.
• Implements and leads the stage gate process
• Holds self and the Innovation teams accountable for the innovation pipeline projects in terms of delivering a robust business case (customer need, competitive advantage, business impact) maintaining pipeline velocity, and ultimately commercial success.
• Responsible for Innovation center facilities, scientific screening and discovery.
• Manages and owns the formulations of products in the Americas and is responsible for installing the proper safeguards to protect IP.
• Provide technical leadership in understanding marketplace requirements, translating customer needs into a compelling technical product portfolio.
• Enhance overall research capabilities by identifying, proposing, and fostering external research collaborations with external technology experts and partners (Universities, companies, institutions, consultants).
• Be a thought leader in the business and work with the HAS North America Leadership Team on strategic projects and initiatives
• Lead and develop papers/presentations at technical conferences, and publications, as appropriate
• Collaborate with Technical Leader and Agronomists team to ensure a rich set of trials are conducted to maximize growth and success
• Maintain high levels of ethics, safety, and environmental and quality standards in all aspects of the business
• Responsible for the expenses, headcount and capital budget for the Innovation function. Integrate budgets and manage to budget targets and authorize expenditures within established limits.
• Participate in cross-functional activities with Manufacturing, Supply Chain and Commercial in developing and implementing strategies
• Sets and manages the Innovation budget with the ability to prioritize projects and optimize outcomes
• Responsible for training, instruction, and supervision of the staff. Plan and implement personal assignments to optimally utilize resources. Motivate staff and provide opportunities for advancement
• Develop effective utilization of human resources and physical assets. Identify necessary skills to perform jobs required to meet technical objectives.
• Responsible for succession plans for self and staff.
• Ability to travel >25%