What are the responsibilities and job description for the Director, R&D Portfolio & Analytical Services position at USA – DuBois Chemicals, Inc?
It's fun to work in a company where people truly BELIEVE in what they are doing! We're committed to bringing passion and customer focus to the business. ***Note: This position is based in our Sharonville, OH headquarters*** POSITION SUMMARY The Research & Development (R&D) Portfolio and Analytical Services Director is a key leadership role responsible for managing the full lifecycle of R&D initiatives and lab support services across the organization. Reporting directly to the Chief Technical Officer (CTO), this position oversees the strategic execution of the R&D project portfolio, ensuring alignment with business objectives and delivering innovative, cost-effective solutions to market. This role is accountable for managing the Stage-Gate process, driving project governance, and ensuring timely progression of initiatives from concept through commercialization. This role also leads the analytical laboratory operations, ensuring robust testing, data integrity, compliance with regulatory standards, and effective communications internally and externally. Additionally, the position manages raw material substitution programs, optimizing formulations for cost, performance, and sustainability while mitigating supply chain risks. This role ensures alignment between technology strategy, project prioritization, resource allocation, and cross-functional execution. The Director works closely with the CTO, R&D leaders, Applications, Operations, and Commercial functions to deliver a transparent, well-managed, and high-performing technical organization. DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES Technical Portfolio Management Lead the development and ongoing management of the technical project portfolio, ensuring alignment with corporate strategy and priorities. Establish and maintain portfolio governance processes, including project intake, evaluation, prioritization, and stage-gate reviews. Build visibility into project status, resource needs, risks, and outcomes through standardized reporting and dashboards. Partner with Portfolio, Procurement, & R&D leadership to evaluate business cases, ROI, and value creation of technical initiatives. Shared Technical Services Leadership Oversee shared services teams, including raw materials and analytical labs, that support Customers, Operations, Quality, Procurement, and EHS. Optimize work processes, scheduling, workflow management, and communication across shared technical capabilities. Ensure shared services deliver consistent, high-quality, and timely support to technical and commercial teams. Process, Systems & Tools Lead the development, implementation, and improvement of systems used in portfolio and project management (e.g., PLM, workflow tools, databases, reporting platforms). Standardize documentation, templates, project charters, and governance frameworks across the technical organization. Implement performance metrics and dashboards to monitor progress, productivity, and resource utilization. Cross-Functional Collaboration Partner closely with R&D, Applications, Operations, Quality, Sales, Marketing, and Supply Chain to ensure strong coordination and alignment of resources. Support Commercial, Operations, and Procurement teams by providing portfolio insights, timelines, and data required for planning and prioritization. Risk & Compliance Identify and monitor project risks across the portfolio, ensuring mitigation plans are in place. Support regulatory, quality, and compliance documentation as part of shared service workflows. Ensure all technical operations meet safety, environmental, and internal governance standards. Lead our Lab Safety Committee for all R&D sites. People Leadership Lead a high-performing team of scientists, chemists, engineers, and technical specialists; recruit, coach, and develop top technical talent. Foster a culture of transparency, collaboration, accountability, and operational excellence Develop succession planning and capability growth within the department.. Champion our Career Advancement Program for promotions on the non-managerial career path. Build capability in project management and technical operations across the broader organization. Financial & Resource Management Partner with the CTO and Finance to develop and manage the overall R&D budget. Support resource planning, forecasting, and workload balancing across technical teams. Qualifications Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, or related technical field required; advanced degree preferred. 7 years managerial experience in chemical manufacturing or specialty chemicals. In-depth knowledge of analytical testing and testing methodology 5 years leading project management, or portfolio governance functions. Expertise in project and portfolio management methodologies (e.g., Stage-Gate, Agile, PMBOK). Excellent communication skills with the ability to influence senior leaders and cross-functional partners. Domestic & International Travel up to 10% #INDCORP DuBois provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, ancestry, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, religion, age, disability, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, service in the military, veteran status, or any other protected status in accordance with applicable federal, state, and/or local law and/or regulation. Values and Culture Working at DuBois is dynamic, flexible and fun. Our customer centric focus gives you the opportunity to leverage your creative and innovative talents to help deliver specialty chemical solutions safely while protecting the environment. DuBois values: Honest and Ethical Behavior Collaborative Communication Safety at Work and Home Environmental Stewardship Perks and Benefits You will enjoy building your career with DuBois. DuBois offers the stability and comprehensive benefits of a larger organization with the feel of a smaller, more personable company. The diversity of our roles, customers served and large number of manufacturing, distribution and technical centers provide many routes for your career advancement. If you value learning, improving processes and want to make an immediate impact, DuBois is where you want to be. DuBois excellent benefit package includes health insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, life insurance, 401k with company match, paid holidays, vacation time and income protection plans.