What are the responsibilities and job description for the Head of Tundish position at Vesuvius USA?
This role requires a strong business acumen, technical foundation in refractory and steelmaking technologies, coupled with an entrepreneurial mindset to lead product development initiatives and translate customer needs into innovative solutions.
Key Result Areas:
Responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:
- Direct oversight and management of the M&T Tundish team (4 direct reports).
- Collaborate with global R&D and product development teams to support technology transfer and innovation at the plant level.
- Manage technical performance metrics, analyzing product and process data to drive performance improvements and cost reduction initiatives.
- Partner with commercial and other internal teams to define product-fit & positioning, competitive differentiation, and go-to-market strategy for the tundish portfolio.
- Support the creation of marketing collateral, technical presentations, and value propositions to effectively promote the product line.
- Conduct market intelligence activities to assess competitor offerings, industry trends, and customer feedback.
- Serve as the primary technical contact for tundish inquiries, ensuring timely and high-quality support to both internal teams and customers.
- Provide training and development to sales and field service personnel to enhance tundish product knowledge.
- Participate in key customer visits, technical trials, and performance reviews to ensure product satisfaction and continuous improvement.
- Coordinate with Operations, Quality, Supply Chain, and Procurement teams to ensure seamless implementation of new products and technologies.
- Oversee capex planning and project execution where applicable to tundish-related technologies or infrastructure improvements.
- Ensure compliance with safety, environmental, and quality standards in all aspects of product development and deployment.
Qualifications & Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Materials Science, Metallurgy, Ceramics Engineering, or related technical discipline (advanced degree in Business Management is preferred).
- Minimum 7–10 years of experience in the steel or refractory industry, with a strong background in tundish applications.
- Proven experience in product development, technical marketing, and cross-functional project management.
- Strong communication, leadership, and analytical skills with a commercial mindset.
- Willingness to travel domestically and internationally as required.
- Develop and maintain tundish related documentation including supporting CCAR incidents, procedures, process maps, and technical reports.
Skills & Behaviors:
- Working safely is a condition of employment—Vesuvius is committed to reducing and eliminating workplace hazards.
- Excellent technical communication, analytical and presentation skills.
- Strong problem-solving and decision-making capabilities.
- Ability to build and maintain collaborative relationships with global, cross-functional teams.
- Proficient in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, Outlook, SharePoint); CAD or modeling tools a plus.
- Highly motivated and action-oriented.
Key Competencies:
- Action Oriented
- Technical Learning
- Product Management
- Customer Focus
- Innovation Management
- Problem Solving
- Analytical skills
- Drive for Results
- Team Leadership
- Continuous Improvement
- Priority Setting
Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities:
The contractor will not discriminate against employees or applicants based on pay disclosure under 41 CFR 60-1.35(c).