Location: USA - IL - Chicago
The Valspar Corporation is the fourth largest global manufacturer and distributor of paints and coatings. Since 1806, Valspar has provided customers and consumers with industry-leading innovation, high quality products and superior customer service. The company manufactures and distributes industrial coatings used in a variety of applications including automotive, general metals, consumer packaging and wood. Valspar's paints and stains are sold to consumers and professional painters under recognized global brands including the flagship Valspar brand, Cabot wood stains, Huarun paints in China and Wattyl paints in Australia. And Valspar manufactures and sells leading technology colorant and resin product lines to the global paint and coatings industry.
Valspar employs more than 10,000 people worldwide, with sales offices in more than 25 countries and research labs and manufacturing facilities in more than 15 countries. The company generated more than $4.0 billion in sales for fiscal year 2013, with approximately half of those revenues coming from international markets.
For more than 200 years, Valspar’s leadership in technology and innovation has enhanced the beauty of homes, improved the durability of industrial products and protected what we eat and drink. It's why we say, "if it matters, we're on it."
Currently we are seeking an experienced Commercial Leader to serve as the Global Director for Valspar’s Color Corporation of America (CCA) business group (www.ccofa.com), a leading global supplier of colorants to the consumer paints and industrial coatings markets. CCA offers a very broad product line of water and solvent based colorant dispersions and its global presence ensures customers have access to Valspar's renowned technology and industry leading service around the world.
The Global Director – Color Corporation of America is responsible for the growth and profitability of the business around the world. CCA currently conducts business in the North America, South America, Europe, and Asia Pacific regions. The Director must provide visionary global leadership, build a strong team and manage existing business in a way that is aligned with Valspar and customer business strategies. This is a “hands on” leadership position – the business leader must maintain strategic perspective while ensuring the business is delivering in the most effective way.
Color is influenced by new and changing technology, necessitating that candidates have a technical chemistry background and pigments, colorants and/or coatings industry experience. This is an ideal role for someone with strong business and financial acumen, commercial and operational experience, technical propensity and developing global leadership capabilities.
Based at either Valspar’s offices in Chicago, IL or Minneapolis, MN and reporting to the Global VP – Engineered Polymer Solutions (EPS) and CCA, the role additionally:
- Develops and executes the annual business strategy and is responsible for delivering annual business growth targets
- Drives financial discipline and operational excellence
- Demonstrates an understanding of how business is conducted in various regions of the world; understands global markets & competitors and creates outcomes that are beneficial for the company; communicates and models a global perspective
- Brings an entrepreneurial perspective and approach to the business
- Has a vision for the future and develop and communicate tangible execution plans to grow the business and deliver results
- Recognizes what needs to be done to deliver results and ensures that it happens
- Is accountable for successfully working with customers at every stage of the sales cycle with experience in both retail and industrial channels
- Attracts, selects and develops the best people for key roles; builds a self-sustaining team, inspires high levels of performance and brings people along during times of change
The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate the following:
- Bachelor degree in Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Material Science or a related science field and has also earned an MBA from a well-regarded institution
- Ten or more years of progressive Commercial management experience, including two or more years at manager or director level experience
- Managing, evaluating and developing employees
- Leading within a matrix management structure and advising change; influencing internal leaders and customers to drive business results
- Interpreting and applying company policies and procedures and applicable laws, rules, and regulations
- Analyzing and researching information and determining actions
- Strong self-initiative, sense of urgency and customer relationship building skills
- Excellent listening, verbal and written communication skills; communicating with co-workers to provide and receive direction
- A collaborative work style, with a strong ability to build relationships, gain credibility and partner with internal customers and co-workers
- Strong organization, decision making and project management skills
- Ability to present information clearly and concisely
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office 2007 (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint)
- Travel up to 50% of time in both domestic and international regions