Senior Director, Research and Development – Adult & Feminine Care North America

Job Description

About Us

Kleenex. Cottonelle. Scott. Huggies. Kotex. Poise. Depend. Kimberly-Clark Professional. You already know our legendary brandsand so does the rest of the fact millions of people use Kimberly-Clark products every day. We know these amazing Kimberly-Clark products wouldnt exist without talented professionals like you.

At Kimberly-Clark youll be part of the best team committed to driving innovation growth and impact. Were founded on more than 150 years of market leadership and were always looking for new and better ways to perform so theres your open door of opportunity. Its all here for you at Kimberly-Clark.

Led by Purpose. Driven by You.

Were out to create Better Care for a Better World and that takes leaders and teams who care about making a your Senior Director Research and Development Adult & Feminine Care North America role youll apply your professional expertise talent and drive to building and managing our portfolio of iconic ground-breaking brands to help us deliver better care for billions of people around the world. It starts with YOU.

What Youll Do (Role Purpose)

The Senior Director Research and Development Adult & Feminine Care North America (AFC NA) provides leadership for Adult and Feminine Care development and commercialization teams in support of the Personal Care business. The incumbent is accountable for leading and directing R&D teams to develop innovation strategies and a pipeline of high performing and consumer-preferred products. This includes front-end-innovation through development and commercialization quality asset strategy and some life-cycle-maximization efforts. They will partner closely with cross-functional peers managing Central Research International Personal Care GMs Brand Growth & Innovation (BG&I) Supply Chain and Regional and Global Procurement teams to achieve business objectives.

This leader is the Personal Care R&D representative on the AFC Presidents Business Unit Senior Leadership Team and champions bringing the right resources from the Personal Care Front End Innovation and BizCon teams as well as the OneR&D organization in support of the Kimberly-Clark North America (KCNA) AFC business.

The Senior Director Research and Development AFC NA will direct highly collaborative cohesive and high-performing R&D teams and inspire and energize teams to raise the bar on performance develop new skills and turn-around declining market share and product acceptance relative to competition.

This role reports to the VP R&D NA Personal Care and Global Sustainability Technology Development.

The Impact You Can Make

The Senior Director R&D AFC NA will/is:

• Lead the development of the AFC category technology and IP strategies based on a deep understanding of the competitive advantages and gaps of KC relative to branded and unbranded competitors. Fully leverages KCNA Global and enterprise-wide capabilities and learning to outperform competition.

• Guide technical leaders and managers to develop and execute robust technology development and consumer learning plans to achieve innovation goals.

• Develop deep understanding of consumer needs insights and opportunities to develop consumer-winning concepts and products.

• Develop aggressive new technology learning plans with appropriate use of technical fundamentals modeling and rapid screening tests balanced with good technical judgment.

• Lead short through long-term personal care Materials innovation strategies working closely with KC Global and external partners.

• Develop new products that meet consumer performance and financial targets based on deep understanding of category dynamics market and customer needs and opportunities.

• Create and execute strategies partnering with key stakeholders to take action that will advance shared interests and business goals.

• Obtain information and identify key issues and relationships relevant to achieving a long-range goal or visions; committing to a course of action to accomplish a long-range goal or visions after developing alternatives based on logical assumptions facts available resources constraints and organizational values.

• Partner with Strategy & Innovation BG&I and Marketing colleagues to help create product portfolios and new concepts to deliver brand strategies and deliver market share growth.

• Partner with both the Regional and Global Supply Chain teams to support asset strategies and technology application to current assets.

• Provide exceptional coaching and mentoring to support and develop team to continuously develop their skills expand knowledge and reach full potential.

• Encourage diverse perspectives experiences and backgrounds that enable our winning culture.

• Lead and direct R&D teams to develop innovation strategies and a pipeline of high performing and consumer-preferred products. Deeply accountable to deliver these new products meeting all objectives on-time and with quality.

• Influence and manage external vendor relationships and continue raise the performance of our products through innovative new materials providing superior consumer benefits.

• Influence and manage internal Supply Chain and external OEM relationships to continue to raise the performance of our products through highly efficient processes that deliver stretching innovation goals.
  

About You

Youre driven to perform at the highest level possible and you appreciate a performance culture fueled by authentic caring. You want to be part of a company actively dedicated to sustainability inclusion wellbeing and career development.

Experiences Were Looking For

The Senior Director R&D AFC NA will have demonstrated the following key skills:

• Bachelors degree in Engineering Research or related discipline required.

• Minimum of 15 years of R&D experience with at least 10 years of management experience. Ability to point to a track record of increasing responsibility and proven success leading teams that successfully drive innovation forward.

• Proven ability to create an innovation pipeline and new product designs deeply grounded in consumer need states and full leveraging all internal and external resources.

• Ability to engage and influence people at all levels of the organization.

• Demonstrated personal credibility through strong communication skills achieving results and trusted relationships.

• Demonstrated contagious positive energy to influence inspire and dive deep to understand product challenges and opportunities to drive results.

Core Competencies

• Strategic Vision: must have strong strategic abilities having been an outstanding performer in a dynamic consumer-driven organization regarded for superior products/services. Strategic analytical and intellectual.

• Collaboration: demonstrated ability to be quickly recognized as a partner and resource to senior executives and business leaders. Skilled at working across both global and functional boundaries and gaining the support and involvement of key internal constituencies. Ability to influence internal and external stakeholders using a thoughtful communication plan to align people or groups.

• Results Orientation: decisive and action-oriented with a demonstrated record of getting things done in an organization where partnering and collaboration are valued skills. Openness and willing to try different creative ways to deal with business challenges and opportunities.

• Inspirational Team Leadership: capable of creating direction for the business through developing talent and inspirational team leadership. A leader who can create a high-performing dynamic team with proven success empowering teams to identify and solve problems. Proven ability to attract develop and retain talent which will be critical in taking the capability of the business to new levels.

• Learning Agility & Cultural Acuity: superior intellectual curiosity and pure passion to learn. This leader will rapidly understand new situations and business problems and will have developed techniques to find creative solutions to address these issues.

Ways of Working and Leadership Competencies We Value

• Focus on Consumers. We keep the needs of customers and consumers at the center of our work. Building strong customer relationships and delivering consumer-centric solutions. Seeing ahead to future possibilities and translating them into breakthrough strategies that delight our consumers.

• Play to Win. We aim high measure our results and live our values because winning with integrity matters. Setting aggressive goals and consistently achieving results even under tough circumstances. Pushing past status quo to create new and better ways to solve problems and win.

• Move Fast. We turn decisions into action remove barriers and seek progress over perfection. Stepping up to champion ideas address difficult issues and say what needs to be said. Tackling challenges with a sense of urgency seizing new opportunities and scaling winning solutions.

• Grow our People. We champion inclusion and encourage our people to ideate innovate and contribute to their growth. Encouraging diverse perspectives experiences and backgrounds that enable our winning culture. Placing a high priority on developing self and others to meet career goals and the organizations goals.

Total Benefits

Here are a few of the benefits youd enjoy. For a complete overview see .

• Great support for good health with medical dental and vision coverage options. No waiting periods or pre-existing condition restrictions. Access to an on-site fitness center occupational health nurse and allowances for high-quality safety equipment.

• Flexible Savings and spending accounts to maximize health care options and stretch dollars when caring for yourself or dependents.

• Diverse income protection insurance options to protect yourself and your family in case of illness injury or other unexpected events.

• Additional programs and support to continue your education adopt a child relocate or even find temporary childcare.

To Be Considered
Click the Apply button and complete the online application process. A member of our recruiting team will review your application and follow up if you seem like a great fit for this role.

In the meantime please check out the careers website.

And finally the fine print.
For Kimberly-Clark to grow and prosper we must be an inclusive organization that applies the diverse experiences and passions of its team members to brands that make life better for people all around the world. We actively seek to build a workforce that reflects the experiences of our consumers. When you bring your original thinking to Kimberly-Clark you fuel the continued success of our enterprise. We are a committed equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race color religion sex national origin disability status protected veteran status sexual orientation gender identity age pregnancy genetic information citizenship status or any other characteristic protected by law.

The statements above are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by employees assigned to this classification. Statements are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all duties responsibilities and skills required for this position.

Employment is subject to verification of pre-screening tests which may include drug screening background check and DMV check.

Veterans and members of the Reserve and Guard are highly encouraged to apply.

Kimberly-Clark will support in-country relocation for the chosen candidate. The benefits provided will be per the terms of Kimberly-Clarks applicable mobility benefits/policy provided will decided in Kimberly-Clarks sole discretion.

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