Director Battery Materials New Business Development

What Youll Do

As a New Business Development Director you will be at the forefront of innovation leading the exploration and development of new business domains that complement Lubrizols traditional core business. This pivotal role contributes to the diversification of Lubrizols portfolio ensuring the company is strategically positioned for sustained growth. You will advance Lubrizols understanding of end-use market opportunities by evaluating market dynamics identifying customer pain points and developing solutions that leverage Lubrizols technological synergies. The primary focus will be battery materials used for future mobility (i.e. lithium-ion battery) and energy storage. Prioritizing customer needs is essential in this role ensuring solutions align with market demands offer a competitive advantage and positioned to win. You will oversee the commercialization of products and offerings guiding them from initial concept to market launch while developing and executing effective go-to-market strategies to optimize product reach and impact. You will have a global view and have deep regional market and customer knowledge.

What Were Looking For:

• Utilize quantitative methods to assess the size of business opportunities. Leverage insights into market trends to understand customer needs and pain points. Validate solutions and business models to ensure alignment with strategic objectives.
• Formulate and validate strategies for where to play and how to win emphasizing sustainable differentiation and competitive positioning. Develop a well-defined quantified value proposition to communicate customer value.
• Forge partnerships within the ecosystem to effectively commercialize products and offerings. Lead the execution of regional and global go-to-market programs managing channels pricing strategies opportunity pipelines and revenue forecasts for late-stage incubation projects.
• Plan execute and coordinate a portfolio of projects. Foster communication and collaboration with various stakeholders including senior management employees customers and partners to report on progress and outcomes of innovation initiatives. The role is based in China and will allocate 70% time to battery materials and 30% of time to new business development growth opportunities in China/SEA.
• Analyze and compare opportunities within the portfolio to ensure optimal resource allocation and prioritization meeting growth objectives. Manage the portfolio to maximize growth potential opportunity size and project maturity.
• Deliver regular project reviews at innovation project meetings business decision week and other strategic business forums to demonstrate progress and outline future plans. Provide feedback on the innovation process and enhance business capabilities to ensure continuous improvement.
• Oversee budgeting for market size quantification customer needs analysis and business model testing collaborating with both internal and external partners for effective resource utilization. Determine resourcing global and local resource needs as the opportunity evolves and matures through the innovation process.

Skills That Make a Difference:

• Minimum qualification is BSc in relevant discipline; typically PhD qualified with a degree in Chemical Engineering Chemistry or Materials Science.
• Broad knowledge of Lubrizol products and nomenclature industry specifications competitors OEMs and primary markets
• Comprehensive understanding of the End-to-End innovation process across a variety of innovation risk levels i.e. experience in the stage-gate process as well as the metered funding VC model or Discovery Incubate Accelerate (DIA) process. Experience in agile/scrum framework business model innovation and rapid product derisking
• Experienced leading innovation/business development projects from quantifying customer needs and the customer problem(s) to developing and executing a go-to-market program that generated impactful business revenue. Demonstrated experience growing businesses from opportunity assessment to impactful business revenue ($10MM).
• Is recognized for understanding the relationship between additive chemistry chemical/physical function and marketing/sales platforms
• Understands technical support services and their inter-relationship and value to the commercial groups
• Deep knowledge of domains such as Future Mobility/Battery Materials Biotechnology Agriculture and Advanced Compute. Expertise in battery materials with technical understanding of battery technologies (Lithium-ion batteries) competitive landscape and ecosystem.
• Demonstrates a good working knowledge of the technology platform required to support at least one business segment
• Customer engagement experienced in understanding customer problems and needs collaborating with commercial organization to engage with customers/end users
• 15 years experience in Technology Management Business Development Innovation or closely related discipline in a B2B environment
• Team Leadership experience both project and people based with a bias to action. Strong organizational networking and collaboration to ensure portfolio and project alignment with existing businesses across the regions.