Market Development Manager

Tredegar Surface Protection seeks a Market Development Manager to identify, evaluate, prioritize, and commercialize growth opportunities in adjacent markets, emerging applications, and technology-driven areas. The role develops market assessments, competitive analyses, financial evaluations, business cases, value propositions, and commercialization plans, while leading cross-functional initiatives from concept through commercialization.

Responsibilities:

• Lead and manage market development processes and growth initiatives for the Surface Protection business
• Identify, evaluate, and prioritize adjacent markets, emerging applications, and technology-driven opportunities that align with our capabilities and strategic objectives
• Develop market assessments, competitive analyses, financial evaluations, strategic business plans, and business cases that guide investment and growth decisions
• Monitor industry trends, customer needs, regulatory developments, and emerging technologies to uncover future growth opportunities
• Assess the market attractiveness, competitive positioning, technical feasibility, and value-creation potential of prospective opportunities
• Recommend opportunities that create sustainable competitive advantage in differentiated, value-added markets
• Build strong relationships with customers, industry experts, suppliers, technology partners, universities, and industry associations to stay ahead of evolving market needs
• Serve as the voice of the market, translating customer requirements and market intelligence into actionable growth initiatives
• Partner with Commercial, Engineering, Research & Development, Manufacturing, Operations, Finance, and other teams to evaluate and develop new products, applications, and markets
• Lead cross-functional growth initiatives from concept through commercialization, including value propositions, commercialization strategies, and go-to-market plans
• Evaluate opportunities to apply existing technologies, products, and manufacturing capabilities in new markets and applications
• Present recommendations, business cases, and strategic insights to senior leadership, influencing decisions through analytical rigor and sound judgment
• Represent Surface Protection at customer meetings, industry events, conferences, and networking forums
• Foster collaboration across functions, businesses, geographies, and organizational levels
• Travel as needed to support customer engagement, industry involvement, and business development activities
• Support other activities as needed to drive overall business growth and strategic effectiveness

Requirements:

• Experience in an industrial or manufacturing environment
• Demonstrated ability to evaluate opportunities through both technical and commercial lenses and to lead cross-functional initiatives from concept through commercialization
• Strong business acumen and analytical capability, with excellent communication and relationship-building skills
• Proven ability to influence and collaborate effectively across functions and organizational levels
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook
• *An equivalent combination of education, experience, and training may be considered
• Immigration sponsorship is not available for this position
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Polymer Science, Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Business, or a related discipline
• Ten or more years of progressive experience in market development, business development, product management, strategy, commercial leadership, engineering, product development, or a related area
• Experience with films, specialty materials, polymers, coatings, adhesives, or advanced materials
• An advanced degree in Engineering, Materials Science, Polymer Science, Business, or a related field