Divisional Director - Product Development Europe

Element Materials Technology•Bristol,

About The Position

Element has an exciting opportunity for a Divisional Director, Product Development (PD), to lead the successful operation and growth of the Division. This role is responsible and accountable for all Element business results within the defined area of influence. Reporting to the Vice President of the Business Unit, the Divisional Director will oversee and grow a $60m portfolio across approximately five laboratories in the UK and Europe. This is a senior leadership role with full profit-and-loss accountability, responsible for delivering outstanding customer outcomes, operational excellence, innovation, and strategic execution to drive sustained growth and profitability in line with Element’s strategic objectives. The role requires a strong focus on providing clear tactical direction and leadership support, ensuring consistent alignment and execution across General Managers, while fostering a cohesive and highly effective partnership with the sales and commercial organisation. The successful candidate will act as a visible and decisive leader, setting standards for performance, collaboration, and accountability across the division. This position demands extensive experience within the Product Development and PQT industry, with a proven track record spanning acquisitions, operations, quality management, strategic planning, financial leadership, customer relationship management, and senior‑level commercial engagement. The Divisional Director will play a critical role in shaping the future direction of the business and strengthening Element’s market position across Europe.

Requirements

BSc or MSc degree(or equivalent) in Engineering or a technical discipline; Master’s degree required
Relevant experience in the Aerospace, PD & PQT industry and Testing, Inspection and Certification (TIC) industry with previous significant managerial and leadership responsibility is essential
Demonstrable technical knowledge within the Energy industry
Demonstrable experience in leading and managing both a material testing operation essential
Must have demonstrated success in the writing of project plans and driving them to conclusion
Must have experience managing a project-driven business
Must be experienced in managing complex and sensitive issues
Must have knowledge of business improvement procedures, operational plans, technology implementation, and property relocation
Must be proficient in standard office software and computer systems
Ability to influence others towards action or a particular point of view
Knowledge of operational issues and concerns of the location supervised
Demonstrated strong interpersonal skills and listening ability to communicate effectively with all stakeholders
Exhibit the ability to encourage and sustain the high performance of employees and provide appropriate developmental opportunities
Ability to accept responsibility for location activities and outcomes

Responsibilities

Run the 5 labs as a high-growth, high-margin and high-performance Division
Strategically grow the business with a focus on large-scale partnerships and projects with critical strategic customers, driving incremental growth for the division
Assure the safety of all colleagues and customers
Own the annual operational plan commitments, including revenues, profit, productivity, quality, customer delivery, staffing, and other operational performance areas, with a strong focus on accurate and timely forecasting
Establish and lead a customer-centric approach, in close partnership with the Commercial team, and measure progress towards relevant goals
Role model a strong commercial partnership and demonstrate how that partnership and shared actions drive budgeted growth
Provide leadership to assigned teams and demonstrate strong, strategic partnerships with Safety and Health, Quality, Finance, Human Resources, Sales, and Operational Excellence teams
Execute strategic and organisational goals as mutually defined with Element leadership team by translating corporate initiatives and plans into formal action plans for the area of influence
Drive continuous improvement with demonstrated results around an incident-free and safe working environment for colleagues, high first-time right performance, and excellent internal and external audit performance
Bring order, structure, and accountability through regular team meetings
Develop and foster a positive culture at relevant laboratories, bringing Element’s mission to life and leading in accordance with Element’s values
Provide strong personal leadership, mentorship, and developmental opportunities for assigned locations and colleagues
Attend and speak at industry and association meetings, identifying opportunities for lab colleagues to present papers, network, and share industry knowledge as thought leaders and trusted partners in the industry
Other duties as assigned to support the broader business and foster a collaborate team environment