Product Manager - Vinyl Ester & Specialty Polymers

Interplastic Corporation•Saint Paul, MN

44d•$119,000 - $145,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Product Manager – Vinyl Ester & Specialty Polymers is responsible for driving the strategic direction, commercial success, and lifecycle management of IP Corporation's portfolio of formulated vinyl ester resins and other specialty polymer products. This role serves as the central connection between customers, sales, R&D, manufacturing, supply chain, and regulatory teams to ensure products meet evolving market needs while delivering profitable growth. Reporting to the Sr. Business Manager – Specialty Polymers, the Product Manager will translate customer application requirements and market insights into product strategies, support new product development, optimize existing formulations, and help guide pricing, forecasting, and portfolio decisions. This position requires a strong combination of commercial acumen, technical expertise, and cross-functional leadership.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, or a related technical field.
Five (5) or more years of experience within specialty chemicals, formulated products, resin manufacturing, or related industries.
Experience in Product Management, Technical Marketing, Applications Engineering, or another customer-facing technical/commercial role.
Strong understanding of product lifecycle management and commercial product strategy.
Knowledge of resin markets, application requirements, and value-based selling principles.
Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional initiatives and influence stakeholders without direct authority.
Excellent analytical, communication, organizational, and project management skills.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, including Excel and PowerPoint.

Nice To Haves

Experience working with vinyl ester, unsaturated polyester (UPR), epoxy, gel coat, or other thermoset resin formulations.
Experience with pricing strategies, feedstock volatility, and raw material sourcing within specialty chemical markets.
Product line P&L or margin management experience.
Experience supporting multi-site manufacturing operations or global product portfolios.
MBA or advanced technical degree.

Responsibilities

Manage the full lifecycle of assigned vinyl ester and specialty polymer product lines, from concept and development through commercialization, optimization, and product retirement.
Develop and execute product roadmaps aligned with business strategy, customer needs, manufacturing capabilities, and market trends.
Define product positioning, value propositions, target applications, and performance objectives.
Conduct regular portfolio reviews to identify opportunities for new products, line extensions, reformulations, cost optimization, and portfolio rationalization.
Support new product introductions by partnering with cross-functional teams throughout development and commercialization.
Serve as the voice of the customer by translating application requirements into actionable product development priorities.
Partner with Sales and Technical Service to support customer visits, technical discussions, product evaluations, and application trials.
Act as the primary technical and commercial subject matter expert for vinyl ester and specialty polymer products.
Monitor industry trends, competitive activity, feedstock markets, and emerging technologies to identify growth opportunities and mitigate business risks.
Develop a deep understanding of customer applications, processing requirements, regulatory considerations, and performance expectations.
Support pricing strategies that balance customer value, market competitiveness, raw material costs, and profitability.
Monitor product line performance including sales volume, margin, profitability, and market share.
Provide forecasting input and actively participate in Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) activities.
Develop business cases supporting new product development, reformulation initiatives, and capital investments.
Recommend actions to improve product profitability and long-term portfolio performance.
Collaborate closely with R&D, Manufacturing, Procurement, Quality, Supply Chain, Regulatory, and Commercial teams to execute product strategies.
Translate market requirements into clearly defined technical development objectives and product specifications.
Ensure formulations are scalable, manufacturable, cost-effective, and aligned with operational capabilities.
Support product launches by developing technical documentation, product positioning materials, customer communications, and internal training resources.
Maintain strong technical knowledge of resin chemistry, formulated systems, additives, fillers, pigments, inhibitors, and curing technologies.
Support product stewardship initiatives by ensuring compliance with applicable environmental, regulatory, and safety requirements.
Lead or support reformulation efforts driven by regulatory changes, raw material availability, supply disruptions, or cost reduction initiatives.
Partner with laboratory and technical service teams to support product validation, troubleshooting, and field performance improvements.