Senior Director, Standards Portfolio (Technology)

UL Standards & Engagement • Evanston, IL

18h • $174,609 - $240,087

About The Position

We have an exciting opportunity for a Senior Director, Standards Portfolio (Technology) at UL Standards & Engagement , based in one of our US offices in Evanston, IL, Durham, NC, Washington DC or in our Ottawa office in Canada. The Senior Director, Standards Portfolio (Technology) will provide enterprise level leadership for a diverse portfolio of broad technology-focused consensus safety standards and safety information to advance the mission of UL Standards & Engagement (ULSE) to make the world safer, more secure, and sustainable. The Senior Director, Standards Portfolio will shape and execute the portfolio strategy for four integrated programs: Building Life-Saving Technology (BLST); Software Enabled Products, Autonomy, and Robots (SEPAR); Appliances, HVAC, and Lighting (AHL); and Sustainability. Through disciplined governance, the Senior Director, Standards Portfolio will ensure the integrity, rigor, and efficiency of the standards development and publication lifecycle, driving relevance, technical excellence, and responsiveness to evolving safety priorities. With a comprehensive command of the safety standards ecosystem, the Senior Director, Standards Portfolio will optimize how standards and safety resources are developed, adopted, used and communicated to maximize real world safety outcomes. As a people leader, the Senior Director, Standards Portfolio will build and nurture a high-performing team that drives the standards development and maintenance process. In partnership with technical leaders, program teams, external collaborators and internal functions, the Senior Director, Standards Portfolio will ensure the portfolio advances public safety, delivers measurable value and strengthens the organization’s position as a trusted leader in safety standards development. UL Standards & Engagement: At UL Standards & Engagement (ULSE) , we expand the boundaries of safety science to create a more secure and sustainable world. For more than a century, we have created new safety standards and shared our findings with academia, scientists, manufacturers, and policymakers across industries. We identify critical safety and sustainability issues, asking the tough questions because we believe a safer world begins with knowledge. Build a safer, more secure, and sustainable future with us. Join us and work with our Standards teams who develop the standards required to put that knowledge into practice. What you’ll learn and achieve: As the Senior Director, Standards Portfolio , you will play a key role in the rapid growth of UL as you:

Requirements

• Deep experience managing complex voluntary consensus standards processes and governance, with focus on overseeing planning, optimization, navigating risk and resource management.
• Seasoned leader with demonstrated experience executing strategy.
• Proven ability to implement strategic direction, interpret, support, and execute organizational strategy while effectively translating objectives into actionable plans and driving successful execution.
• Exceptional people leadership skills with ability to lead, manage and inspire both direct and second-level reports.
• Experience developing high performing teams, setting expectations while establishing and operationalizing clear goals and enforcing accountability for both processes and results.
• Excellent communicator and presenter, skilled in conflict mediation, negotiation and influencing diverse stakeholders.
• Proven capability in establishing effective relationships with others, including senior leaders and external stakeholders.
• Experience fostering collaboration and partnership with cross functional teams to develop solutions with broad impact.
• Strategic thinker with ability to innovate and adapt in a dynamic industry landscape.
• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Minimum 10 years of related work experience in voluntary consensus standards development.
• Progressive experience in safety standards landscape, regulatory environment, or related safety-focused organizations.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary teams and driving accountability for results.

Nice To Haves

• Advanced degree preferred.
• Project management, lean six-sigma, or similar certifications preferred.

Responsibilities

• Steward portfolio of standards addressing fire safety, security, life safety systems, autonomous and AI-enabled technologies, robotics, cybersecurity, connected and healthcare technologies, as well as electrical and mechanical products across consumer, commercial, and industrial environments.
• Further advance standards incorporating technological changes in battery chemistry and associated fire hazards, embedded AI in consumer in industrial products and systems, and circularity principles.
• Set direction for standards priorities and partner with other leaders to establish mutual goals and objectives aligned with ULSE strategic plan.
• Ensures strategic alignment across standards development teams, processes, and approaches.
• Drive cross-functional collaboration, define, create and identify opportunities to bring together resources to solve complex and undefined issues.
• Conduct investigations to understand root cause of diverse challenges and lead process improvement within cross-functional partnerships.
• Continuously segment and monitor the performance and status of the standards portfolio, assess the urgency and support required for each standard to ensure the success of the entire portfolio.
• Implement measures to evaluate the effectiveness and impact of standards development programs.
• Cultivate and sustain strategic partnerships with industry associations, manufacturers, testing and certification bodies, research institutions and other key stakeholders to advance shared safety objectives.
• Strengthening cross sector collaboration to accelerate standards development and drive broad adoption.
• Identify opportunities for portfolio expansion, ensure continuous evolution and relevance of safety standards, and create capacity for new and high-impact standards.
• Lead distributed, multidisciplinary team comprised of direct and indirect reports.
• Effectively leverage skills and knowledge of subject matter experts towards achieving organizational goals to make meaningful impacts and influence standards development.
• Provide guidance, development and accountability to program leaders and oversee the performance and development of broader standards team.
• Lead annual planning and budget process, manage resources effectively and identify opportunities for optimization within the portfolio in collaboration with senior leadership and other functions.
• Contribute to department initiatives as needed.

Benefits

• All employees at UL Standards & Engagement are eligible for bonus compensation.
• We offer comprehensive medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans and a generous 401k matching structure of up to 5% of eligible pay.
• Moreover, we invest an additional 4% into your retirement saving fund after your first year of continuous employment.
• Depending on your role, you may be able to discuss flexible working arrangements with your manager.
• We also provide employees with paid time off, including vacation, holiday, sick, and volunteer days.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director