Innovation & Commercialization Lead

Drives Business Growth: By leading new product development and commercialization, the role enables the company to expand market offerings, capture new opportunities, and strengthen competitive advantage.Ensures Market Relevance: Translates customer insights, market trends, and business strategy into innovative products that meet evolving customer needs and expectations.Optimizes Product Performance & Cost: Balances innovation with manufacturability, quality, and cost-efficiency, ensuring products are not only technically sound but also commercially viable.Responsibilities Product Development & InnovationLead ideation, feasibility studies, and technical evaluations for new products or product enhancements.Benchmark industry trends, competitor products, and technology developments to identify innovation opportunities.Define detailed product specifications (mechanical properties, coating thickness, paint formulation, durability standards, etc.).Collaborate with internal R&D, external research institutes, and suppliers for joint product development. Pilot Trials & Process IntegrationPlan and execute lab-scale and plant-scale production trials for new or modified products.Define process control parameters and ensure manufacturability without compromising cost or quality.Conduct structured trial reviews, analyze root causes of failures, and document learnings for future references.Work with maintenance and engineering to align on new equipment, modifications, or tooling needs for product readiness. Commercialization & Go-to-Market ExecutionPrepare business cases including ROI analysis, cost-to-serve, and margin structure for management approval.Build and manage commercialization timelines, ensuring readiness across manufacturing, logistics, quality, and sales.Create launch kits (datasheets, brochures, technical guidelines, process standards) for customer-facing teams.Coordinate with Sales & Marketing to prepare launch strategies, including pilot customers and phased roll-out plans. Cross-Functional Leadership & Stakeholder ManagementAct as overall project leader for all product development projects, ensuring alignment across stakeholders.Facilitate cross-functional project reviews, status updates, and steering committee reports.Balance trade-offs between manufacturing capability, commercial requirements, and customer expectations.Mentor and guide team members to develop technical and project management capabilities. Customer Engagement & Market InterfaceWork directly with key customers to capture voice of customer (VOC) and translate into product features.Support technical presentations, plant audits, and product qualification with strategic customers.Serve as technical escalation point for product-related issues in the field, coordinating corrective actions.Monitor competitor activities and provide insights for differentiation and positioning. Governance, Compliance & DocumentationEnsure adherence to international standards (ASTM, JIS, SNI, ISO) and group technical standards.Manage product certification, approvals, and compliance with environmental, safety, and regulatory requirements.Maintain complete product lifecycle documentation including specifications, change management records, and customer approvals.Implement structured stage-gate process for product introduction. Cont. Improvement & Lifecycle ManagementDrive cost-reduction initiatives through material substitution, yield improvement, and process optimization.Review product performance data, warranty claims, and customer complaints for improvement opportunities.Manage product rationalization by assessing profitability, sales volume, and strategic value of existing products.Implement lessons learned from commercialization into standardized processes.Qualification And/or Experienced Required Education & Technical KnowledgeBachelor’s degree in engineering (Metallurgy, Chemical, Industrial, Mechanical). Master’s degree (MBA or Engineering) is a strong advantage.Solid understanding of coated steel manufacturing processes (CRM, CGL, CCL, painting/coating).Knowledge of metallurgy, polymer chemistry, and corrosion protection technologies is highly desirable.Familiarity with Lean Six Sigma, DOE (Design of Experiment), FMEA, and stage-gate product development processes. Professional Experience8–10 years of experience in steel, metals, coatings, or related manufacturing industry.Minimum 3–5 years in leadership or managerial role with proven ability to lead cross-functional projects.Demonstrated success in developing and launching new products into the market.Experience in managing product certifications, customer qualifications, and compliance requirements. Leadership & Project ManagementStrong project management skills: ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously under tight timelines.Skilled in stakeholder management with proven record of influencing across functions (Sales, Supply Chain, Finance, etc.).Demonstrated ability to make data-driven decisions and present business cases to senior leadership.Experience in change management and leading teams through ambiguity. Behavioral CompetenciesStrategic thinker with strong business acumen and customer orientation.Excellent communication and presentation skills in English (written and spoken).Strong problem-solving and analytical skills with attention to detail.High adaptability, resilience, and results-driven mindset.Ability to balance innovation with practicality (risk vs. reward).Strong commitment to safety, compliance, and sustainability.At NS BlueScope our success comes from our people. We choose to treat each other with trust and respect. We understand that the range of perspectives that result from having a diverse and inclusive workplace will strengthen NS BlueScope’s capability for continued and sustained business success.