Application Manager Automotive Jobs (NOW HIRING)

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Professional Concord, NC, US

Americhem is a globally recognized designer and manufacturer of custom color masterbatch, functional additives, engineered compounds and performance technologies. Our business is built around delivering Performance, Solutions and Trust through close collaboration with customers seeking to optimize their polymer products. All of our products are backed by complete technical support that ensures quality, reliability, and value.

The Global Market Manager – Automotive is responsible for developing and executing global market strategies that drive sustainable, profitable growth across Americhem's Automotive portfolio. As the organization's automotive market expert, this role identifies where Americhem should compete, how it can win, and what capabilities, technologies, and strategic partnerships are required to accelerate growth across the global automotive value chain.

• Develop and execute global automotive market strategies that drive profitable, sustainable long-term growth across OEM, Tier 1, and Tier 2 customer segments.
• Identify, evaluate, and prioritize emerging opportunities within the automotive industry, including electric vehicles (EVs), autonomous and connected vehicles, lightweighting, interior aesthetics, sustainability, battery technologies, and advanced mobility solutions.
• Analyze automotive market trends, customer needs, competitive dynamics, regulatory changes, and technology advancements to shape strategic direction and strengthen Americhem's competitive positioning.
• Identify high-growth automotive applications and platforms that align with Americhem's material technologies, innovation capabilities, and value proposition, and develop targeted growth strategies for each.
• Develop market entry, expansion, and commercialization strategies for emerging automotive technologies, vehicle platforms, and geographic markets.
• Support Americhem's M&A strategy by identifying and evaluating acquisition opportunities, strategic partnerships, and technology investments that strengthen the company's automotive portfolio and market position.
• Lead Voice of Customer (VoC), market intelligence, and competitive benchmarking initiatives to identify unmet customer needs, future mobility trends, and new business opportunities.
• Partner with Product Management and R&D to translate automotive market insights into product roadmaps, material innovations, technology platforms, and portfolio investment priorities.
• Evaluate market attractiveness, competitive positioning, investment opportunities, and business cases to support strategic planning, resource allocation, and long-term growth decisions.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Business Development, Product Management, R&D, Marketing, Regional Commercial Teams, Operations, and Corporate Development to successfully execute automotive growth strategies.
• Serve as Americhem's subject matter expert for the global automotive market, providing strategic insights that influence customer engagement, commercial strategy, product development, and business planning.
• Build alignment across global regions and cross-functional teams to ensure consistent or regional-specific execution of automotive growth initiatives and achievement of business objectives.
• Develop and maintain expertise in global automotive regulations, OEM specifications, sustainability requirements, material qualification processes, and emerging industry standards that influence customer adoption and market success.
• Establish and strengthen strategic relationships with automotive OEMs, Tier suppliers, industry associations, technology partners, and key customers to accelerate innovation, market penetration, and long-term business growth.

• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Business, Engineering, or related field; MBA preferred.
• 7+ years in market management, commercial strategy, or segment leadership roles, preferably within the plastics, polymers, or specialty materials industries.
• Proven success in segment execution, financial analysis, and global collaboration across sales, marketing, and technology functions

• Entrepreneurial mindset with the ability to identify and develop new growth opportunities.
• Demonstrated curiosity and passion for emerging technologies, materials, and end-use applications.
• Experience evaluating and entering new markets or industry verticals.
• Ability to connect market needs with innovation, product development, and commercial strategy.
• Comfortable operating in ambiguity and building strategies for markets where Americhem has limited existing presence.