R&E Manager

Job Description

You were made to do this work: exploring uncharted questions, engineering innovative solutions, advancing scientific understanding, and constantly pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. You want to be part of a performance culture dedicated to solving real-world problems with purpose and precision. You want to work in an environment that promotes sustainability, inclusion, wellbeing, and career development. In this role, you’ll help us shape the future and improve lives for billions of people around the world.

It starts with YOU.

In this role, you will:

Support the Kimberly Clark North America (KCNA) Front-End Innovation (FEI) Team under the Personal Care R&D organization based in Neenah, Wisconsin. This role oversees the team that is responsible for developing and implementing the Intellectual Assets Strategies for all Personal Care Innovation programs, coordinating Competitive Intelligence testing and reporting and New Technology Development in collaboration with the Innovation Capability Teams (ICT’s). Through engaging in strategic innovation projects across all Personal Care brands, the incumbent will benefit from unique learning opportunities that foster career growth within the organization. The incumbent reports to a Senior Director and receives direction in the form of specific project and innovation pipeline objectives.

Influence

The incumbent will interact daily with the global R&D community consisting of product, process, and material experts accountable for Personal Care IA strategies, KCNA competitive intelligence and technology development. The incumbent will oversee the Intellectual Asset Review Committee (IARC, a cross-functional group of SMEs) and ensure that we are adequately protecting the IP generated from the various Personal Care programs around the world.  The incumbent will also lead and coach the team in obtaining and reporting competitive information, to build the organization’s awareness of competition.  The incumbent will provide leadership and influence the direction of advance material development and validation.  In addition, the incumbent will interface daily with the R&D Leadership Team, planning work assignments for their team members based on future portfolio needs in addition to team leader tasks around talent development and organizational effectiveness.  The incumbent is expected to routinely present to the cross-functional leadership up to CSO and Presidents of the BCC and AFC business units.

Responsibilities/Deliverables

• Lead the Personal Care Intellectual Assets (IA) team to develop and execute the strategies to protect IP that is generated from our innovation programs and research.  Responsibilities in this space include ensuring IA strategies are developed, stakeholders are informed and aligned, and R&D leaders are engaged to mitigate risks as appropriate.  This role is also responsible to lead the Annual Idea Awards to celebrate innovation and IP generation that will translate to Kimberly-Clark’s longer term competitive advantage.
• Lead the KCNA Competitive intelligence team to coordinate and report product testing and product tear downs of relevant competitive launches across personal care, covering both Baby and Child Care (BCC) and Adult and Feminine Care (AFC).  This team also acts as the conduit to the Mind the Gap global competitive intelligence initiative.
• Lead the filling and advancement of the upstream technology pipeline that will enable delivery of KCNA FEI programs across BCC and AFC, in close collaboration with ICT’s (Innovation Capability Team) and Material COE’s (center of excellence).  This role and team will act as the conduit to the upstream team (ICT’s and COE’s) and the KCNA FEI Product Teams – informing the upstream development teams of the technical gaps, while also pulling technologies and conducting “in-product” validations.
• As a key technology development leader, this person will also ensure awareness and access to external technology trends from Asia, which has been an innovation hub in recent years for absorbent hygiene products and nonwoven materials. 
• People leadership to include talent development, performance management, compensation planning and organizational effectiveness. Will lead a team of 7-10 scientists, engineers and technologists.
• Work independently and progress with limited instruction and as part of a larger cross functional team.
• Protect and defend Kimberly-Clark proprietary product and technology through the appropriate use of patents and trade secrets.
• Lead, coach, and mentor team members to increase technical understanding and ability to execute programs to improve Personal Care's business results.
• Ensure all work complies with corporate safety, re