Global Segment Manager - Materials

Illinois Tool Works · Norwood · $150,000–$165,000 (stated in the posting)

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Job Description:

The Materials Segment Manager is responsible for the strategic leadership and growth of Instron's global Materials business, a segment generating more than $100M+ in annual revenue. Serving as the business leader for the segment, this role owns the development and execution of growth strategies that strengthen Instron's market leadership and accelerate organic growth across the industries we serve. 

This individual will combine deep customer understanding, application expertise, market insight, and business acumen to identify where the market is headed, uncover unmet customer needs, and translate those insights into winning business strategies. Working across commercial, product management, engineering, service, operations, and executive leadership teams, the Materials Segment Manager will influence investments, guide innovation priorities, and drive initiatives that create long-term value for customers and shareholders. 

The Materials Segment Manager plays a key role in fulfilling the segments mission: Be the trusted leader in materials testing by combining deep application expertise, standards leadership, and customer-back innovation. We enable customers to advance quality and innovation through reliable, repeatable testing solutions and an exceptional experience across the industries we serve. 

Primary Responsibilities: 

Segment Strategy & Business Leadership 

• Own the strategic direction, growth strategy, and long-term business plan for Instron's global Materials Segment. 

• Lead the development and execution of strategies that achieve bookings, revenue, profitability, market share, and growth objectives. 

• Drive annual and long-range planning processes, ensuring alignment between segment priorities and business objectives. 

• Analyze market trends, competitive dynamics, customer demand, and business performance to identify growth opportunities and business risks. 

• Establish and track key performance metrics and lead regular business reviews to ensure accountability and execution. 

• Recommend resource allocation and investment priorities based on market attractiveness, competitive position, business impact, and return potential. 

• Serve as the primary business advocate and subject matter expert for the Materials Segment across the global organization. 

Team Leadership 

• Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing team focused on strategic marketing, market development, and segment growth. 

• Establish clear objectives, performance expectations, and development plans for team members. 

• Foster a culture of accountability, customer focus, collaboration, and continuous improvement. 

• Develop organizational capabilities in market intelligence, customer insight generation, portfolio management, and strategic planning. 

• Promote knowledge sharing and cross-functional collaboration throughout the organization. 

Portfolio & Innovation Strategy 

• Translate segment portfolio strategy requirements by collaborating with product managers across all products – machine, accessories, software, services, and adjacent offerings. 

• Identify, evaluate, and prioritize new product, application, service, and market opportunities. 

• Lead customer-back innovation initiatives that transform customer insights into validated growth opportunities and compelling business cases. 

• Champion opportunity assessment and investment decisions through Instron's innovation and development processes. 

• Partner with Product Management and Engineering teams to ensure product roadmaps align with customer needs, market trends, and segment growth objectives. 

• Guide portfolio decisions that balance growth, profitability, customer value, and strategic differentiation. 

Customer & Market Insight 

• Develop a deep understanding of customer workflows, testing requirements, pain points, buying behaviors, and emerging application needs. 

• Lead Voice of Customer initiatives, market research, customer visits, and competitive intelligence efforts to identify unmet needs and growth opportunities. 

• Build strong relationships with key customers, industry leaders, standards organizations, academic institutions, and strategic partners. 

• Monitor industry trends, regulatory developments, test standards, and technology advancements that may influence future growth and customer requirements. 

• Translate customer and market insights into actionable business strategies, portfolio priorities, and commercial initiatives. 

• Develop a clear understanding of segment ecosystems, customer value chains, competitors, and routes to market. 

Standards Leadership & Industry Engagement 

• Represent Instron within relevant industry organizations and standards bodies, including ASTM & ISO and other influential industry groups. 

• Identify emerging standards and regulatory developments that create opportunities for Instron to lead the market. 

• Leverage industry relationships and standards leadership to strengthen market position and uncover new growth opportunities. 

Cross-Functional Leadership 

• Influence and align cross-functional teams around shared business priorities, growth initiatives, and investment decisions. 

• Partner with Product Management, Engineering, Operations, Service, Finance, and Commercial leadership to drive execution of segment strategies. 

• Build alignment and drive organizational action without direct authority across global functions. 

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities 

• Exceptional leadership, communication, influence, and interpersonal skills. 

• Strong strategic thinking, business planning, analytical, and problem-solving capabilities. 

• Demonstrated ability to translate market insights into successful growth strategies and business results. 

• Strong understanding of industrial manufacturing, engineering applications, materials testing, capital equipment, or related technical industries. 

• Proven experience leading cross-functional initiatives and influencing organizational decisions. 

• Experience developing business cases, growth strategies, market assessments, and portfolio strategies. 

• Strong commercial acumen, including understanding of revenue growth, profitability, pricing, market share, and return-on-investment principles. 

• Experience operating within a global business environment. 

• Passion for technology, innovation, and customer success. 

Education & Experience 

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Materials Science, Business, Marketing, or a related technical discipline. 

• Advanced business or technical degree preferred. 

• Typically 10+ years of experience across strategic marketing, product management, business leadership, applications engineering, commercial leadership, or related functions. 

• Experience with capital equipment, industrial technology solutions, or materials testing strongly preferred. 

• Experience engaging directly with customers, industry organizations, and standards bodies is highly desirable. 

Working Conditions 

• Daily interaction with a dynamic, collaborative, and highly engaged global team. 

• Hybrid office environment with flexible work arrangements. 

• Travel is expected and will include customer visits, industry conferences, trade events, and global business meetings. 

• Approximately 25-30% travel, including occasional international travel. 

Why Join Instron? 

This is a unique opportunity to shape the future of a business that has defined materials testing excellence for decades. As the leader of one of Instron's most important growth platforms, you will directly influence market strategy, innovation investments, customer engagement, and long-term business performance while working with world-class teams across the globe. 

Join us in helping customers advance quality, safety, compliance, and innovation through the most trusted testing solutions in the world. 

Compensation Information:

This position has a starting salary range of $150,000 to $165,000 per year and is incentive eligible. Pay is determined by several factors, including a candidate’s experience, relevant skills, and qualifications

ITW is an equal opportunity employer. We value our colleagues’ unique perspectives, experiences and ideas and create workplaces where everyone can develop their careers and perform to their full potential. 

As an equal employment opportunity employer, ITW is committed to equal employment opportunity and fair treatment for employees, beginning with the hiring process and continuing through all aspects of the employment relationship. 

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, age, disability, protected Veteran status or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws.

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