Manager EXO Supply Industrial Chemistry

Location: Darmstadt, Germany or Warsaw, Poland (with regular travel to third‑party manufacturing sites across Europe and APAC)
Function: Supply Chain – External Operations (EXO)
Reports to: Director EXO Europe & Asia Pacific
Employment Type: Full‑time | Permanent

If you're passionate about industrial chemistry, manufacturing excellence, and making tangible impact across a global supply network, we'd love to hear from you.

The Opportunity

As Manager EXO Supply Industrial Chemistry, you will play a pivotal technical role within our External Operations organization. Acting as the key technical partner for our third‑party manufacturers (TPMs), you'll connect manufacturing, R&D, procurement, quality, and regulatory teams to ensure robust manufacturing processes, successful product launches, business continuity, and continuous cost optimization.

What You'll Do

Drive Technical Excellence

• Serve as the primary technical contact for third‑party manufacturers on raw materials, bulk manufacturing, and process performance.
• Collaborate closely with R&D, regulatory, procurement, and quality to ensure manufacturing aligns with approved technical standards.
• Support technical problem‑solving, process improvements, and material strategy implementation.

Lead Cost Optimization Projects

• Deliver raw material and process cost‑saving initiatives while maintaining product quality and compliance.
• Evaluate raw material substitutions, process improvements, MOQ optimization, and equipment enhancements.
• Coordinate technical feasibility assessments and provide manufacturing expertise during supplier selection activities.

Execute Manufacturing Projects

• Plan and lead engineering runs, process qualifications, validation activities, and production readiness.
• Coordinate technical activities across TPMs, ensuring projects progress through key milestones on time.
• Maintain strong project governance while proactively managing technical risks and escalations.

Strengthen Supply Continuity

• Lead raw material qualification and manufacturing transfer activities to secure supply and improve network resilience.
• Support qualification of new equipment and manufacturing capabilities across strategic external manufacturing partners.

Support Strategic Transformation

• Represent Industrial Chemistry within major global supply chain and digital transformation programs.
• Contribute to initiatives focused on SAP master data, Bill of Materials, portfolio simplification, and end‑to‑end supply chain optimization.

Maintain Technical Data Excellence

• Ensure accurate technical master data and qualification records.
• Maintain visibility of technical risks, qualification status, and portfolio readiness across the external manufacturing network.

Develop Capability & Promote Safety

• Coach manufacturing partners and internal stakeholders on technical processes and best practices.
• Promote safe chemical handling and ensure compliance with all company safety standards during manufacturing activities.

What We're Looking For

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or another relevant scientific discipline (or an equivalent technical qualification with significant industry experience).
• At least 3 years of experience in industrial manufacturing, process chemistry, or chemical production within Beauty, FMCG, Pharmaceutical, Food, Paint, or a related industry.
• Experience supporting manufacturing qualification, process validation, or technology transfer activities.
• Demonstrated project management skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Working knowledge of SAP (ECC and/or RD/EPD), Microsoft Excel, and project management tools.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to build relationships across manufacturing, R&D, procurement, quality, and external partners.
• Professional proficiency in English.
• Willingness to travel regularly across Europe and Asia Pacific.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in Chemistry or Chemical Engineering.
• Experience within Professional Beauty, Hair Care, Hair Color, or Nail Care manufacturing.
• Lean, Six Sigma, Green Belt, PMP, or equivalent continuous improvement or project management certification.
• Experience using AI-enabled productivity tools, workflow automation (such as Power Automate), Power BI, SQL, or Databricks.

What Success Looks Like

• Deliver impactful cost‑saving initiatives.
• Ensure manufacturing projects are completed on time and to the highest technical standards.
• Strengthen business continuity through successful qualification and transfer activities.
• Build strong partnerships with global manufacturing sites and cross‑functional teams.
• Drive continuous improvement across our external manufacturing network.

We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer and welcome applications from all qualified candidates.