Ink Portfolio Manager

Durst Image Technology US and Vanguard Digital Printing Systems are part of the Durst Group, a global leader in advanced digital printing solutions for industrial, graphics, decor, textile, and packaging applications. Durst and Vanguard design, manufacture, and support high-performance UV inkjet printing systems that compete at the highest levels of quality, reliability, and productivity.

In the North American market, inks are not a commodity-they are a critical performance differentiator. Our ink portfolio is engineered to deliver consistent print quality, durability, regulatory compliance, and long-term customer value across a wide range of substrates, applications, and production environments. Success in this space requires deep technical expertise, disciplined vendor management, and close collaboration across R&D, Sales, Service, and Applications.

This role sits at the center of that effort.

The Role

The Technical Ink Manager is the technical and strategic owner of Durst and Vanguard's North American ink portfolio. This role serves as the central interface between OEM ink suppliers, internal R&D, Sales, Service, and Applications teams, ensuring inks remain a differentiated, high-performance, and compliant component of Durst equipment solutions.

This position owns ink quality, performance, and regulatory integrity and serves as the subject-matter expert for all ink-related technical, commercial, and operational matters in the North American market.

What You'll Own

Ink Strategy & Vendor Leadership

• Lead North American ink supplier relationships and coordinate with EU R&D partners, serving as the primary technical contact for ink specifications, performance standards, and compliance requirements
• Define North American ink development priorities, including new formulations, reformulations, and product lifecycle transitions aligned with customer needs and equipment roadmaps
• Support pricing, supply, and contract discussions with ink vendors to ensure alignment with cost targets, volume expectations, and performance standards

Quality, Performance & Issue Resolution

• Establish and maintain ink performance standards across all ink families, including color accuracy, adhesion, durability, jetting behavior, and substrate compatibility
• Own escalated ink quality, batch, or performance issues, driving structured root cause analysis, corrective actions, and proactive customer communication
• Benchmark Durst and Vanguard inks against competitive alternatives to identify performance gaps and continuous improvement opportunities

Sales, Service & Applications Enablement

• Serve as the escalation point for ink-related technical issues in support of Service and Applications teams
• Partner with Sales and Marketing to position inks as a competitive advantage in the equipment sales process
• Develop and maintain technical documentation and sales enablement materials, including performance data, compliance documentation, and application guidance
• Deliver targeted training to Sales and channel partners

Regulatory Compliance & Risk Management

• Ensure all ink products meet applicable regulatory, safety, and certification requirements, including food contact, VOC, and chemical compliance standards
• Proactively manage regulatory changes and component updates with suppliers to prevent field disruption
• Maintain accurate, current, and accessible technical and regulatory documentation for internal teams and customers

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Participate in ink governance and review forums to track quality metrics, open issues, development projects, vendor performance, and roadmap alignment
• Provide technical input on emerging applications, substrates, and market trends
• Support ink product lifecycle decisions, including product introductions, optimizations, phase-outs, and customer transition planning

What You'll Bring

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Print Technology, or a related technical field
• Five or more years of experience in digital UV inkjet, ink or materials development, or OEM printing equipment environments
• Demonstrated experience leading external supplier or technology partner relationships in a technical capacity
• English proficiency
• Proven ability to navigate OEM and customer relationships

Technical Expertise

• Strong understanding of UV inkjet systems, ink chemistry, printhead behavior, and curing technologies
• Working knowledge of color management, print quality metrics, and substrate compatibility
• Familiarity with ink-related regulatory and compliance standards

Core Competencies

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with a structured approach to root cause analysis
• Clear written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex technical topics for non-technical audiences
• Ability to work independently, take ownership of issues, and drive them to resolution
• Strong business acumen and cross-functional collaboration skills