Market & Business Development Leader - Performance Materials

Position Overview We’re looking for someone who genuinely enjoys figuring things out - someone who is curious, willing to test ideas, talk to customers early, and help us separate winners from nice-to-have ideas. This role sits inside our Performance Materials team and partners directly with a technical lead to take early‑stage opportunities from rough concept through the Stage Gate process toward commercialization. It is a hands‑on role, not a desk‑only strategy job. You will spend time with customers to learn what matters and what doesn’t, and help guide investment decisions. Responsibilities Lead the commercial side of early‑stage growth opportunities. Build a simple, clear commercial picture of each opportunity – who it’s for, why it matters, what they’re using today, and what would make them switch. Work side‑by‑side with technical counterparts to ensure priorities align with customer needs. Help guide ideas through the Stage Gate process by grounding decisions in real customer feedback. Oversee the commercial strategy for multiple platforms, shaping portfolio focus. Set or refine criteria to greenlight, pause, or stop opportunities, and contribute to investment discussions at Stage Gate reviews. Engage customers early and often to surface insights about value and adoption. Translate customer needs into clear value propositions and early marketing concepts. Collaborate with R&D, Ops, Supply Chain, and others to embed customer learning into technical discussions. Prepare opportunities so that, when the time comes, a salesperson can pick them up and run with them. Lead the early commercialization strategy for one or more platforms, ensuring consistent positioning, pricing logic, and message. What You'll Need to Succeed Experience 5–10 years in B2B industrial markets (chemicals, materials, automotive components, filtration, engineered products, or similar). Experience taking an idea from concept to something that real customers have seen, handled, reacted to, or tested. Experience with products that have technical differentiation or IP protection, where value must be communicated clearly. Comfortable managing several early‑stage opportunities simultaneously and deciding which deserve more time. Experience working closely with R&D, engineering, or technical teams and translating customer needs into development priorities. Exposure to specification‑driven markets (automotive, electronics, industrial materials, engineered systems). Experience leading complex opportunity portfolios, influencing investment decisions, and shaping multi‑year platform strategy (preferred). Experience coaching or leading other BD, product, or commercial team members (preferred). Skills Strong curiosity – a passion for asking questions and learning fast. Ability to test assumptions instead of polishing them. Comfortable building a simple, clear story from incomplete information. Solid executive communication skills: talking to customers, translating technical details, writing concise summaries, and influencing senior leaders. Ability to work independently and move things forward with minimal instruction. Not afraid to say, “This idea isn’t strong enough – let’s stop investing here.” Education Bachelor’s degree in engineering, chemistry, materials, business, or a similar field required. MBA, technical graduate degree, and/or equivalent experience leading multi‑function commercial/technical teams is preferred but not required. Other Requirements Up to ~25 percent travel to customers, plants, or labs. Ability to be hands‑on during early customer testing or trials. Must be legally authorized to work in the United States. This position does not consider employment sponsorship. Ingevity is an Equal Opportunity Employer, Minorities/Women/Veterans/Disabled. #J-18808-Ljbffr Ingevity