Head of Marketing and Advertising

Title: Market Manager
KAI) is a global leader in specialty chemical, fiber, and resin production. With top‑of‑the‑line research and production facilities and a vast network of supplies from around the world, Kuraray leads the industry in specialty dental, fiber, resin, and elastomer products. Kuraray has operations in 32 countries and employs more than 11,000 employees, including over 800 in the United States.

Kuraray is building a better tomorrow, today. our team shares the advantages of working for the leader in specialty chemicals, resins, and fibers. Our international presence and resources allow us to be a world‑leading innovator in the industries we service. The Vectran Market Manager is responsible for leading market development, sales support, and marketing strategy for Vectran products across North America. This role serves as the primary liaison between customers, sales, technical teams, and global stakeholders to drive sustainable growth, pricing strategy, and competitive positioning. The position represents North America within the broader sales organization and contributes to the development of policies, procedures, and long‑term objectives related to the marketing and sale of Vectran products and services. Candidates must reside in or be willing to relocate to Fort Mill or the surrounding area.

Business Development & Customer Management

Conduct sales calls and manage ongoing engagement with existing and prospective customers.

Identify and clarify key issues and opportunities within large, complex customer accounts.

Navigate and manage complex supply chains and new or emerging territories.

Prepare price quotations and customer proposals.

Communicate terms of sale, contract conditions, and delivery timelines to customers.

Compile and analyze data related to market trends and competitive products.

Technical & Customer Support

Provide technical support for major customer accounts in the U.Coordinate with North American and Japanese technical resources to support customers.

Analyze customer products, competitive offerings, and manufacturing processes.

Support customer process improvement initiatives.

Contribute to new fiber product development efforts in collaboration with technical teams.

New Product Development & Market Intelligence

Support new product development by identifying customer needs and market opportunities.

Gather and evaluate customer ideas and feedback to inform innovation efforts.

Communicate insights to technical and R&D teams to enable targeted research activities.

Develop and manage pricing plans over multi‑year periods.

Maintain and update customer sales databases.

Support inventory management and production planning through accurate forecasting and data analysis.

Pricing & Financial Management

Develop and manage SG&A budgets related to sales and marketing activities.

Oversee SG&A projects to ensure alignment with business objectives and financial targets.

Marketing Strategy & Promotion

Develop and execute marketing strategies to support sales growth.

Manage cooperative marketing support initiatives with customers.

Support joint customer advertising and promotional campaigns.

Plan and implement direct advertising and promotional activities to strengthen market presence.

BS in Engineering (chemical, mechanical, polymer, textile) or a Technical Field is required.

Minimum of 5 years of professional experience in sales and marketing/market development in technical fiber, textile markets, or related industries.

Up to 50% travel, including international (Europe & Asia).

Strong knowledge of core business topics, including finance, legal (contracts, intellectual property, and risk management), and sales and marketing.

Thorough technical understanding of fibers and textiles, as well as related products (e.g., Familiarity with technical sales/marketing techniques (e.g. box sales).

Experience contributing to industry‑relevant white papers or other published technical documents.

Proficiency in PC and business tools, including Power BI, Power Query, SAP, PowerPoint, Word, and Excel.

Strong skills in problem solving, data analysis, budgeting, and financial modeling.

Advanced technical degree (PhD) in polymer, chemical, mechanical, or textile engineering or a related technical discipline.

Working knowledge of relevant technical standards (ropes and cables) and relevant test methods.

Basic knowledge around finite element analysis.

Basic knowledge around finite element analysis.

Statistical analysis/designed experiment experience.

Customer Focus

Building strong customer relationships and delivering customer‑centric solutions.

Building partnerships and working collaboratively with others to meet shared objectives.

Adapting approach and demeanor in real time to match the shifting demands of different situations.

This program is designed to reward individual performance and align overall rewards with corporate and team performance.

Our employees benefit from a robust healthcare package that includes wellness reimbursements, along with generous perks such as three weeks of paid time off, ten company holidays, paid parental leave, education reimbursement, and a matching 401k plan, among other offerings.

Kuraray America, Inc. is an Equal Employment Opportunity/disability/protected veteran status.