Global ingredients & specialty chemical supplier is looking to fill a Director of Commercial Strategy and Continuous Improvement position, based ideally in the Houston, TX area. Other locations in the USA are also a possibility but will increase the amount of overnight travel. This is a high exposure senior level strategic management position. It is responsible for the mid- to long-term growth agenda within the Ingredients & Specialties business units of a large global chemical company. The role owns a portfolio of forward-looking initiatives—defining opportunities, building business cases, and mobilizing cross-functional teams to deliver. Success requires moving seamlessly between strategy and execution while maintaining momentum across multiple initiatives. This is an excellent opportunity to join a large complex global organization in a challenging strategic role. It's also a solid income opportunity with excellent opportunities for career growth and development. Overnight travel should be <25%.

Responsibilities: The ideal candidate combines analytical skills with strong commercial instincts and the ability to influence across a complex organization.

Growth & Commercial Strategy (Primary Focus)

•  Identify, prioritize, and shape mid- to long-term commercial growth opportunities.

•  Own a dynamic portfolio of forward-looking growth and transformation initiatives.

•  Develop enterprise-grade business cases that frame strategic choices and quantify value creation.

•  Build and pressure-test business cases.

•  Partner with commercial, product, and marketing to evolve go-to-market models.

•  Develop forward-looking, data-driven frameworks for customer and product profitability analysis.

•  Identify where advanced analytics, AI, and digital capabilities can accelerate growth.

Continuous Improvement & Operations 

•  Map current-state business processes.

•  Lead cross-functional teams.

•  Estimate financial value and operational impact.

•  Plan change management activities.

Program Management & Execution

•  Facilitate requirements gathering, vendor selection, and proposal structuring.

•  Oversee build and activation phases.

•  Hold regular Steering Committee meetings.

•  Ensure accurate, auditable tracking of initiative performance.

•  Develop clear value cases and monitor their progress.

Stakeholder Management

•  Align diverse stakeholders around a single vision.

•  Organize and lead portfolio review meetings.

•  Escalate potential roadblocks quickly.

•  Drive ownership, accountability, and sense of urgency.

Requirements: 

• Bachelor’s degree required, Advanced degree preferred (MBA, Economics, Operations Research, Statistics, Data Science or related disciplines)
• 10+ years of experience, including 2+ years of managerial or team lead experience, in management consulting, corporate strategy, commercial excellence, continuous improvement, or enterprise transformation roles
• Demonstrated track record leading growth and commercial workstreams: pricing, go-to-market, customer segmentation, sales force effectiveness, or revenue optimization
• Experience leading multiple large-scale ($1m+) initiatives, preferably spanning both growth/commercial and cost/operational improvement programs
• Experience managing external advisors, including management consultants, technology vendors, and analytics partners
• Private equity portfolio company or PE-backed environment experience strongly preferred
• Industry experience in specialty chemicals distribution, ingredients, food & nutrition, personal care, or B2B distribution is a plus but not required

Company Information: Global ingredients & specialty chemical business unit within a large global chemical company. Industry leader with excellent career growth and development opportunities.

Compensation: Base salary: $200,000 - $260,000 commensurate with experience. Bonus: 25% of base salary per year is targeted. The bonus can go as high as 2X of the targeted bonus level. Excellent company benefits. Opportunities for career growth and advancement.