Assistant Manager, Technical Services - Footwear

Job Description:

Huntsman Corporation is now looking for a dynamic individual as an Assistant Manager, Technical Services - Footwear. They will serve as a key technical resource for Huntsman's Polyurethane Business in the ISC region, with a primary focus on Footwear & Elastomer Segment. This role is critical for driving innovation, supporting product development and ensuring customer satisfaction through timely technical support & trouble shooting.

The incumbent will identify new applications and technology platforms for both existing and emerging market spaces, while providing hands on technical expertise and strategic guidance to internal teams and external stakeholders. By combining deep technical knowledge with strong customer engagement, the Assistant Manager, Technical Services - Footwear will play a pivotal role in positioning Huntsman as the preferred supplier of Polyurethane solutions in India.

This position will be based in Calicut, India.

As anAssistant Manager, Technical Services, you will:

Customer Technical Service

Provide on-site technical support to PU footwear manufacturers across India.

Major Activities:

• Troubleshoot production issues related to PU processing.
• Conduct plant trials and support
• Identify root causes of technical problems and recommend corrective actions.
• Investigate customer complaints and coordinate technical resolution with internal quality/R&D teams.
• Use structured problem-solving approaches such as 5 Why, Fishbone, DOE and root-cause analysis where appropriate.
• Monitor trial performance and ensure agreed corrective actions are implemented.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives at customer manufacturing sites.
• Provide technical guidance on machine/process parameters and raw-material combinations.

Product Development & Application Support

Support development of new PU footwear applications including safety shoes, casual footwear, sports footwear, sandals, soles and other PU components.

Major Activities:

• Support in arranging the materials for the trials by coordination with Application development and Production team.
• Drive customer new product requirements up to commercialisation
• Conduct customer trials for new PU systems, raw materials and formulations working closely with the product development team.
• Work with Global R&D team to translate customer requirements into technical solutions.
• Support benchmarking of competitive PU systems and products.
  Document trial results, recommendations and technical learnings.

Key Account Management & New Business development

Support in implementing and managing the agreed Key Account Management Plans for Key Customers and thereby ensuring major share of business by Differentiation and Value creation. Support in converting NBD customers by positioning products.

Major Activities:

• Plan and execute Key Account Management activities and technical development plan
• Timely circulation of visit reports, audit reports and monthly report to customer and internal.
• Coordinate& review the progress on quarterly basis with the customer and Sales manager.
• Work closely with customers and understand their needs and deliver the support
• Gather Voice of Customer (VOC) and competitor intelligence from the South & Indian footwear market.
• Conduct time to time process audits and trainings to the customers.
• Prepare event calendar for EHS, Process and Quality audits and execute.
• Support in identifying new customers - New Business and conduct trials and position Huntsman products.

Project Management & EHS Compliance

• Develop detailed product specifications and create robust project plans to manage the entire product development lifecycle from concept to commercialization.
• Identify potential risks and issues during development and post‑implementation phases, ensuring timely mitigation strategies.
• Uphold strict adherence to Health, Safety, and Environmental (HSE) policies, ensuring compliance during all site‑based activities and customer trials.

Training - Technical, Quality & Safety
Carry out periodic Technical, Quality & Safety Training for customers, distributors and internal Sales teams.

Major Activities:

• Develop application guidelines, troubleshooting guides and technical presentations.
• Demonstrate best practices for PU processing and footwear manufacturing.
• Build customer capability in process optimisation and quality improvement
• Conduct Periodic Safety & quality audits at key customers and train their key stake holders

What skills and experiences are we looking for

• The job holder needs to be Graduate in Chemistry, Polymers or other Engineering fields
• Negotiation Skills, networking & influencing skills to seek support internally and convince customers, Project Management, Strategic Thinking, KAM.
• Job holder should have minimum of 7-10 years of work experience preferably with at least 5 years of specific PU Process experience.
• Willing to travel more than 60% of time across South India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh to customers and internal meetings.
• Candidate should be fluent in Hindi & English. Proficiency in Malayalam will be an added advantage
• This role demands the job holder to effectively interact internally and externally up to the highest levels across functional, cultural and international boundaries to achieve business objectives

What can we offer

Huntsman offers unsurpassed opportunities to build a successful future. We are a global specialty chemical company with locations in 25 countries around the world, employing over 6,000 associates. Our diverse portfolio creates a range of career fields including manufacturing, research and development, technical services, sales and marketing, customer service - and the list goes on.

Here, you can make an impact and make a difference. Come join us.

Huntsman is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. We provide equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all qualified applicants for employment, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, gender identification, sexual orientation and/or expression or any other characteristic protected by law in every location in which we have facilities national or local.

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