Technical Service Manager at Daramic

Opportunity Snapshot

Top reasons to align your career with Daramic.

If you combine technical expertise in the lead acid battery market with outstanding communication skills and the ability to directly support customer issues and Sales and Marketing efforts, the individual contributor role of Technical Service Manager offers some compelling opportunities. You will: 

• Impact new sales and customer retention by working closely with customers to solve problems and serving as the technical subject-matter-expert for new lead acid battery products.
• Enjoy "best of both worlds" opportunity -- the innovative culture and smaller company atmosphere of Daramic, along with the stability and resources of our parent companies, Polypore International and Asahi Kasei.
• Earn competitive compensation, including company bonus potential, and comprehensive benefits along with advancement opportunities. In fact, history shows that this role has served as a springboard to other opportunities within our organization.
• Join Daramic, a company that is proactive about succession planning and allowing team members to drive their futures. While you could be happy and challenged in this role for years to come, should you desire, you could pursue advancement in Owensboro or at eight other plants worldwide, or pursue advancement in other Polypore International or Asahi Kasei Group companies in the U.S. and abroad. 

For over 85 years, Daramic, LLC has led the way in developing new and innovative technology for the lead acid battery market. With headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina, USA— Daramic supplies high-performance polyethylene and phenolic resin battery separators to the lead acid battery industry. Daramic is part of Polypore International, a leading global high technology company specializing in microporous membranes. Polypore brings advanced development and manufacturing know-how as well as unique problem-solving capabilities to customers' lithium-ion and lead-acid battery development teams. Polypore is an AsahiKasei Group company, which is a diversified group of companies led by holding company Asahi Kasei Corp., with operations in the material, homes, and health care business sectors.

The Requirements

Find out what it takes to qualify for this high-impact role.

To meet the basic qualification for this role, you will have legal authorization to work permanently in the United States for any employer without requiring a visa transfer or visa sponsorship. In addition, to be a good fit for the Technical Service Manager opportunity, you will have:

• A bachelor's degree in Engineering or Science  
• 5-10 years’ experience working as an engineer for a battery manufacturer or supplier  
• Deep knowledge of lead acid battery chemistry, manufacturing processes and technology
• Excellent interpersonal and verbal and written communication skills 
• Statistical analysis knowledge and ability to analyze data
• Manufacturing experience preferred
• Ability to communicate effectively with technical and non-technical stakeholders
• Ability and desire to work in a collaborative, team-oriented environment
• Self-motivation and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced role, balancing multiple tasks and responsibilities 

In addition, you must be willing to travel across North and South America as needed to support customers and the Sales team. Travel tends to ebb and flow. Typically, you'll travel approximately 25% but at times travel could scale to 50%. Schedule flexibility will be essential.  

Pictured: The Owensboro Plant and Global R&D Center.

The Role

If you meet the minimum qualifications, feel free to apply at any time. If you'd like some additional details about the role, please read below.

Reporting to the R&D Manager, you will serve as our technical expert on lead acid battery products. Your role will focus on two key areas:

1. Supporting customers across the Americas with technical issues; solving problems.
2. Supporting the Americas Sales and Marketing team with new differentiated products in order to help drive sales and close new business.

As part of your specific duties, you will:

• Establish relationships with key technical counterparts at our customers.
• Work with customers in North and South America to solve their technical issues.
• Maintain good working relationships to foresee critical shifts in market requirements, understanding the perception of Daramic’s products and service and making sure we are meeting needs in the appropriate manner so that we can continue healthy business relationships.
• Communicate issues and key information to appropriate personnel within the business to maintain relationships and a market leadership position. For instance, new demands upon the battery manufacturer will need to be translated into Daramic vernacular.
• Maintain excellent and regular communication with Daramic’s other Technical Service Centers. This will be necessary to accomplish extensive testing and trials, with the appropriate Sales personnel so they may coordinate customer visits and with  Site Managers regarding any ongoing technical work.
• Propose, monitor and execute jointly developed plans with customers to meet their technical requirements. These plans are to be balanced with respect to customers' requests and Daramic’s capabilities.
• Provide internal technical support as required to Sales, Manufacturing and Finance. Technical support may involve specifications, test methods, raw materials, process changes, formulas, separator properties and end-use application.
• Have prime responsibility for overseeing the technical introduction in the area when a new product and/or new process is developed. This presupposes that you will work closely with ATC/ETC and understand the technical development so that it can be explained to internal colleagues and appropriately to customers and/or suppliers.
• Ensure that high-level managers are appropriately trained in the basics of separators and batteries, especially those that visit t customers.
• Implement and maintain ISO 14000.
• Participate in the development and oversight of technical work plans and key projects as they require technical input.
• Ensure technical work plans are appropriately executed.
• Propose and oversee departmental and appropriate capital budgets.
• Provide Sales support to select customers, develop and maintain strong relationships with customers’ key decision-makers and organizational leadership; understand the market and develop relationships with the industry to support our market penetration; develop and achieve annual sales budget, including customer mix, product mix, pricing, market share targets and profitability: provide regular reports on sales activities and forecasts (revenue, product mix).

At the Owensboro, Kentucky plant, where you will work, we develop and manufacture advanced lead acid battery separators that are driving innovation in transportation and industrial applications with cars, trucks, forklifts, and golf carts as well as energy storage systems (ESS). The plant runs 24/7 with a team of more than 200 employees. Production operations are split into three primary areas including mixing/extrusion, extraction, and finishing.  

Note: this description is intended to give you a general overview of the position and is not an exhaustive listing of duties and responsibilities.

Why Daramic

Consider a few more good reasons to join us.

Excellent Compensation
In addition to competitive compensation, Daramic offers a comprehensive benefits package including a 401(k) plan with an excellent company match, paid vacation and holidays, medical, dental, vision and other insurance options, an Employee Assistance Program and more. 

Impact, Learning, and Development
You will have the opportunity to use the breadth of your abilities, including your technical, communication, and interpersonal skills. You will accumulate unique and diverse experiences, enjoy a good deal of independence, increase your ability in various areas, such as problem-solving and new product launches, and enjoy wide visibility. Your successes will be noticed and appreciated.

Drive Your Success
As already noted, there are ample opportunities within Daramic and Asahi Kasei Corp. companies to make your mark and thrive. We strive to create an environment where all of our employees can work to their top potential and feel good knowing they are making an impact daily. Whether your goal is to grow and thrive in this role for years to come, or you have your eye on future advancement, we provide the space you need to grow your career,

Owensboro, Kentucky
Named as a Top 20 Southern City and an All-American City by the National Civic League, Owensboro is the 4th largest city in Kentucky and a great place to raise a family and/or build a life. We enjoy a below-average cost of living (84.70, based on the U.S. average of 100) including reasonable housing prices, a strong community with events and activities including the BBQ Festival, concerts in the park, the sports center / Moreland Park complex, the Ben Hawes Golf Course and more, and strong educational offerings including K-12, a junior college and two private universities. We sit on the beautiful banks of the Ohio River and are just 100 miles from Louisville. We think you'll enjoy it here. It's a place where you can work and thrive!

Road to Success

Explore the traits that will allow you to stand out.

To be successful in the role of Technical Service Manager, you will understand our goals and vision, and your role in helping us reach those goals. To serve as our technical SME, you must be able to learn our products and apply your deep knowledge of batteries to talk to other experts, put together strong technical presentations and keep customer issues under control. 

In addition, to be an outstanding Technical Service Manager, you will have: 

• Excellent service skills and the ability to collaborate effectively with internal and external contacts
• A self-starter mindset with the ability to take ownership of daily priorities and shifting demands
• Proven analytical reasoning skills and a proactive approach to problem-solving
• The ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment
• A positive, professional attitude
• Honesty, integrity, and transparency