Head of R&D Digital Transformation

OverviewAbout this Position At Henkel, you’ll be part of an organization that’s shaping the future through innovation, sustainability and collaboration. With our trusted brands like Persil, all, Loctite, Snuggle, and Schwarzkopf and our cutting-edge technologies, you’ll have countless opportunities to explore new paths and grow. This position is with our Adhesive Technologies business unit – where we empower our people to transform industries and provide our customers with a competitive advantage through adhesives, sealants and functional coatings. Dare to learn new skills, advance in your career and make an impact at Henkel.What you’ll doWe are looking for a visionary Digital Transformation Leader with strong experience in innovation environments to scope, prioritize, and implement the digital modernization of our innovation functions. As a global leader in adhesives, sealants & surface treatments, we seek to accelerate innovation cycles, enhance product development and application engineering capabilities while strengthening collaboration and knowledge sharing across all functions. This role requires a strong blend of strategic thinking, technical expertise and change management skills to lead cross-functional teams.ResponsibilitiesDevelop and lead Henkel’s Industrial Adhesive SBUs digital transformation strategy in alignment with business goals, focusing on operational excellence, innovation and customer value.Augment cross-functional collaboration between Henkel’s IT, centralized digital innovation teams and the Industrial adhesive SBUs Innovation and commercial teams.Champion the adoption of digital tools, data platforms, advanced modeling, predictive analytics and AI/ML models to increase the effectiveness of innovation functions.Oversee and drive change management strategies for digital initiatives, ensuring stakeholder engagement, effective communication, and smooth adoption.Consolidate and streamline internal access to product and application knowledge for customer support and innovation.Continuously monitor technological trends and assess their relevance to the business. If needed, build partnerships with external vendors, consultants, and tech providers.Champion a digital-first mindset across the organization and collaborate with leadership teams to drive cultural and operational change.Develop upskilling/training programs with global counterparts and create communication strategies to support digital adoption across all functions interacting with innovation crease customer technical intimacy through digital solutions, CRM enhancements, and data-driven service models.Track and report performance metrics, success factors, and KPIs related to digital transformation.Education and ExperienceMaster’s or PhD in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Data Science, or a related technical discipline.10+ years of experience in R&D leadership, digital transformation, project management or innovation strategy within the adhesives, specialty chemicals, or process industries.Expertise in understanding digital tools used in research environments: ELNs, LIMS, modeling software, data lakes, and AI/ML platforms.Proven track record of managing complex, cross-functional digital programs and teams across global organizations.Skills and CompetenciesStrong stakeholder management skills and the ability to communicate technical concepts to non-technical teams are important.Strong leadership, communication, and influencing skills at all levels of the business.Passion for driving innovation, customer-centric design, and continuous improvement through digital technology.BenefitsHealth Insurance: affordable plans for medical, dental, vision and wellbeing starting on day 1Work-Life Balance: Paid time off including sick, vacation, holiday and volunteer time, flexible & hybrid work policies (depending on role), and vacation buy / sell programFinancial: 401k matching, employee share plan with voluntary investment and Henkel matching shares, annual performance bonus, service awards and student loan reimbursementFamily Support: 12-week gender neutral parental leave (up to 20 weeks for parents giving birth), fertility support, adoption & surrogacy reimbursement, discounted child and elderly care, and scholarshipsCareer Growth: diverse national and international growth opportunities, access to thousands of skills development courses, and tuition reimbursementThe salary for this role is $150,000.00 - $200,000.00. This is the range that we in good faith anticipate relying on when setting wages for this position. We may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range and this range. This salary range may also be modified in the future.Henkel does not accept unsolicited resumes from search firms or employment agencies. Unsolicited referrals and resumes are considered Henkel property and therefore, Henkel will not pay a fee for any placement resulting from the receipt of an unsolicited referral.Henkel is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, genetic information, and other legally protected categories. #J-18808-Ljbffr

Created: 2025-09-21