Associate Director, Global Testing & Certifications

This position can be anywhere within EMEAI with 50% travel. 

Are you a strategic technical leader with a passion for innovation, product qualification, and global certifications? Do you thrive at the intersection of technology, commercialization, and market access?

We are seeking an Associate Director, Global Testing, Certifications & Qualifications to lead and transform our global testing and certification capability across the Protective Coatings business. This highly visible leadership role will establish the strategy, governance, systems, and external partnerships that enable product innovation, accelerate commercialization, strengthen specification positioning, and support long-term portfolio growth.

The initial focus of this role will be our Passive Fire Protection (PFP) portfolio, creating scalable processes and tools that can be leveraged across the broader Protective Coatings business worldwide.

Shape Global Testing & Certification Strategy

• Develop and lead the global strategy for testing, certifications, and product qualifications across the Protective Coatings portfolio.
• Create testing and qualification roadmaps aligned with business priorities, market opportunities, customer requirements, and innovation goals.
• Prioritize investments based on commercial impact, market access, risk, cost, and speed to market.
• Drive continuous improvement in testing efficiency, cycle time, and reuse of existing qualification and certification assets.

Lead Global Testing Programs

• Oversee a global portfolio of testing and certification programs supporting product development, commercialization, portfolio expansion, and certification maintenance.
• Develop annual testing plans and budgets in collaboration with key stakeholders.
• Manage global testing spend, ensuring clear prioritization, visibility, and alignment to business objectives.
• Establish standardized approaches for testing execution, governance, documentation, and reporting across regions.

Drive Success in Passive Fire Protection

• Lead testing, approvals, certifications, and technical assessments supporting our Passive Fire Protection portfolio.
• Guide fire testing programs for intumescent coatings and related fire-protection systems.
• Maintain and leverage global approval and certification assets to support growth and market expansion.
• Translate test data into actionable technical and commercial decisions in partnership with cross-functional teams.

Accelerate Product Development & Commercialization

• Define testing, qualification, validation, and certification requirements early in development programs.
• Support product launches, customer qualifications, specification approvals, and portfolio extensions.
• Utilize existing testing data and certifications to accelerate commercialization and reduce time-to-market.

Build a World-Class Testing Data & Knowledge Platform

• Lead the development of a centralized global database for testing results, certifications, approvals, assessments, and qualification records.
• Partner with Digital & IT teams to develop scalable systems that improve visibility and accessibility of technical data.
• Establish governance processes that ensure data integrity, consistency, and global accessibility.
• Deliver meaningful reporting and insights on certification status, testing costs, approval coverage, and strategic gaps.

Manage External Testing Partnerships

• Build and maintain strong relationships with external laboratories, certification organizations, and regulatory bodies.
• Evaluate and optimize testing partners based on quality, responsiveness, technical expertise, and cost effectiveness.
• Drive global consistency while maximizing value from external testing investments.

Champion Operational Excellence

• Standardize global processes for testing, certifications, approvals, and qualifications.
• Improve transparency of testing schedules, project priorities, certification status, and spending.
• Support digital transformation initiatives that strengthen governance, efficiency, and business responsiveness.

• Bachelor's degree in Chemistry, Materials Science, Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• Minimum 8 years of experience in testing, product qualification, certifications, coatings technology, fire protection technologies, laboratory operations, engineering support, or related technical fields.
• Experience managing testing programs involving external laboratories and certification organizations.
• Strong knowledge of Protective Coatings technologies and testing methodologies.
• Understanding of testing and certification processes associated with industrial coatings and passive fire protection products.
• Proven success leading complex cross-functional initiatives involving R&D, Engineering, Technical Service, Product Management, and Commercial teams.
• Demonstrated leadership capability with experience managing and developing teams.
   

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in a relevant technical discipline.
• Experience leading a testing, certification, or laboratory operation.
• Knowledge of global certification frameworks and regulatory approval processes.
   

Why Join Us?

This is an opportunity to build and lead a strategically important global capability that directly influences innovation, market access, customer confidence, and business growth. You'll work with industry-leading technologies, shape global standards, and create systems that will drive long-term value across a growing international portfolio.

Ready to make a global impact? Apply today and help shape the future of testing, certifications, and qualification excellence within Protective Coatings.

What We Can Offer You...

• The established salary range for this position is GBP 70,268 - 94,193 gross annual in the UK. 
• Company bonus plan
• Private medical insurance
• Life Pension Scheme: Company-contributed for your future security.
• Flexible Working Schedule: Includes weekends and bank holidays.
• Sick Pay and Annual Leave: Continued salary payment during sickness and 25 days of annual leave.
• Work-Life Balance: We value your personal time and well-being.
• Career Opportunities: Grow within a truly international business.
• Ongoing Training and Support: Continuous learning and development opportunities.

 

Pay transparency

The salary range shown refers to base salary only. In addition to this, we offer a broader total reward package which may include bonus or incentive pay, relevant allowances, and a range of competitive benefits. We encourage candidates to consider the full package when evaluating an offer.

Salary is determined using a structured and objective framework, taking into account the role’s responsibilities, required skills and experience, market benchmarks, and internal equity. This ensures pay decisions are fair, consistent, and aligned with our commitment to equal pay and legal compliance.

The salary range shown refers to base salary only. In addition to this, we offer a broader total reward package which may include bonus or incentive pay, relevant allowances, and a range of competitive benefits. We encourage candidates to consider the full package when evaluating an offer. 

Salary is determined using a structured and objective framework, taking into account the role’s responsibilities, required skills and experience, market benchmarks, and internal equity. This ensures pay decisions are fair, consistent, and aligned with our commitment to equal pay and legal compliance. 

In accordance with EU pay transparency requirements, we provide a salary range based on our preferred country of hire. Compensation varies depending on location. The salary range applicable to the location of candidate will be shared early in the recruitment process.

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