Job Description:
ABOUT THE BRAND
Illinois Tool Works Inc. (NYSE: ITW) is a Fortune 200 global multi-industry manufacturing leader with revenue of $15.9 billion in 2024. The company’s seven industry-leading segments leverage the unique ITW Business Model to drive solid growth with best-in-class margins and returns in markets where highly innovative, customer-focused solutions are required. ITW’s approximately 45,000 dedicated colleagues around the world thrive in the company’s decentralized and entrepreneurial culture.
From state-of-the-art dishwashers, ovens and refrigerators in restaurants and hotels, to automobile components inside vehicles all over the world ... the products we manufacture and the solutions we design are all around us. The buildings where we live and work are built with ITW construction and welding products, and our ITW test & measurement solutions help to ensure the quality and safety of millions of products.
With gross revenues nearing $250 million, Traulsen is proud to be known as the premier name in refrigeration for the foodservice market since its founding in 1938. We provide professional expertise and high-quality equipment for savvy food service customers. Every Traulsen product is engineered, fabricated, assembled, and tested at our facility in Fort Worth, Texas.
TOTAL REWARDS PACKAGE
Our total rewards package is broad and offers comprehensive support from health and wellness to retirement and financial stability. For more details see https://www.itw.com/careers/benefits-compensation/
SUMMARY
The Strategic Marketing Director role is a new role and responsible for providing Customer Back Innovation (CBI) direction driven by customer and market pain points, opportunities, and trends. This role collaborates closely with customers, Traulsen engineering, and Food Equipment Group sales, in addition to quality, and customer service to understand user pain points and market dynamics. The position further understands the overall impact and timing requirements to address innovation gaps and uses this information to determine the most attractive CBI opportunities. The role plays a vital role in translating market insights into compelling value propositions.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Innovation Process
Establishes strong relationships with customers to fully understand the market dynamics, and customers’ current and future needs.
Captures and translates Voice of Customer (VOC) and market trends into incremental, differentiated product commercialization opportunities.
Division expert on market trends, competition, and customer needs.
Identifies serial innovation opportunities that successfully address market needs and generate sustainable and profitable growth that aligns with the division’s strategic intent.
Drives innovation pipeline with division innovation leadership pulling from a screened opportunity list.
Oversees innovation stage gate process working with engineering and product management teams.
Strategy Development and Execution
Obtains and leverages market insights to develop and effectively execute thorough vertical marketing strategies aligned with the division growth objectives.
Leads the development of product line strategies aligned with market segment strategies and clearly identify, validate, and articulate value propositions to each market sub-segment.
Develop business cases for new target markets, product innovations, services or customers.
Develop go-to-market strategy with division commercial leadership.
Drives the deploy stage of product launch to market including awareness.
Develop and execute strategy around product portfolio.
Works closely with the division’s Vice President & General Manager to write three-year Long-Range Plan (LRP) and Annual Operating Plan (AOP).
Market Segment Leader
Provides strategic leadership with the ability to size markets and determine attractiveness of adjacent markets.
Drives and executes segmentation and market research (primary and secondary) as needed to identify growth opportunities and articulates how Traulsen can capitalize on them.
Provides strategic insights, analysis, and directional input into the division’s Long-Range & Annual Plans.
Reports on market segment results, including revenue, growth rates, share gain, and profitability metrics and can explain key drivers of change.
Team Leadership and Development
Manages and develops marketing team members.
Fosters a culture of engagement, cascading vision, and creating goal alignment.
Influences effectively across functions to drive change.
QUALIFICATIONS
Education
Bachelor’s degree in marketing, Engineering, or Business required
MBA preferred
Work Experience/Skills
Minimum 10 years of progressive business experience, including at least 5 years of strategic marketing, pricing and product management experience required.
3 years of big three consulting experience preferred.
Proven record of delivering business growth within a strategic marketing innovation role and in a B2B environment.
Well-versed in deploying and leveraging various marketing research methods and translating end user requirements into successful innovative solutions.
Experience working with manufacturing, engineering, purchasing, sales, quality, and finance teams required.
Experience leading and developing direct reports.
Highly effective cross-functional leader and influencer, with excellent communication and presentation skills.
Strong ability to navigate complexity, bring focus and simplify strategically.
Excellent analytical skills, pricing strategy experience and financial acumen.
Up to 30% travel
PHYSICAL DEMANDS & WORK ENVIRONMENT
The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Must be able to:
Perform activities including bending, stooping, standing, walking.
Stand and walk from two (2) to four (4) hours per day.
Climb up and down stairs two (2) to four (4) times per day.
Operate common office equipment, i.e. PC, phone, copier, printer, fax.
Work in climate-controlled environment.
Hours of Work
Monday – Friday 7:30am to 4:30pm
ITW is an equal opportunity employer. We value our colleagues’ unique perspectives, experiences and ideas and create workplaces where everyone can develop their careers and perform to their full potential.
As an equal employment opportunity employer, ITW is committed to equal employment opportunity and fair treatment for employees, beginning with the hiring process and continuing through all aspects of the employment relationship.
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, age, disability, protected Veteran status or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws.