The opportunity:

　　Reporting to the Sr. Director, Discovery & Technology Planning, the Dir. Discovery & Technology Planning will have responsibility for the new innovation opportunity intake and evaluation process for WestRock. Working across the WestRock enterprise, you will manage the sourcing of innovation opportunities and technology needs across multiple input streams, including WRK business partners, customer and market data, and Science & Innovation colleagues, in order to identify and resource the innovation opportunities with maximum value to the business and our customers.

　　The Dir. Discovery & Technology Planning leads the evaluation of new innovation opportunities, working cross-functionally to evaluate key metrics, including technical feasibility and market need, in order to define and de-risk the portfolio. Owning the relationship with business and innovation stakeholders, the Dir. Discovery & Technology Planning understands and applies the appropriate strategies to make recommendations for prioritization and transition into Stage Gate as well as establishing and leading updates and report-outs.

　　How you will impact WestRock:

　　Implement and optimize the process for collecting and assessing new innovation opportunities across the WRK organization, developing credibility with internal stakeholders and providing clear and frequent communication

　　Validate alignment of new innovation opportunities to appropriate organizational strategy, including S&I technology platforms and Business Segment-specific priorities

　　Contribute to a robust R&D program through identification and evaluation of candidates for new research projects

　　Partner with the New Product Introduction team to understand the key metrics against which new opportunities should be assessed

　　Own the assessment process to de-risk and prioritize opportunities, coordinating cross-functional resources to provide inputs to quickly move new opportunities through the evaluation process, accelerating our ability to deliver new product innovation

　　Lead discussions with key stakeholders to drive decisions on which projects to transition into the Stage Gate pipeline, ensuring that new projects entering the Stage Gate pipeline maximize value to the business and our customers

　　What you need:

　　Minimum bachelor’s degree in science or engineering field

　　7-10 years of experience in R&D, product development, and/or innovation

　　Ability to travel up to 25%

　　Preferred: MBA or Master’s in Engineering Management, Project and/or Product Management experience, knowledge of the paper and packaging industry

　　Excellent communication skills and ability to communicate effectively at all levels of the organization and across functions (ie technical, business, market or customer facing)

　　Experience with presenting to/interacting with senior leaders, leading meetings, and driving alignment and decision-making

　　Strong problem solving and critical thinking skills to quickly comprehend new problems and situations, and find commonalities in diverse concepts

　　Creative and entrepreneurial, comfortable with working through uncertainty; continuously challenges status quo and adapts to evolving conditions, encourages teammates to innovate boldly, i.e. take risks

　　Effective collaborative and interpersonal skills

　　Exposure to or experience in project management or coordinating project activities, strong drive to meet timelines and establish clear priorities and hold self and others accountable for results

　　What we offer:

　　Corporate culture based on integrity, respect, accountability and excellence

　　Comprehensive training with numerous learning and development opportunities

　　An attractive salary reflecting skills, competencies and potential

　　A career with a global packaging company where Sustainability, Safety and Inclusion are business drivers and foundational elements of the daily work.

　　WestRock (NYSE:WRK) partners with our customers to provide differentiated paper and packaging solutions that help them win in the marketplace. WestRock's team members support customers around the world from locations spanning North America, South America, Europe, Asia and Australia. Learn more at www.westrock.com.

　　WestRock is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We strive to create and maintain a diverse workforce where everyone feels valued, respected, and included. WestRock does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other basis protected by federal, state or local law.