Strategy Director

Founded in 1920, Eastman is a global specialty materials company that produces a broad range of products found in items people use every day. With the purpose of enhancing the quality of life in a material way, Eastman works with customers to deliver innovative products and solutions while maintaining a commitment to safety and sustainability. The company’s innovation-driven growth model takes advantage of world-class technology platforms, deep customer engagement, and differentiated application development to grow its leading positions in attractive end markets such as transportation, building and construction, and consumables. As a globally inclusive company, Eastman employs approximately 13,000 people around the world and serves customers in more than 100 countries. The company had 2025 revenue of approximately $8.8 billion and is headquartered in Kingsport, Tennessee, USA. For more information, visit www.eastman.com.

Role Profile

The Division Strategy Director for Eastman is a key partner to the Division President and DLT in developing and executing organic and inorganic strategies for the business. This leadership role will be responsible for: supporting the creation and articulation of strategic options for the business to meet the overall growth and value creation objectives of the organization; driving choice making and alignment on strategy; ensuring integration and congruence of strategy choices and operational and executional choices and action; tracking strategy execution and results and supporting appropriate dynamic adjustments; supporting and enabling the implementation of enhanced commercial capabilities to drive superior strategy and execution; and building organizational capability in support of long-term business performance. As a senior strategic leader, you will build and develop high-performing teams, inspire organizational commitment to strategic direction, and influence senior stakeholders across the business to align around strategic choices and drive execution.

Responsibilities

Success in this position will be achieved through the effective execution of the following activities:

• Gain the trust and confidence of the business leaders to ensure understanding and agreement with the strategy of the business units.
• Lead annual strategy planning process for business, leading to holistic and integrated BU strategy that includes commercial, operations, technology, and functions.
• Design, facilitate/coach, and on occasion lead, processes for developing organic growth strategies for BUs and for the regions.
• Master and utilize key Eastman planning tools and frameworks.
• Help teams draw implications from analyses.
• Help structure options for key choices.
• Help teams integrate and articulate their choices and strategy.
• Design, facilitate/coach, and on occasion lead, processes for identifying inorganic growth options and targets for specific business units, including acquisitions and joint ventures.
• Lead necessary strategic analyses as part of due diligence efforts in pursuing acquisition or joint venture targets.
• Cultivate a strong network of internal relationships, while working within a matrixed environment, to identify and develop the talent and capabilities required to execute on strategies.
• Facilitate, and sometimes lead, strategy execution in the business including:
  • Participation in, or leadership of, key business routines such as ops reviews, DLT meetings, Monthly Business Reviews, weekly pipeline reviews, etc.
  • Track business outcomes relative to expectations and strategy choices.
  • Determine, with other leaders, adjustments to strategy to respond to market feedback as strategy is executed.
  • Support or lead other execution including organizational design, implementation pathways, team effectiveness, leadership alignment, and talent deployment, milestone tracking, etc.
• Work closely with commercial COEs to drive commercial capability building within the businesses
  • Design and development of capability enhancements.
  • Training, where appropriate.
  • Support of development and deployment of new tools to enhance commercial capabilities.
• Develop and strengthen organizational capability by coaching and mentoring business leaders and team members; actively contribute to talent assessment, development, and succession planning in partnership with business and HR leaders.

Qualifications

• MBA preferred.
• At least 10 years of business experience with a demonstrated career progression.
• Experience in strategic planning or strategic marketing, including being responsible for leading teams developing Business Unit level growth strategies, preferably for a multinational corporation or consulting firm
• Led or been substantially responsible for multiple types of market analysis, such as market sizing, customer analysis and segmentation, competitor analysis, etc.
• Experience in business line leadership role with responsibility for commercial or operational execution of strategy, or other demonstration of ability to implement and adjust strategy.
• Preferred industries include:
  • Chemicals or other materials.
  • Engineered/industrial products.
  • Technology driven industries, including materials, life sciences and IT
  • Consumer durables.
• Experience with product or brand management, especially in situations involving a new product launch or entry into new markets (e.g. new geographies, new channels, etc.).
• Excellent communication and facilitation skills in dealing with both working teams and senior management..
• Strong intellectual and analytical skills combined with a high degree of integrity and maturity.
• Passionate, energetic, and able to motivate the organization to commit to a course of action and achieve desired results.
• Demonstrated experience in developing talent and building organizational capability, including coaching leaders, mentoring team members, and contributing to talent planning processes.
• Proven leadership skills in hiring, developing, and leading talent, with a track record of building high-performing teams and strengthening leadership capability in complex, matrixed organizations.
• Experience influencing leadership teams on organizational effectiveness topics such as structure, capability building, and talent deployment.

Benefits

Your total rewards go far beyond a competitive salary. When you join Eastman, you gain access to an exceptional suite of programs designed to protect your health, grow your wealth, and fuel your career.

Compensation & Incentives
• Base pay plus performance-based incentive opportunities that let you share in our success.

Health & Wellness
• Comprehensive medical, prescription-drug, and dental coverage—paired with a Health Savings Account option to help you save tax-free dollars for care today or in the future.
• A robust menu of voluntary benefits—including vision, optional life, critical-illness protection, and more—so you can tailor coverage to fit your life.
• Holistic wellness support: financial-planning tools, family-building assistance (adoption, pregnancy, and fertility resources), parental leave, and confidential Employee Assistance Program counseling.

Retirement & Financial Strategies
• 401(k) with a company match—plus an additional annual retirement contribution from Eastman to accelerate your long-term savings.

Time Away
• Eleven paid holidays, one personal day, paid time off, and paid vacation to recharge, celebrate, or handle life’s moments.

Growth & Development
• Access to mentorship, learning resources, and leadership programs that empower you to thrive in your current role and chart the next steps in your career.

At Eastman, we invest in the whole you—so you can bring your best self to work every day and build a future you’re proud of.

Eastman Chemical Company is an equal opportunity employer.  All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, pregnancy, veteran status or any other protected classes as designated by law.

Eastman is committed to creating a powerfully engaged workplace, where everyone can contribute to their fullest potential each day.