R&D Director

Introduction / Context
Monroe Consulting Group, an Executive Recruitment firm, is partnering with an organisation in the Industrial sector to hire a Director, Research & Development (R&D). This opportunity is based in Klang, Selangor, Malaysia.
Position Overview
Lead the research and development function to drive innovation, product development, and process improvement in specialised coating solutions.
Play a key role in strengthening the organisation's competitive position through technological advancement, operational excellence, and customer-focused innovation.
Key Responsibilities

• Develop and implement the R&D strategy aligned with the company's vision and market demands for coated fin.
• Stay updated on industry trends, technologies, and competitor developments to maintain a competitive edge particularly, in the microelectronics sector, where new technological developments are occurring continuously specifically in paint coating technology.
• Deliver & re-engineer process flow to ensure new products (paint) are cost competitive & consistently staying ahead of market.
• Lead new product development activities from inception to product launch and customer acceptance including overseeing the design, testing, and production of new aluminium/coating related products.
• Provide leadership and guidance for non-routine problems requiring substantial judgment in the independent evaluation, selection and adaptation of standard engineering techniques, procedures and criteria.
• Work closely with cross-functional teams, including production, sales, and marketing, to ensure alignment of R&D projects with business objectives.
• Track project schedules in conjunction with product management preparing to manage the R&D budget, ensuring cost-effective utilization of resources.
• Take charge in the internal communication – to discuss the current issues in operations, daily and weekly and external communication – to experiment /develop new type of coating. Review feedback for continuous improvement on paint for added value.
• Ensure all products and processes comply with local and international regulations and implement rigorous quality control and assurance practices.
• Responsible to oversee and manage Customer Service department, including monitoring and reporting metrics such as productivity, response speed and any metric which affect the quality of service.

Key Requirements
Qualifications & Experience

• PhD in Engineering (Others), Project Management, Research Development or equivalent.
• At least 10 to 15 years of working experience in a related field.
• Japanese nationality/speaking candidate is preferred (expert in aluminium/aluminium coating).

Technical / Functional Expertise

• Strong knowledge of aluminium alloys, extrusion processes, and surface treatments.
• Experience in paint coating technology and aluminium/coating related product development.
• Ability to lead a direct team and a multifunctional organisation, integrating complex efforts across multiple business areas.
• Experience managing new product development activities from inception through product launch and customer acceptance.
• Knowledge of quality control, quality assurance, and regulatory compliance requirements.
• Experience in project schedule tracking, product management coordination, and R&D budget management.
• Proficient in numerical and analytical skills.

Soft Skills & Leadership Competencies

• Forward-thinking mindset.
• Good interpersonal skills.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Strong problem-solving abilities.
• Strategic thinking capabilities.
• Proven leadership skills with the ability to guide cross-functional teams and manage stakeholder relationships.