Manufacturing Leadership Development Specialist

Eastman; Kingsport (TN); On-site; USD 125,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Eastman is seeking a Manufacturing Leadership Development Specialist to drive a global leadership development strategy across operations and B&T roles at its Kingsport, Tennessee operations. You will partner with senior leaders to design coaching programs, set competency standards, and govern progress, aligning with Eastman’s safety and sustainability commitments.

In this senior role, you will manage projects through all phases, identify coaching system gaps, and champion continuous

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Science, Human Resources, Industrial/Organizational Psychology, Organizational Behavior, or equivalent.

Responsibilities

• Support the execution of a global leadership development strategy across leadership, operations, and business & technical role groups.
• Partner with executive, senior, and mid-level leaders to develop and implement the leadership development strategy, including goals, timelines, coaching designs, competency standards, processes, measurement, and governance.
• Manage leadership development and coaching projects through all phases from initiation to closure.
• Identify coaching and management system deficiencies as root causes of business performance gaps and promote coaching systems for continuous improvement.
• Collaborate with Global Manufacturing, Engineering, Technology, Talent Management, and other areas to align processes and deliver as a cohesive team.

Skills

Leadership coaching

Leadership development

Behavioral science

Project management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Science, Human Resources, Industrial/Organizational Psychology, Organizational Behavior, or equivalent

Job description

Manufacturing Leadership Development Specialist

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.

Responsibilities

• Support the execution of a global leadership development strategy across leadership, operations, and business & technical (B&T) role groups
• Partner with executive, senior, and mid‑level leaders to further develop and implement the manufacturing leadership development strategy, including goals, timelines, coaching designs, competency standards, processes, measurement, and governance
• Support the transformation of leadership culture and results by coaching leaders through their teams’ use of systems, routines, feedback loops, and metrics
• Ensure that all elements of leadership development and coaching include solid behavioral science principles that drive a high level of learning effectiveness
• Manage leadership development and coaching projects through all phases of their life cycle, including project initiation and requirements gathering, design, development, implementation, and project closure
• Champion the identification of coaching and management system deficiencies as root cause to business performance gaps and champion the use of coaching systems in establishing a continuous improvement culture
• Support the learning approach standardization within other Manufacturing and Operational Excellence program streams, ensuring consistency and visibility
• Collaborate with functional areas (e.g., Global Manufacturing, Engineering, Technology, Talent Management, among others) to align processes, practices, and systems to deliver as a cohesive team

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Science, Human Resources, Industrial/Organizational Psychology, Organizational Behavior, or equivalent
• 15+ years’ experience in leadership coaching and development
• Experience assuring coaching systems are based on sound behavioral science and leadership fundamentals
• Experience with developing leadership capabilities and delivering on leadership effectiveness that improves team and business outcomes
• Experience in complex environments that rely heavily on leaders using management systems to drive operational discipline and adherence to standards/procedures
• Previous experience with coaching executives and senior leaders, which includes leader onboarding
• Experience with designing and implementing coaching and learning tools, team development programs, and people and program evaluation for leader insights

Desired Competencies

• Advanced degree in Industrial/Organizational Psychology, Human Resources, Organizational Behavior, or equivalent
• 5 years of direct supervisory/leadership experience
• Previous experience working with a matrixed organization and demonstrating effective influence without authority
• Previous experience executing leadership development strategy in large organizations
• Previous experience with leadership readiness / potential assessments
• Previous experience with continuous improvement implementation and / or project management
• Strong competency in driving behavior changes and developing people toward aligned outcomes

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 highly engaged workforce, where everyone can contribute to their fullest potential each day.

Nearest Major Market: Asheville
Nearest Secondary Market: Knoxville