Manager - Business Development & Government Affairs

Company Description
Avery Dennison Corporation (NYSE: AVY) is a global materials science and digital identification solutions company. We are Making Possible products and solutions that help advance the industries we serve, providing branding and information solutions that optimize labor and supply chain efficiency, reduce waste, advance sustainability, circularity and transparency, and better connect brands and consumers. We design and develop labeling and functional materials, radio frequency identification (RFID) inlays and tags, software applications that connect the physical and digital, and offerings that enhance branded packaging and carry or display information that improves the customer experience. Serving industries worldwide — including home and personal care, apparel, general retail, e-commerce, logistics, food and grocery, pharmaceuticals and automotive — we employ approximately 35,000 employees in more than 50 countries. Our reported sales in 2024 were $8.8 billion.

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• AVERY DENNISON IS PROUD TO BE CERTIFIED GREAT PLACE TO WORK IN AUSTRALIA, CHINA, INDIA, JAPAN, SINGAPORE, MALAYSIA, THAILAND, AND VIETNAM, AND RECOGNIZED AS ONE OF THE BEST COMPANIES TO WORK FOR IN ASIA IN GREATER CHINA AND VIETNAM.

Job Description

Job Summary:
Avery Dennison is seeking a visionary and influential Manager to lead our strategic initiatives within the infrastructure sector. This is a pivotal role that goes beyond traditional government relations; it is about actively creating business opportunities by transforming innovative ideas into tangible projects. The ideal candidate will possess the unique ability to conceptualize safety solutions, influence policy and tender specifications, and drive the entire pre-tender process from ideation to project definition. You will be instrumental in shaping the future of road and rail safety by embedding Avery Dennison's advanced retroreflective technology into the core of national infrastructure development.

Key Responsibilities:

• Project Conceptualization: Proactively identify infrastructure challenges and conceptualize innovative projects and solutions using Avery Dennison's retroreflective portfolio.
• Enabling Tender Specifications: Work consultatively with government bodies, public sector undertakings, and engineering consultants to enable advanced tender specifications with high-efficacy materials of global standards.
• Strategic Government Engagement: Build and nurture high-level relationships with key decision-makers in ministries and departments responsible for roads, highways, railways, and urban infrastructure to understand their critical needs and drive a collaborative work environment.
• Transforming Ideas into Action: Develop and present compelling project proposals and pilot programs to government authorities, demonstrating the value and impact of our solutions to secure buy-in and convert concepts into specified projects.
• Policy Shaping: Act as a thought leader and advocate for enhanced safety standards, representing Avery Dennison at policy-making forums and technical committees to drive positive changes in national safety regulations.
• Opportunity Creation: Drive brand visibility and create industry pull by leading participation in relevant Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) events, public safety campaigns, and technical seminars.
• Cross-Functional Leadership: Liaise with internal technical, marketing, and commercial teams to ensure that the solutions being proposed are viable, scalable, and aligned with our business strategy.

Competencies and Skills:

• Strategic Project Creation: A proven ability to think creatively, conceptualize solutions, and develop actionable plans to turn ideas into specified projects.
• Technical Acumen & Influence: Strong ability to understand technical product specifications and effectively influence technical requirements within government tenders and policies.
• End-user Relations & Government Affairs: Mastery in navigating through complex government structures and driving end-user engagement at all levels of decision makers in the value chain.
• Consultative Approach: The ability to act as a trusted advisor to key specifiers rather than a traditional salesperson, guiding them toward better solutions.
• Leadership and Persuasion: Exceptional ability to influence and persuade key stakeholders and lead cross-functional initiatives without direct authority.
• Policy Shaping: A deep understanding of the public policy landscape and a demonstrated ability to contribute to and shape policy discussions.
• Exceptional Communication: Outstanding presentation and communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex technical and strategic concepts to a variety of audiences.
• Resilience and Drive: A self-motivated, tenacious, and results-oriented individual who can navigate long and complex sales/adoption cycles.

A minimum of 15 years of experience in business development, government relations, technical sales, or solution architecture.
Must have demonstrable experience in the infrastructure, transportation, or a related technical sector, with a proven track record of influencing large-scale projects or government tenders.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Value of Specified Tenders: This is the total monetary value (in ₹ or $) of government projects where tender specifications were successfully upgraded to include advanced retroreflective technology of global standards. This KPI directly measures the financial impact of the role's core influencing activities.
• Number of New Projects Initiated: This tracks the number of new pilot programs or full-scale projects that are officially initiated by government bodies based on concepts and proposals developed by the manager. It quantifies the ability to convert strategic ideas into tangible actions.
• Specification Adoption Rate: This is the percentage of targeted tenders or infrastructure policies where specific, upgraded technical clauses or standards were successfully adopted. For example, if the goal was to get an advanced prismatic sheeting standard to be included in 10 key road projects, this KPI would track the success rate (e.g., 7 out of 10, or 70%).
• Strategic Policy Upgrades: This is a count of the number of municipal, state, or national-level policies, standards, or regulations that are amended or newly created to include higher safety specifications.
• High-Level Engagement Score: This KPI measures the level and frequency of strategic engagement with various levels of stakeholders in the value chain. This provides a tangible measure of relationship-building progress.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business Administration, Public Policy, or a related field. An engineering background is highly advantageous.
• An MBA or other advanced degree is highly desirable.

Additional Information

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, protected veteran status or other protected status. EEOE/M/F/Vet/Disabled. All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.