Full-Time
Learning and Development Leader
Celanese
5,001-10,000 employees
Global producer of chemicals and materials
No salary listed
Cardiff, UK
In Person
 Training |
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- Industry Experience: Strong, proven experience within the manufacturing sector, providing an understanding of the unique operational challenges.
- Collaboration & Influence: Excellent communication skills to work effectively with line managers, senior leaders, and a diverse workforce to ensure buy-in and effective implementation
- Communication and Facilitation: Excellent interpersonal, communication, and presentation skills to deliver training, coach managers, and build rapport at all levels of the organization
- L&D Expertise: Relevant L&D qualifications, such as a CIPD qualification, would be beneficial (Pttls or Train the Trainer or equivalent qualification)
- Analytical and Problem-Solving: The ability to conduct thorough training needs analyses, interpret data (learning analytics), and implement effective solutions to performance gaps
- Tech Literacy: Understanding digital learning tools and how to integrate technology into manufacturing processes
- Project Management: Skills to plan, organize, and control multiple training programs within set budgets and timeline
- Soft Skills: Exceptional stakeholder management and the ability to influence at a Senior level
- Strategic Alignment: Aligning the site learning strategy with overall business objectives, focusing on improving performance, shaping culture, and building organizational capability and resilience
- Skills Gap Analysis: Identifying current and future skill requirements, including for new technologies in digital manufacturing, and developing targeted programs to address these needs
- Program Design and Delivery: Design, develop, and implement blended learning solutions (e.g., e-learning, workshops, coaching, job-shadowing) tailored to the manufacturing environment and the different job roles across our teams
- Operational Excellence: Align all learning initiatives with Lean principles to directly impact production efficiency, visual management, error rates, and time-to-competence
- Compliance and Safety Training: Ensure all mandatory training, such as health, safety and environmental regulations and quality standards (e.g., ISO14001), is up-to-date, delivered effectively, and accurately recorded
- Talent and Succession Planning: Support the development of a strong internal talent pipeline by creating programs that nurture existing employees into future leaders and managers
- Leadership Development: Build continuous development pathways for frontline and senior leaders, focusing on "human skills" like, coaching, adaptability and communication. Accredited management qualification framework.
- Modernising Training Methods: Moving beyond traditional manuals and classroom sessions to innovative and scalable learning solutions, to accommodate shift work and diverse learning styles
- Learning Effectiveness: Use of leading indicators to demonstrate system effectiveness and to drive continuous improvement
- Program Management: Lead our Apprenticeship, placement student and work experience programs
- Develop Partnerships: Work with our internal and external stakeholders
Celanese manufactures a wide range of chemical products and high-performance polymers used in industries like automotive, electronics, and textiles. The company produces chemical building blocks, such as acetic acid and vinyl acetate monomer, which customers use to create adhesives, coatings, and medical devices. Unlike many competitors, Celanese maintains a dual focus on both large-scale chemical production and specialized material science research to develop custom formulations for specific client needs. Its goal is to use its global supply chain and research capabilities to provide the essential materials required for modern consumer and industrial products.
Company Size
5,001-10,000
Company Stage
IPO
Headquarters
Dallas, Texas
Founded
1918
Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Raised 2026 free cash flow outlook to $700-800 million after Q1 volume gains.
- Citigroup raised price target to $81, citing Middle East tensions boosting margins.
- Anne P. Noonan joined board April 20, 2026, adding 30 years chemical expertise.
What critics are saying
- $12.7 billion debt triggers S&P and Moody's downgrades, raising interest costs.
- $1.6 billion Engineered Materials impairments erode capital versus DuPont and BASF.
- Singapore nylon closure cedes Asia polymers share to Asahi Kasei and Toray.
What makes Celanese unique
- Celanese integrates CCU technology in Clear Lake binders for SharpCell nonwovens.
- Celanese produces acetyl chain products like VAM for coatings and adhesives.
- Celanese develops high-performance engineered polymers for automotive and medical uses.
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Origin Agritech (NASDAQ: SEED) adds crop biotech expert to board. Filing Impact Filing Sentiment Rhea-AI Filing summary. Origin Agritech Limited announced leadership changes in March 2026. The board appointed Dr. Zheng James Chen, age 60, as Chief Financial Officer. He previously served as Origin's CFO in multiple periods and briefly as Chief Executive Officer, and has extensive investment and corporate finance experience. The board also added crop biotechnology expert Dr. Jian Zhang, age 62, as an independent director, effective March 20, 2026. In connection with these moves, independent director Dr. Changqing Mao resigned effective March 12, 2026, and CFO Chi Kin (Patrick) Cheng resigned effective March 19, 2026. The company states both resignations were for professional and personal reasons and not due to disagreements over operations, policies, or practices. 03/24/2026 - 07:30 AM Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F. Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1): Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7): Indicate by check mark whether the registrant by furnishing the information contained in this Form is also thereby furnishing the information to the Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. If "Yes" is marked, indicate below the file number assigned to the registrant in connection with Rule 12g3-2(b): 82-________ On March 20, 2026, the board of directors (Board) appointed one new officer and one new independent director of Origin Agritech Limited (Company). Dr. Zheng James Chen Dr. Zheng James Chen, 60, was appointed the Chief Financial Officer of the Company. Dr. Chen previously served as the Company's Chief Financial Officer from December 2018 to April 2020, as Chief Executive Officer from February 2018 to December 2018, and as Chief Financial Officer from January 2012 to January 2016. He also served as a director of Origin from August 2017 to April 2020. Dr. Chen's prior experience included serving as Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of China Finance Online and as CFO of Yunji Inc. Before joining Origin in 2012, he was an Investment Manager at the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) and an senior analyst at Morgan Joseph and BB&T Capital Markets. Earlier in his career, Dr. Chen served as a Product Manager at Celanese and as a License Product Technology Manager at Univation Technologies, a joint venture between ExxonMobil and Dow Chemical. Dr. Chen holds a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Connecticut and an M.B.A. from New York University. Dr. Jian Zhang Dr. Jian Zhang, 62, joined the Board of Directors of Origin Agritech Limited as an independent board member, effective March 20, 2026. Dr. Jian Zhang is a renowned expert in global crop biotech R&D. He is currently the CEO of ChinaAg JiaNuo Seed Science and Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd., and was the Chief Technology Officer of Syngenta Group China Seed Business and the Director of the National Center of Technology Innovation for Maize. Dr. Zhang was formerly the General Manager of Huazhi Rice Biotechnology Co., Ltd., where he established a world-class crop molecular breeding R&D platform. Dr. Zhang has worked for global multinational seed companies (DuPont Pioneer, Syngenta, and BASF) for 20 years, including as R&D Manager at DuPont Pioneer (merged into Corteva) participating in the development of the Herculex series of transgenic insect-resistant maize products; Senior Manager of GMO regulatory and biotechnology affairs for China and Asia; and Global Head of Quality Control at BASF Plant Science for biotech crops. He possesses extensive experience in crop biotechnology R&D, regulatory safety assessment, and biotech compliance and stewardship. Dr. Jian Zhang holds a PhD in Plant Genetics Manipulation from the University of Nottingham, UK, an M.B.A. from the University of Iowa, USA, and a Bachelor's degree in Crop Genetics and Breeding from China Agricultural University. Dr. Changqing Mao resigned from his position as an independent director of the Company, effective March 12, 2026, due to his new professional commitments. Mr. Chi Kin (Patrick) Cheng resigned from his position as Chief Financial Officer of the Company, effective March 19, 2026, for personal development reasons. The resignations were not due to any disagreement with the Company on any matter relating to the Company's operations, policies, or practices. Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized. Dated: March 24, 2026 Faq. What management changes did Origin Agritech (SEED) announce in March 2026? Origin Agritech appointed a new Chief Financial Officer and a new independent director in March 2026. At the same time, one independent director and the prior CFO resigned, with the company stating there were no disagreements over operations, policies, or practices. Who is the new CFO of Origin Agritech (SEED) and what is his background? The new CFO is Dr. Zheng James Chen, age 60, a former CFO and CEO of Origin. He has prior roles as Chairman and CEO of China Finance Online, CFO of Yunji Inc., and investment and analyst positions at ADIA and other financial firms. Who is the new independent director on Origin Agritech's (SEED) board? The new independent director is Dr. Jian Zhang, age 62, a specialist in global crop biotechnology R&D. He has held senior roles at Syngenta Group China, DuPont Pioneer, BASF Plant Science, and led Huazhi Rice Biotechnology, building advanced molecular breeding platforms. Which Origin Agritech (SEED) executives resigned and why? Independent director Dr. Changqing Mao resigned effective March 12, 2026, due to new professional commitments. Chief Financial Officer Chi Kin (Patrick) Cheng resigned effective March 19, 2026, for personal development reasons. The company states their departures were not due to disagreements with management or policies. Did Origin Agritech (SEED) report any disputes related to these leadership changes? The company stated that the resignations of independent director Dr. Changqing Mao and CFO Chi Kin (Patrick) Cheng were not due to any disagreement regarding operations, policies, or practices. This indicates the changes were attributed to career and personal reasons rather than internal conflicts.
Lloyd Harbor Capital Management opened a new position in Celanese during the fourth quarter, acquiring 190,000 shares valued at $8.03 million. The stake represented 3.87% of the fund's 13F reportable assets as of 31 December 2025. Celanese shares have fallen 66% from their 2024 high and were trading at $59.01 as of 19 March 2026, up just 0.84% over the past year whilst underperforming the S&P 500 by 16 percentage points. The chemicals company carries $12.5 billion in net debt against a market capitalisation of $6.6 billion. The investment fits Lloyd Harbor's strategy of contrarian picks in cyclical commodities sectors. Celanese slashed its quarterly dividend from $0.70 to $0.03 in 2024 to prioritise debt reduction following its $11 billion acquisition of DuPont's Mobility and Materials business.
Celanese Corp. surged 14.75% on Thursday to $59.60 per share following an analyst upgrade from Citigroup, which named it a top pick in the chemical sector. The investment firm raised its price target to $81 from $75, maintaining a "buy" rating. Citigroup expects Celanese to benefit from higher profit margins driven by Middle East tensions disrupting global supply and pushing oil prices higher. North American chemical producers with access to low-cost natural gas feedstocks stand to gain from these conditions. The global chemical and specialty materials company reported a narrowed net loss of $1.16 billion last year, down 25% from $1.54 billion in 2024, whilst net sales fell 7.5% to $9.5 billion. Citigroup also upgraded several other chemical companies, including Dow Inc. and LyondellBasel Industries.
Celanese Corporation has opened its expanded Michigan Technology Center, a strategic move to strengthen US-based innovation and advance its Engineered Materials 2026 growth strategy. The facility consolidates piloting, application development and advanced engineering prototyping capabilities to enable faster customer collaboration. The expansion adds over 10,000 square feet of processing space in Troy and nearly 4,000 square feet of lab and innovation space in Auburn Hills. It includes relocating the Santoprene TPV piloting operation from Houston, creating a centralised hub for extrusion development and foaming technologies. The centre supports development across 17-plus product families and offers customers hands-on co-development, specialised technical capabilities and faster development cycles. The project required approximately 60,000 people-hours and was completed without safety or environmental incidents.
Celanese Corporation reported a full year 2025 US GAAP diluted loss per share of $10.44 and adjusted earnings per share of $3.98. Net sales fell 7% to $9.5 billion, driven by 4% declines in both price and volume, as the company faced weak demand in automotive, paints, coatings and construction markets. The company generated operating cash flow of $1.1 billion and free cash flow of $773 million whilst implementing over $120 million in cost reductions. Fourth quarter adjusted earnings per share came in at $0.67, with net sales of $2.2 billion declining 9% sequentially due to year-end destocking and competitive pressures in acetate tow. For the first quarter of 2026, Celanese expects adjusted earnings per share of $0.70 to $0.85 and targets free cash flow of $650 to $750 million for the full year.