We, at Leggett & Platt Inc., are searching for a Patent Portfolio Manager within our Engineering team to help support our Home Furniture business. Our Home Furniture business brings an intense focus on the customer, innovation, world-class manufacturing capabilities, and a global footprint together to create full package solutions for the industry. We do not make furniture. We make furniture more comfortable. We need the best people on our team to support our strategy, and your work will ensure people around the world have a little more comfort in their lives.

 

As an Electrical Systems Engineer, you will lead the design, integration, and testing of electrical components and systems for new product development across our home furnishings brands. This position allows you to grow your expertise across disciplines while working on cutting-edge products. You will collaborate globally with cross functional partners to bring designs from concept to commercialization.

As a Patent Portfolio Manager, you will:

Drive People First culture and work environment into your work and interactions Foster a continuous improvement, growth mindset culture in a global team environment Actively engage with design teams and other innovators to identify potential inventions with commercial value and assess their patentability with guidance from legal counsel.  Understand existing patents and inform design teams to avoid infringement to existing patents.  Ensure timeliness of activities through the design process. Drive internal patent training and education activity to increase awareness of the Home Furniture patent portfolio and where we can gain advantage in the market.  Regularly review the existing patent portfolio to identify underutilized patents, potential infringement risks, and opportunities for licensing or monetization.  Drive end to end infringement investigation activities to resolution. Support legal counsel on patent matters, including infringement analysis, patent litigation support, and licensing negotiations as needed Manage the business unit activities related to approvals for patent filings and maintenance fees.  Create and manage systems using data to support decisions and investments in patent portfolio.  Work with sales, product lifecycle management, and legal counsel teams to identify potential licensing opportunities and negotiate licensing agreements.  Create and manage systems to track patent applications, deadlines, lifespans, product applications, and related.   Conduct patent searches and market trend analysis to understand the competitive landscape and drive patent strategy.  Communicate key learnings to the product and sales teams.

 

To be successfull you'll need:

 Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Law, Business, Operations, or similar preferred.  Alternate degree and relevant experience will be considered. 10+ years of experience with patent related activity.  Preferably in a product development environment. 5+ years of experience in a consumer product, technical, or B2B environment preferred Proven ability to lead cross functional teams in a matrix/network organization without direct supervision Proven ability to bridge technical, sales, and legal counsel information to gain common understanding and drive business activity in each function   Technical: Strong understanding of product design, application, technology and scientific principles used to create commercial solutions Legal: Working understanding of patent related business activities and legal doctrines Analytical: Ability to analyze complex technical information, assess uniqueness of designs, identify potential patentability of solutions, identify creative solutions to capture broad patent coverage of solutions, and investigate infringement issues Communication: Ability to analyze complex information and share key learnings with technical and non-technical teams to drive actions.  Ability to drive training and metric reporting activities for business unit. Project Management: Ability to manage multiple activities concurrently to meet deadlines.  Ability to use and manage systems for knowledge capture, reporting, and analytics as needed.  Foster environment of using tools, systems, and processes that are repeatable and data driven. Business: Understanding of business strategy and ability to align the patent strategy to support business objectives Interpersonal skills: Able to foster environment that builds strong partnerships through information sharing and trust building.  Ability to lead by example, foster a culture of People First, growth mindsets & continuous improvement. Language requirements – in-country language preferred and ability to speak English/willing to learn

What to Do Next

Now that you’ve had a chance to learn more about us, what are you waiting for! Apply today and allow us the opportunity to learn more about you and the value you can bring to our team. Once you apply, be sure to create a profile, and sign up for job alerts, so you can be the first to know when new opportunities become available.

 

Our Values

Our values speak to our shared beliefs, and describe how we approach working together.

Put People First reflects our commitment to safety and care of each other, learning and development, and creating an inclusive environment of mutual respect, empathy and belonging.

Do the Right Thing focuses us on acting with honesty and integrity, delivering the results the right way, taking pride in our work, and speaking the truth – good or bad.

Do Great Work…Together occurs when we engage without hierarchy, collaborate as a team, embrace challenges, and work for the good of all of us.

Take Ownership and Raise the Bar demonstrates our responsibility to add value and make a difference, challenge the status quo and biases to make things better, foster innovative and creative solutions to drive impact, and explore new perspectives and embrace change.

 

Our Commitment to You

We're actively taking steps to make sure our culture is inclusive and that our processes and practices promote equity for all. Leggett & Platt is comprised of people of all abilities, gender identities and expressions, ages, ethnicities, sexual orientations, veteran status, and more. Join us!

We welcome and encourage applications if you meet the minimum qualifications. Even if you do not meet the preferred qualifications, we’d love the opportunity to consider you.

Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Veteran/Disability Employer

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