Plant Manager

ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION
 

Sun Chemical, a member of the DIC Group, is a leading producer of packaging and graphic solutions, color and display technologies, functional products, electronic materials, and products for the automotive and healthcare industries. Together with DIC, Sun Chemical is continuously working to promote and develop sustainable solutions to exceed customer expectations and better the world around us. With combined annual sales of more than $8.5 billion and 22,000+ employees worldwide, the DIC Group companies support a diverse collection of global customers.
 

Sun Chemical Corporation is a subsidiary of Sun Chemical Group Coöperatief U.A., the Netherlands, and is headquartered in Parsippany, New Jersey, U.S.A. For more information, please visit our website at www.sunchemical.com or connect with us on LinkedIn or Twitter
 

Facility: 36,000 sq. ft. Manufacturing Site

Reports to: Regional Operations Director (or designate)
Direct reports: Production Supervisor, Quality Control Technicians, Material Resource Planner, and Finite Scheduler (total site headcount of 20)

Position summary

Lead, own, and direct all production and plant activities for the Grand Prairie site to deliver the Annual Operating Plan (AOP), meet customer requirements, and maintain a safe, compliant, and continuously improving operation. The Plant Manager is responsible for general management across production, quality, shipping/receiving, procurement, finance, EH&S, and regulatory compliance while building a high‑performing team and driving measurable operational improvements.

Key responsibilities

Safety and Environmental Health

• Own site safety performance and lead implementation of corporate EHS protocols to minimize hazardous conditions and lost‑time accidents.
• Partner with the EHS Coordinator to manage OSHA programs, incident investigations, corrective actions, and safety training.
• Maintain environmental and regulatory compliance and lead emergency preparedness planning.

Operations and Production Management

• Plan, organize, and control production to meet customer delivery, quality, and cost targets; coordinate with sales, procurement, and logistics.
• Optimize production scheduling, inventory levels, and raw material availability to maximize throughput and on‑time, in‑full delivery.
• Implement and sustain automated production best practices and standard work.

Quality, ISO and Customer Support

• Own product quality and ISO certification activities; ensure products meet specifications and control limits.
• Lead root‑cause analysis for customer complaints, implement corrective actions, and monitor effectiveness.
• Provide timely technical support to customers and internal stakeholders.

Continuous Improvement and Metrics

• Drive continuous improvement using Lean, 5S, Six Sigma, and other modern manufacturing systems.
• Establish, monitor, and report performance metrics (safety, quality, delivery, cost, productivity) and lead initiatives to remove bottlenecks and reduce cycle times and defects.
• Lead Kaizen events and sustainment plans that deliver measurable results.

People Leadership and Culture

• Recruit, develop, and retain talent across the site; lead performance management, succession planning, and training programs.
• Foster a leadership culture that emphasizes employee engagement, rewards and recognition, coaching, and conflict resolution.
• Handle employee relations matters—training, counseling, discipline—while maintaining positive labor relations.

Financial and Administrative Oversight

• Manage site P&L and cost centers, drive productivity improvements and cost reductions, and support annual budgeting and AOP delivery.
• Ensure accurate and timely reporting of production, sales, inventory, payroll, and other administrative metrics.
• Administer corporate, regional, and local policies and maintain strong cross‑functional communication.

Required qualifications

Education

• BS degree in Chemical Engineering, Operations Management, Business Administration, or related field (or equivalent experience).

Experience

• 7–10 years of progressive experience in manufacturing operations, including supervision, employee relations, and plant management.
• Demonstrated success leading Lean/Six Sigma or continuous improvement projects with measurable outcomes.
• Experience with automated production environments and ISO management systems.
• Strong background in financial analysis, P&L responsibility, and metric‑driven performance management.

Skills

• Excellent written and verbal communication.
• Proven ability in conflict resolution, coaching, and team development.
• Strong analytical skills and experience establishing and maintaining performance‑based metrics.
• Customer‑focused mindset with experience investigating and resolving production/customer issues.

Physical and work environment

• Onsite role with regular presence on the plant floor; ability to walk/stand for extended periods and access all areas of a manufacturing facility.
• Occasional travel to regional offices, customers, or corporate meetings as required.

BENEFITS

We offer a range of market-competitive total rewards that include merit increases, paid holidays, Paid Time Off, medical, dental, vision, short and long term disability benefits, 401(k)+match and life insurance. Eligibility of benefit timing may vary.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
 

It is Sun’s policy that applicants for employment are recruited, selected, and hired on the basis of individual merit and ability with respect to the position being filled. Sun prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital or veteran status, disability, or any other status protected by applicable law.
 

Employment agencies are an important component of our talent acquisition strategy, and we value the partnerships we have built with our preferred vendors. We will not accept unsolicited resumes from employment agencies for any employment opportunity. All resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at Sun Chemical or directly to hiring managers in any form without a signed contract on file, and search engagement for that position, will be deemed unsolicited in nature, and no fee will be paid in the event the candidate is hired as a result of the referral or through other means. Additionally, any resume submitted without a contract in place will be considered property of Sun Chemical and no fees will be paid to the agency if the candidate is hired.