Plant Manager

POSITION SUMMARY/OBJECTIVE:

Our St Charles site is seeking a Plant Manager to lead, own and direct all production and plant activities at the site. This includes general management, production, financial management, EH&S and regulatory compliance. The incumbent is expected to achieve targeted goals and to deliver on the Annual Operating Plan (AOP). The Plant Manager is also expected to set aggressive targets to ensure both customer satisfaction and consistent product quality are achieved while maintaining a safe working environment.

The role requires an experienced leader who can provide leadership to direct/indirect reports in operations, engineering, quality control, ISO management, and plant administration. It also requires driving plant improvement through contemporary manufacturing systems, such as lean, 5-S, quality/ISO, six-sigma, and employee engagement programs. The incumbent should be a change agent capable of building a strong team that can execute and deliver results.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

Safety:

• Leads a safety-focused organization that prioritizes safety and housekeeping techniques and programs - SunCare, 5-S to minimize hazardous conditions and lost-time accidents.

• Leads the site safety OSHA program in partnership with the site EHS Coordinator and plant leadership team.

• Leadership:

• Leads and motivates the workforce in a positive manner including effectively handling employee relations issues including, but not limited to, training, counseling, discipline and conflict resolution.

• Metrics-driven approach focusing on continuous improvement and accountability.

• Embraces and promotes a continuous improvement mindset focused on identifying and removing bottlenecks in process and policy.

People Development:

• Leads an operation that focuses on hiring and developing talent at all levels of the plant.

• Champions organization / human resource initiatives (performance management, succession planning, training & development planning) which impacts team and individual performance.

• Develops/builds a leadership culture that prioritizes rewards and recognition programs that foster positive employee relations, engagement and recognition.

Customer Value System:

• Owns and leads the planning, organizing and controlling of the technical functions, ensuring products made are within specifications/control limits as agreed to between technical, sales and the customer, and delivered on-time in full.

• Ensuring customers receive necessary and responsive product technical support as deemed suitable and necessary to maintain and grow the business.

• Investigates customer complaints from a production, technical or administrative viewpoint to determine cause, implement solutions, and monitor results.

• Reviews miscellaneous daily reports indicating the status of production, technical and administrative issues and recommends or advises actions and monitors results.

• Maintains a continuing ISO program and certification.

Productivity:

• Owns and leads the planning, organizing and controlling of production, ensuring coordination with other departments, taking into account such factors as sales forecasts, delivery dates, inventory levels, raw material availability and freight rate reductions, as allowed on volume shipments.

• Supervises the planning, organizing and controlling of the administrative functions, ensuring accurate and timely collection and reporting of production, sales, inventory and payroll & employee information within policy standards.

• Develops effective metrics and performance standards to improve efficiency, remove bottlenecks, improve batch cycle times, reduce defect rates and costs, as well as maximizing quality and customer satisfaction.

• Establishes and monitors production techniques through screening of ideas presented by senior management, peers, subordinate personnel or generated through personal experience.

• Champions the concepts of continuous improvement and Six Sigma

• Manages cost center expenses and drives productivity.

Other:

• Consistently administers corporate, regional, unit and local policies and procedures in accordance with their terms.

• Maintains good communication and working relationship within site departments, branch network and externally to sales and other corporate, regional or unit.

• Communicates, written and verbally, to the site team, customer service and sales.

REQUIRED EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

• BS Degree in Chemical Engineering, Operations Management, Business Administration or related

• 7-10 years’ experience in supervision, employee relations, management and operations in a manufacturing environment

• Must be metrics-driven and have experience with establishing and maintaining performance-based metrics to achieve objectives.

• Understanding of an automated production environment

• Experience with leading and sustaining successful projects using lean manufacturing concepts.

• Experience driving continuous improvement projects with measurable, achieved results.

• Financial/P&L analysis and bottom-line orientation

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

• Experience driving an effective rewards and recognition culture.

• Conflict resolution, coaching and team development experience.