Operations Manager

Responsibilities

Lead manufacturing employees and a technical team to safely operate the plant and meet production, quality, safety, health, environmental, and cost goals in a 24/7 environment while complying with Federal, State, Local, Grace and Union policies.

Model a mindset and behavior of safe work practices and use of critical life safety rules in everything.

Anticipate scenarios which increase safety or production risks, such as winter weather or equipment failure. Develop action plans to mitigate these risks.

Ensure resources and plans are in place to cover plant shutdowns, Job Hazard Analyses and support for off-shifts.

Oversee the investigation program and root cause analyses for production losses or safety incidents and ensure proper actions are in place.

Manage the engagement, performance and development of a team of direct reports and indirect reports.

Hire, onboard, train, develop and coach direct reports according to Grace policies and management practices.

Maintain a positive working environment, resolve personnel conflicts and serve as a sounding board.

Participate in the asset management process including key inputs such as: Capacity, resources, shutdown schedules, and plant trials.

Continuously review the compliance with respect to production, yields, and fixed costs and reports on variances.

Support both site and business leadership in developing overall strategies, annual operating plan and other business plans.

Champion the capital program for the assigned plant with input on priorities and scope.

Actively support production troubleshooting with technical and leadership skills. Effectively and timely escalate issues to the Site Operations Director.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in a related Science or Engineering discipline
• 10+ years of experience in specialty chemicals or pharmaceuticals manufacturing
• 5+ years of leadership experience at a plant and/or regional level
• Life safety training and proven experience identifying workplace hazards

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Chemical, Mechanical or Electrical Engineering or relevant field
• Knowledge of EHS (Environmental, Health and Safety) standards and regulatory compliance
• Experience with Production planning or Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)
• Supervisory experience in a union environment
• Experience with performance metrics tracking and budget planning
• Experience using Six Sigma and Lean Manufacturing principles
• Process scale-up and plant trial experience
• Experience communicating effectively across all levels of the organization
• Demonstrated leadership experience with transformational change using influence to drive results
• Demonstrated problem-solving experience and attention to detail

Benefits

• Medical, Dental, Vision Insurance
• Life Insurance and Disability
• Grace Wellness Program
• Flexible Workplace
• Retail Plans 401(k) Company Match
• Paid Vacation and Holidays
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Company Donation Match Program