Plant and Site Manager - Portland, OR

About the role

As the Plant & Site Manager, you will serve as the senior leader of the Portland site, with overall responsibility for site operations and performance. While R&D activities are led directly by the Head of R&D, you will have leadership accountability for all non-R&D functions and hold site-wide compliance responsibility, including activities within R&D. This role is accountable for the end-to-end performance of the site, including safety, quality, delivery, maintenance, engineering, QA/QC, administrative functions, delegated procurement, asset management, cost control, productivity, and the capability, engagement, and development of the site organization.

As a member of the Temperature Sensing Leadership Team, you will play a critical role in executing business strategy, driving operational excellence, establishing and scaling best practices, and preparing the site to support significant growth in production volumes. You will maintain a safe work environment, ensure regulatory and site compliance, and deliver exceptional operational performance across the site.

Responsibilities

• Safety, Health & Environment
  • Own site EHS performance and lead a zero-injury culture through visible leadership, routine audit activity, near-miss reporting, and on-time closure of corrective actions.
  • Ensure full compliance with OSHA, Oregon DEQ / EPA, and BASF-ECMS EHS standards; maintain site permits, training compliance, and audit readiness.
• Manufacturing & Delivery Performance
  • Deliver site output to plan: schedule attainment, on-time-in-full (OTIF) delivery, lead time, yield/scrap, and equipment effectiveness targets.
  • Prioritize production in close partnership with the commercial organization and customer service to ensure reliable, quality supply to internal and external customers.
  • Establish and run a site daily management system: tiered meetings, visual KPIs, and structured escalation and problem-solving routines.
• Site Supply Chain & Procurement
  • Own the end-to-end site supply chain: production planning and scheduling, materials management, warehousing, and inbound/outbound logistics.
  • Own site procurement end to end: direct materials, MRO, and site services, including supplier selection, supplier performance management, and cost negotiation, in compliance with company procurement policies.
  • Drive inventory discipline across raw material, WIP, and finished goods: right-size safety stocks, improve turns, and reduce working capital and carrying cost while protecting customer service levels.
  • Establish and run the site demand-supply planning (S&OP) cadence in partnership with the commercial organization, ensuring capacity, material availability, and constraints are accurately reflected in the plan.
• Quality
  • Own site quality performance and the QA/QC organization; maintain and expand certifications and drive measurable reduction in nonconformances, customer complaints, and cost of poor quality.
• Cost & Financial Performance
  • Own the site conversion cost budget; deliver annual productivity and cost-out targets and manage headcount, overtime, external spend, purchased material cost, and inventory with discipline.
  • Partner with Finance on absorption, variance analysis (including purchase price variance), and capital planning; build cost transparency down to the value-stream level.
• Operational Excellence & Continuous Improvement
  • Deploy lean fundamentals and build continuous improvement capability at all levels of the site.
  • Own a quantified site improvement pipeline with clear owners, timelines, and EBITDA impact, reviewed monthly with business leadership.
• Engineering, Maintenance & Asset Management
  • Ensure asset reliability and uptime through preventive and predictive maintenance programs and disciplined spare parts and asset lifecycle management.
  • Direct site capital projects end to end: scoping, financial justification, execution, and startup.
  • Provide site infrastructure, utilities, and engineering support for all activities hosted at the site, including business-managed R&D.
• People & Organization
  • Hire, develop, and retain the site workforce; build supervisory bench strength, cross-training flexibility, and succession plans for critical roles.
  • Establish performance management, training matrices, and clear accountability standards consistent with BASF-ECMS's Mission, Vision, and Values.
  • Foster a working environment of teamwork, engagement, and empowerment that enables employees to achieve maximum results.
• Site Governance & Compliance
  • Accountable for site-wide compliance for all activities and personnel on site, including functions not reporting to this role (e.g., business-managed R&D): EHS, quality, regulatory, security, and corporate policy requirements.
  • Hold site-rules and stop-work authority over all on-site activities.
  • Provide administrative oversight of site support services, including HR and IT infrastructure.
• Leadership & Representation
  • Represent the site with corporate functions, regulators, auditors, customers, and suppliers.
  • Contribute as a member of the Temperature Sensing Leadership Team to business strategy and the site roadmap.

Qualifications

• BS in Engineering, Science, or a related technical discipline required; advanced degree (MS or MBA) preferred.
• 10+ years of progressive manufacturing operations experience, including 5+ years leading a plant or site with multidiscipline direct reports (production, maintenance, quality, EHS).
• Demonstrated ownership of a site budget or conversion cost base, with a verifiable track record of improvement in safety, quality, delivery, and cost.
• Working experience across site supply chain and procurement: production planning, materials and inventory management, and supplier management; APICS/CPIM or equivalent certification a plus.
• Hands-on experience deploying lean / operational excellence systems (daily management, standard work, structured problem solving) in a high-mix, technical manufacturing environment.
• Industry experience in sensors, instrumentation, or comparable high-mix technical manufacturing preferred.
• Proven project management capability; able to run multiple business-critical projects on demanding timelines.

Benefits

• Competitive medical and dental plan options
• Retirement benefits with company contributions
• Disability and life insurance programs
• Wellness programs
• Maternity/paternity leave, infertility & adoption reimbursement
• Flexible work arrangements whenever possible
• Mentoring & development programs
• Employee discounts
• Pet insurance

Pay

The competitive pay range for this role is $145,000–$175,000 annually. Actual pay will be determined based on education, certifications, experience, and other job-related factors permitted by law.