Plant Manager - Chemicals

About the Role

Senior-level manufacturing leader responsible for overseeing all daily operations, safety, and regulatory compliance at the chemical bottling facility in Lewisville, TX. The plant produces approximately 500,000 gallons per year of water-based HVAC/R chemicals and 100,000 gallons per year of oil-based private label products, trending toward 1 million bottles annually with 10% year-over-year growth. The company recently invested approximately $2 million in a new facility and bottling line to support this growth.

The Plant Manager oversees the blending, filling, and distribution of chemical products, ensuring efficient production workflows, strict regulatory adherence, and strong people leadership to meet corporate goals. In the company's matrix organization, the Plant Manager leads a team of one Production Manager (with 10 indirect reports), plus Planning, Maintenance, and Engineering, with dotted-line support from Accounting, Customer Support, and Logistics. This role partners closely with the Chemical Category Vice President, who leads the commercial side of the business, and reports directly to the Director of Manufacturing & Operations.

The company is a culture-first organization with a 74% engagement score and 87% retention rate, recognized as a USA Today Top Workplace. We are looking for a strong people leader who can build on that culture on the plant floor.

Responsibilities

• Oversee production including blending, bottling, capping, labeling, packaging, warehousing, and distribution to meet customer delivery timelines; production runs first shift, Monday through Friday.
• Enforce strict compliance with environmental and workplace standards, including ISO 9001, EPA, and DOT HAZMAT transportation regulations.
• Create and manage the plant's operational budget; control cost structures, manage expenses, and identify capital investment and cost-reduction opportunities to maximize facility profitability, using spreadsheets to analyze data.
• Oversee Engineering and QA efforts to ensure every batch and bottled unit meets exact chemical concentration and industry purity specifications while minimizing waste; review and approve the plant's quality management system (ISO 9001) to reduce waste, eliminate bottlenecks, and ensure products conform to specifications.
• Support the logistics team on the inbound receipt of raw materials and bulk chemicals, as well as the outbound warehousing and on-time delivery of finished goods.
• Hire, develop, and mentor the supervisory team, cultivating a culture of safety, accountability, and continuous improvement.

Core Competencies

• Continuous Improvement: Experience with Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, 5S, and Kaizen methodologies.
• Strategic Planning: Ability to translate high-level corporate goals into actionable daily operations.
• Data-Driven Decision Making: Proficiency analyzing key performance indicators (KPIs) to streamline cycle times and optimize workflows.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Ability to act as a bridge between the shop floor, corporate executives, supply chain, and engineering.
• Crisis Management: Capacity to adapt to changing environments, equipment failures, and supply chain constraints with urgency.
• Leadership: Ability to build a safe, productive, and engaged team, driving a culture of trust, growth, and coaching.

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor's degree in Engineering or Business preferred, or a related technical discipline; equivalent, commensurate experience will be considered in lieu of a degree.
• Experience: Minimum 10+ years of progressive manufacturing experience, including several years in a senior leadership or management role.
• Specialized Knowledge: Deep familiarity with hazardous material handling, SDS requirements, transloading of bulk chemicals, and process control systems.
• Certifications: Lean or Six Sigma Black/Green Belt certification highly preferred.
• Physical Demands: Must be comfortable walking and inspecting active production environments, wearing required PPE, and leading emergency evacuations.

Benefits

• 401k with company matching
• Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance
• Company paid life insurance and paid short-term disability
• Paid time off

Pay

$140,000–$160,000 with 20% bonus opportunity.