Director, Physical Automation

First Quality King of Prussia PA; Anderson (SC); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid time off (three-week minimum)

Medical, dental and vision starting at

401(k) with employer match

Paid parental leave

Dependent care FSA with employer match

Tuition assistance

Job summary

First Quality Tissue in Anderson, SC seeks a Director of Physical Automation to lead the rollout of automation across manufacturing operations. You will drive the no-human-interaction vision, build business cases, and steer cross-functional teams including operations, maintenance, engineering, IT, and suppliers to deliver scalable automation solutions.

The ideal candidate has a strong engineering background, proven leadership in TPM/Lean, and extensive experience implementing warehouse and

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or related field.
• Experience leading TPM or Continuous Improvement programs (IWS, Lean).
• Experience implementing automation projects to reduce waste and variability in industrial settings.
• Experience working with technology suppliers and automation vendors.
• Paper industry or CPG experience preferred.
• Strong leadership, cross-functional influence, and communication skills.
• Willingness to travel to support multiple sites.

Responsibilities

• Create and execute the roadmap for the physical automation rollout.
• Create a business case and prioritize automation projects.
• Lead cross-functional teams across operations, maintenance, engineering, IT, and related functions.
• Joint development of automation solutions with suppliers where applicable.
• Create a consortium of suppliers and research partners for the no human interaction vision.
• Ensure the organization is prepared for ongoing introduction of new automation solutions.

Skills

Leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Lean TPM

Automation project management

Supplier management

Mechanical knowledge

Electrical knowledge

Willingness to travel

Education

Bachelors degree in Engineering

Job description

Founded over 35 years ago, First Quality is a family-owned company that has grown from a small business in McElhattan, Pennsylvania into a group of companies, employing over 5,000 team members, while maintaining our family values and entrepreneurial spirit. With corporate offices in New York and Pennsylvania and 8 manufacturing campuses across the U.S. and Canada, the companies within the First Quality group produce high-quality personal care and household products for large retailers and healthcare organizations. Our personal care and household product portfolio includes baby diapers, wipes, feminine pads, paper towels, bath tissue, adult incontinence products, laundry detergents, fabric finishers, and dishwash solutions. In addition, we manufacture certain raw materials and components used in the manufacturing of these products, including flexible print and packaging solutions. Guided by our values of humility, unity, and integrity, we leverage advanced technology and innovation to drive growth and create new opportunities. At First Quality, you’ll find a collaborative environment focused on continuous learning, professional development, and our mission to Make Things Better®.

Director, Physical Automation

We are seeking a Director, Physical Automation for our First Quality Tissue, SE facility located in Anderson, SC. This position will lead the organization to identify and reduce manual operations in manufacturing processes - from unloading of raw materials till finished products delivered to customers.

Primary Responsibilities

• Create and execute roadmap for the physical automation rollout in FQ Tissue (North Star – No human interactions with machines for operations, maintenance or product handling)
• Create business case and prioritize rollout of physical automaton projects
• Lead cross functional teams across the organization (operations, maintenance, engineering, business unit leads, IT hardware, SAP, project management, Product development ) to execute physical automation projects
• Joint development of automation solutions along with suppliers wherever applicable for the benefit of FQ
• Create a consortium of suppliers, research labs, universities etc who can partner with FQ to the vision of no human interaction operations
• Insure the organization is prepared and knowledgeable for the ongoing introduction of new automation solutions

The Ideal Candidate

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or related degree.
• Experience leading TPM or Continuous improvement methodologies (IWS, Lean etc)
• Experience with implementation of automation projects to reduce waste and variability in industrial environments, for example: self-guided vehicles, trailer loading, ASRS, robots (humanoid, dogs or others), sensors/cameras, manual operations automation, AI solutions in machines, automated product quality checks, converting line automation, warehouse automation, etc.
• Experience working with suppliers of technology, machinery or automation solutions
• Paper industry or CPG experience preferred
• Strong leadership skills
• Technical mastery – mechanical, electrical, pneumatic, data
• Manage suppliers and external partners
• Ability to lead cross functional teams via influence
• Good communication skills – oral, written, presentation
• Ability to travel as necessary to support multiple sites.

What We Offer You

• Competitive base salary and bonus opportunities
• Paid time off (three-week minimum)
• Medical, dental and vision starting day one
• 401(k) with employer match
• Paid parental leave
• Child and family care assistance (dependent care FSA with employer match up to $2500)
• Bundle of joy benefit (year's worth of free diapers to all team members with a new baby)
• Tuition assistance Wellness program with savings of up to $4,000 per year on insurance premiums ...and more!

First Quality is committed to protecting information under the care of First Quality Enterprises commensurate with leading industry standards and applicable regulations. As such, First Quality provides at least annual training regarding data privacy and security to employees who, as a result of their role specifications, may come in to contact with sensitive data. First Quality is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identification, or protected Veteran status.

Founded over 35 years ago, First Quality is a family-owned company that has grown from a small business in McElhattan, Pennsylvania into a group of companies, employing over 5,000 team members, while maintaining our family values and entrepreneurial spirit. With corporate offices in New York and Pennsylvania and 8 manufacturing campuses across the U.S. and Canada, the companies within the First Quality group produce high-quality personal care and household products for large retailers and healthcare organizations. Our personal care and household product portfolio includes baby diapers, wipes, feminine pads, paper towels, bath tissue, adult incontinence products, laundry detergents, fabric finishers, and dishwash solutions. In addition, we manufacture certain raw materials and components used in the manufacturing of these products, including flexible print and packaging solutions. Guided by our values of humility, unity, and integrity, we leverage advanced technology and innovation to drive growth and create new opportunities. At First Quality, you’ll find a collaborative environment focused on continuous learning, professional development, and our mission to Make Things Better®.