Plant Manager (Chemical Manufacturing)

ZipRecruiter; Long Beach (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a dynamic Plant Manager to lead operations in a critical facility. This role involves ensuring safety, reliability, and efficiency while managing a skilled team. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in chemical processing, a strong commitment to safety, and a proven ability to drive continuous improvement. Join a forward-thinking company dedicated to ecological health and innovation, where your leadership will make a significant impact on both the team and the environment. This is an exciting opportunity to shape the future of plant operations and contribute to sustainable practices.

Benefits

Competitive pay

Full benefit package

401k matching

Tuition Reimbursement

Qualifications

• 10-15 years of experience in chemical processing or refinery.
• Proven record in building safety culture and accident reduction.
• Experience managing a union environment and collective bargaining.

Responsibilities

• Drive safety and reliability improvements in plant operations.
• Develop and implement effective management systems for quality products.
• Inspire and motivate the plant team while ensuring operational excellence.

Skills

Leadership

Safety Management

Process Improvement

Chemical Processing Knowledge

Communication Skills

Multi-tasking

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Engineering or related field

Master's Degree (preferred)

Tools

LEAN methodologies

Six Sigma methodologies

Job description

Job DescriptionJob Description

Ecovyst is a materials science, catalyst, and services company dedicated to creating innovative technologies that play a critical role in supporting ecological health and help our customers solve complex challenges.

Our cutting-edge solutions span across two industry-leading businesses, Ecoservices and Advanced Materials and Catalyst.

• Ecoservices is dedicated to services that have a positive impact on our planet. Our Ecoservices business provides specialty grade high purity virgin sulfuric acid for a number of diverse and growing end uses.
• Advanced Materials and Catalyst Technologies specializes in silica supports and catalysts. This business allows us to develop innovative technologies that enable our customers and value chain partners to create sustainable products.

What we offer:

• Competitive pay
• Full benefit package
• 401k matching
• Tuition Reimbursement

Position Overview:

Ecoservices in Dominguez, CA is seeking a Plant Manager to join our growing team. This plant is key to many refineries in the West. This site has one sulfuric acid unit manufacturing various sulfuric acid grades. This site also handles the incineration of Hazardous Chemicals as part of the sulfuric acid manufacturing in their furnaces. Ecoservices Plant Managers have overall responsibility and accountability for plant personnel, assets, and achievement of plant and corporate goals.

What you will be doing:

HSES / Reliability Leadership

• Drive a strong personal safety, process safety, environmental, and sustainability improvement plan to achieve HSES goals and ensure compliance with regulatory and permit requirements.
• Relentlessly pursues maximum plant reliability to reduce unplanned events and support safe operations.
• Know and champion Life Saving Behaviors.
• Develop metrics and management systems to drive continuous improvement in HSE and Reliability.
• Prioritize capital requests to ensure that capital is allocated to design out industrial hygiene hazards, improve environmental compliance, and reduce personal/process safety hazards. Implement proper engineering, process, and administrative controls for safe and reliable operations.
• Show courageous leadership by coaching, asking questions, and intervening when needed. Challenges the status quo and past norms to make the operation safer and more effective.
• Ensure the Mechanical Integrity program is robust for safe operation.
• Drive a strong MOC process in their organization to ensure that reviews are completed thoroughly, risks are adequately assessed, and personnel are properly trained prior to implementing changes in the facility.
• Ensure timely and effective investigations are conducted with appropriate corrective and preventative actions to prevent recurrence.

Organizational Effectiveness / People Leadership

• Set vision and ensures goals are established and executed in alignment with corporate objectives, while adapting to changing conditions.
• Drive Operational Excellence by developing/implementing effective Management Systems that will deliver quality products on time in a safe and most efficient manner.
• Ensure common sense implementation and ongoing effectiveness of work processes, operating discipline, management systems, enabling technologies, and roles to become a Highly Reliable Organization.
• Work closely with Human Resources to hire a plant team with strong skills.
• Address discipline issues in a timely manner.
• Inspire and motivate the organization. Continuously shows appreciation and maintains a servant-leader mindset.
• Champion career success and development of each employee via goal setting, performance management, promotion, and employee development processes.

Financial Acumen / Business Owner Mindset

• Develop financial acumen skills across the organization to accelerate profitability and productivity.
• Develop metrics and management system to maximize profitability, margin, and EBITDA within the facility. Knows the total Cost Per Ton (CPT) and continuously optimizes plant cost position through productivity and Variable Manufacturing Cost (VMC) improvements.
• Understand customer needs and drives high levels of quality, responsiveness, and reliability for the customer.
• Develop strong partnerships with support functions such as HSSE, Commercial, Logistics, Finance, and others to drive improvement in the organization and ensure alignment.

Quality / Continuous Improvement

• Understand product specifications and key performance variables and their impact on customers.
• Continuously drives reductions in process variability.
• Exhibit accountability for optimizing the relationship between quality, productivity, and profitability.
• Drive continuous improvement mindset and actions across the organization using LEAN and Six Sigma methodologies.
• Partners with Tech Group and other departments to reach agreement on the proposed facility improvement plan and ensure resources are available to achieve the plan.

Specific Job Requirements

• Min of 10-15 years of experience in a chemical processing plant or refinery.
• Must have a demonstrated record of accomplishment on building a safety culture and accident reduction.
• Must have experience leading a Maintenance organization towards driving Reliability culture and increasing on-stream time of facilities.
• Must have experience as a plant manager managing at least 30+ employees.
• Must have working knowledge of the Collective Bargaining Agreement and ensure it is effectively implemented to support both the Union and Company interests while keeping the employee’s needs at the forefront.
• Must have experience managing in a union environment including sitting in on negotiations and arbitrations.
• Multi-tasking is another key attribute as this is a 24-7 operation with complex chemical and logistics processes where products are shipped by truck, and rail.
• Must be willing to be seen in the plant and approachable by employees.
• Strong Leadership, effective communications, and strong change management skills will be required.
• Working knowledge of truck and rail logistics.