Senior Director - Manufacturing

Ecovyst Catalyst Technologies; Long Beach (CA); On-site; USD 254,000 - 300,000; Full time

Job summary

Ecovyst Catalyst Technologies is seeking a Senior Director of Manufacturing for the West Coast and Central Regions, based in Long Beach, CA. You will provide strategic and operational leadership across multiple chemical plants, driving safety, reliability, and performance improvements while aligning regional goals with corporate strategy.

Travel to sites is 40-65%. The role requires 10+ years of leadership in chemical manufacturing and a strong background in EH&S, PSM, and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• 10+ years leading chemical manufacturing operations.
• Experience managing multiple sites or large-scale operations.
• Strong knowledge of chemical process technologies and EH&S regulations.
• Familiarity with PSM, ISO standards, and CI methodologies.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and strategic thinking skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and operational leadership across West Coast and Central Regions.
• Oversee site managers and ensure safe, efficient operations.
• Drive performance improvements in production, maintenance, EH&S, quality, and supply chain.
• Lead regional operations reviews and KPI monitoring.
• Foster safety culture and regulatory compliance.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Operations management

Lean Six Sigma

PSM

EH&S regulations

ISO standards

Communication

Site leadership

Education

Bachelors in Chemical Engineering

Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering

Master’s degree

MBA

Job description

If you are unable to complete this application due to a disability, contact this employer to ask for an accommodation or an alternative application process.

Senior Director - Manufacturing (West Coast & Central Regions)

Long Beach, CA, US

Position Summary:

The Sr Director Manufacturing is responsible for the strategic and operational leadership of multiple chemical manufacturing sites within the West Coast and Mid-West region of the US. This role ensures safe, efficient, and compliant operations while driving performance improvements across production, maintenance, EH&S, quality, and supply chain functions. The director will lead site leadership teams, align regional goals with corporate strategy, and foster a culture of operational excellence, safety, and continuous improvement.

Travel to the sites will be about 40-65%.

The base salary range for this position in as for the job description criteria as listed is $254,000 to $300,000 annually. Our salary ranges are determined by market data based on position and level. The range displayed on each job posting reflects the minimum and maximum salaries for that position. Where an individual's pay falls within the range is determined by factors including, but not limited to, location, job related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.

In some cases, compensation may fall outside of this range depending on factors, including a candidate's qualification, skills, competencies, experience, and location. Base pay is one part of the Total Rewards package that is provided to compensate and recognize employees for their work.

Key Responsibilities:

Operational Leadership

• Provide oversight and direction to site managers across multiple chemical plants.
• Ensure consistent execution of production plans, maintenance programs, and reliability strategies.
• Monitor and improve KPIs including safety, quality, throughput, cost (FMC & VMC), reliability and environmental performance.
• Lead regional operations reviews and performance benchmarking.
• Champion a strong safety culture and ensure compliance with OSHA, EPA, and other regulatory bodies.
• Support implementation of Process Safety Management (PSM) and Responsible Care initiatives.
• Drive incident prevention, emergency preparedness, and environmental stewardship.

Strategic Planning & Execution

Align regional operations with corporate goals and long-term strategic plans.

• Lead capital planning and investment prioritization across sites.
• Support new product introductions, technology upgrades, and capacity expansions.
• Build and mentor high-performing site leadership teams.
• Promote talent development, succession planning, and workforce engagement.
• Foster collaboration across sites and functions.
• Champion of the Ecovyst SHINE values and Employee Engagement across the region.

Continuous Improvement & Operational Excellence

• Implement Lean, Six Sigma, and reliability-centered maintenance (RCM) practices to improve Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) as well as site / unit On Stream Time (OST)
• Drive standardization of best practices across sites.
• Lead root cause analysis and corrective action programs.

Stakeholder & Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with supply chain, engineering, EH&S, finance, and commercial teams.
• Represent regional operations in executive forums and strategic initiatives.
• Engage with local communities, regulators, and external stakeholders as needed.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering, Mechanical Engineering; Master’s degree or MBA preferred.
• 10+ years of progressive leadership experience in chemical manufacturing operations.
• Proven track record of managing multiple sites or large-scale operations.
• Strong knowledge of chemical process technologies, EH&S regulations, and operational excellence frameworks.
• Experience with PSM, ISO standards, and continuous improvement methodologies.
• Exceptional leadership, communication, and strategic thinking skills.