Supervisor - Refractory

JSW Steel Limited; Kentucky; On-site; USD 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

JSW Steel Limited in the United States (Kentucky) seeks an Operations & Refractory Leader to direct all stages of refractory processes, drive efficiency, and meet production targets. This role oversees safety, quality, and cross-functional collaboration with Procurement, Engineering, and Finance to optimize assets.

You will manage KPIs, mentor the team, implement Lean/Six Sigma and technology adoption, and control costs while preserving quality, reliability, and environmental compliance.

Responsibilities

• Direct all stages of refractory processes, including repairs, component prep, and inventory management.
• Analyze processes to eliminate bottlenecks, minimize waste, and lower energy consumption.
• Champion a zero-harm safety culture through strict SOP enforcement, emergency planning, and environmental compliance.
• Enforce quality standards across refractory applications and identify root causes of defects.
• Recruit, train, and mentor the operations team; set performance KPIs and foster accountability.
• Identify cost-saving initiatives and manage operational budgets and variance analyses.
• Serve as liaison between operations and Procurement, EAF, LMF, VTD, Caster, Engineering, R&D, and Finance.

Job description

• Operations & Refractory Management: Direct all stages of refractory processes, including repairs, component prep, and inventory management. Meet daily, weekly, and monthly production targets.
• Process Optimization & Tech Integration: Analyze processes to eliminate bottlenecks, minimize waste, and lower energy consumption. Drive the adoption of modern technology, automation (profiling machines, robotics), and Lean/Six Sigma principles.
• Safety, Health & Environment: Champion a zero-harm safety culture through strict SOP enforcement, emergency response planning, and environmental compliance (emissions, magnesia brick recycling, circular economy practices).
• Quality Control & Defect Reduction: Enforce quality standards across all refractory applications, identify root causes of defects, and maximize refractory life.
• Team Leadership & Labor Relations: Recruit, train, and mentor the operations team. Set clear performance expectations/KPIs, foster a culture of accountability, and work closely with HR on labor relations.
• Cost & Budget Control: Identify cost-saving initiatives, manage operational budgets, and perform variance analyses on refractory consumption and efficiency metrics.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Serve as the primary liaison between operations and key departments (Procurement, EAF, LMF, VTD, Caster, Engineering, R&D, and Finance).

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) Managed

• Production & Volume: Daily/weekly/monthly output, production vs. target, and operating life of ladles, EAF refractories, and tundishes.
• Cost Efficiency: Total production cost per ton, raw material costs, labor costs per ton, and refractory conversion/consumption rates.
• Quality & Continuous Improvement: First Time Right percentage, defect reduction, and Lean/Six Sigma project completion rates.
• Safety & Compliance (SHE): LTIFR, TRIR, near-miss reporting rates, and environmental compliance metrics.

Equal Opportunity Employer
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