Laurel Plant - Senior Operations Manager

POSITION TITLE

Laurel Plant - Senior Operations Manager

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Senior Operations Manager plays a critical leadership role in driving safety, quality, and operational excellence at Milliken's Laurel Chemical Plant. This position oversees daily production operations, ensuring compliance with environmental and regulatory standards while fostering a culture of continuous improvement, associate development, and process reliability.

This leader will partner cross-functionally with engineering, maintenance, quality, and EHS teams to deliver measurable results in safety, yield, cost, and productivity. The role also serves as Plant Manager designee in the manager's absence and is a key successor role within the site's leadership pipeline.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

Safety & Process Safety Management

• Champion a safety-first culture, enforcing rules and ensuring participation of all associates.

• Oversee safety project identification, reporting, and timely completion.

• Ensure compliance with OSHA PSM regulations, MOC (Management of Change), and PSSR requirements.

• Provide technical and leadership support during PHAs (Process Hazard Analyses) and reactive hazard evaluations.

• Drive continuous improvement in housekeeping and 5S programs across operations.

• Ensure safe design and introduction of new processes, products, and equipment.

Environmental & Regulatory Compliance

• Ensure operations comply with RC-14001 environmental, health, safety, and security systems.

• Partner with EHS teams to maintain compliance with all environmental permits and implement corrective actions for non-conformances.

• Allocate resources to drive improvements in waste reduction, recycling, and natural resource conservation.

• Maintain adherence to all federal, state, and local environmental regulations.

Quality & Continuous Improvement

• Lead quality performance improvement through root cause analysis and preventive/corrective action systems.

• Support and facilitate Continuous Improvement (CI) Teams targeting long-term process and quality enhancements.

• Promote the use of statistical tools and quality improvement methodologies (Six Sigma, SPC, DOE).

• Drive standardization, documentation, and data-based decision-making across operations.

Technical Leadership & Reliability

• Serve as the first line of technical troubleshooting for process issues; provide shift coverage as needed.

• Ensure thorough review and approval of MOCs related to operations.

• Direct loss analysis and corrective action for HSEQ, productivity, and reliability events.

• Partner with Engineering on process design, small capital projects, and optimization initiatives.

• Track and improve OEE, yield, and process reliability using data-driven metrics.

Cost & Productivity Management

• Lead efforts to meet or exceed Annual Operating Plan (AOP) cost targets (raw materials, utilities, overtime, waste, etc.).

• Monitor and analyze yield variances; drive continuous improvement toward 100% process reliability.

• Maintain financial control of departmental spending; prepare budgets, forecasts, and cost-reduction plans.

• Evaluate new materials, equipment, and procedures to improve manufacturing efficiency and cost performance.

• Support site profit improvement initiatives and loss accounting processes.

Associate Development & Engagement

• Lead and develop a team of Production Managers, Shift Supervisors, and Process Engineers.

• Create and maintain robust technical and leadership training programs.

• Conduct regular coaching, feedback, and performance reviews (minimum twice per year).

• Promote associate engagement through strong communication, collaboration, and recognition of success.

• Ensure adherence to Milliken's people policies, performance management, and career development frameworks.

Delivery & Operational Planning

• Align with other departments to meet production schedules and customer requirements.

• Establish and monitor productivity standards, cycle times, and production plans.

• Support capital and expense projects ensuring timely execution and operational readiness.

• Ensure prompt response to reliability and supply disruptions through proactive problem-solving.

Leadership & Culture

• Model Milliken's core values of ethics, excellence, and innovation in all leadership behaviors.

• Actively participate in and promote the Daily Management System (DMS) to drive accountability and communication.

• Serve as Plant Manager designee when required.

• Champion diversity, inclusion, and associate well-being initiatives at the site.

QUALIFICATIONS - REQUIRED

• Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering.

• 8+ years of progressive leadership experience in chemical or closely related process manufacturing.

• Demonstrated success leading technical teams in production, safety, and process improvement environments.

• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.

• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.

• Ability to lead with initiative, accountability, and a collaborative mindset.

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