Global Operations Director, Specialty Additives - Ashland Inc

Global Director of Operations – Specialty Additives

Are you the kind of person that is always thinking, sketching, seeking, and adjusting? Who needs to understand how things work and then figure out how they can work better? Are you a passionate, tenacious, solver who loves to work with others who share your drive? Are you positive, constructive, and ingenious?

Are you always solving?

Then we’d like to meet you and bet you’d like to meet us.

Ashland has an exciting opportunity for a Global Director, Operations to join our Ashland Specialty Additives business in a remote role. This is a very visible, significant role within the Company and the Manufacturing function. This position will report to the SVP of Operations.

**This role will be remote with preference to someone living on the East Coast to attend regular business meetings in Wilmington DE and Bridgewater NJ**

The responsibilities of the position include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Responsible for the safe operations of 6 manufacturing sites 
• Team includes approximately 500 global employees
• Accountable for all aspects of on-going production execution and participates on the Business Unit Global Leadership Team
• Will be responsible to deliver P&L goals
• Institute strategic planning to ensure processes and capabilities are in a state of readiness to handle the introduction of new products and increased customer demand for custom orders
• Manage the business capital plan, develop and implement capital projects which will improve efficiency, product quality, warehousing, safety, environmental issues, and customer service as well as major engineering products
• Ensure technical expertise and consistency on a global basis and optimize division profitability by improving process techniques, new product lines, manufacturing implementation, plant upgrades, and proper maintenance programs on a continuous basis. 
• Ability to travel 20% both domestic and international

In order to be qualified for this role, you must possess the following:

• BS degree in technical field required.
• 5-10 years of Plant Management experience required in an industrial or regulated industry - Preference to someone with Cellulosic / Specialty Additives experience
• Multi plant management experience in a Global position
• Strong leadership in plant supervision/management, process engineering and financial systems. Experience leading in union environment preferred.
• Ability to think strategically and operate within the complexities of a fast-paced, customer-demanding, business-driven environment required.
• Creative, adaptability, and the ability to provide world class operational excellence in a rapidly changing, multi-tasking environment
• Experience developing diverse talent and building efficient & collaborative teams.
• Solid people development skills and the ability to provide proper direction and guidance to a global operation and engineering management team
• Chemical Process Expertise - Possess strong chemical and process (technical) knowledge and skills focused on production operations at a plant.
• Manufacturing Process Knowledge - Able to analyze manufacturing and business processes toward optimization using continuous process improvement tools (ie., Six Sigma and Lean Manufacturing Practices.)
• Financial and Statistical Knowledge and Aptitude - Ability to interpret and analyze statistical data, information and financial reports. Understand financial statements, costing methodologies and various methods of cost/benefit analysis.
• Business Knowledge and Acumen - Understand the drivers that impact performance and growth of a business.
• Regulatory Compliance Knowledge – Understand and able to work within various local and regional regulatory safety, environmental, quality and financial regulations, standards and laws as required for specific location, region or country.
• Employee and Labor Relations – Skilled in working within a unionized and non-unionized environment. Knowledgeable of collective bargaining agreements and informal and formal grievance procedures, mediation and arbitration. Experienced in working with works councils.
• Must be willing and able to travel in the US and Internationally

#remote-LI

In more than 100 countries, the people of Ashland LLC. (NYSE: ASH) provide the specialty chemicals, technologies and insights to help customers create new and improved products for today and sustainable solutions for tomorrow. Our chemistry is at work every day in a wide variety of markets and applications, including architectural coatings, automotive, construction, energy, personal care and pharmaceutical. Visit www.ashland.com to see the innovations we offer.
 
At Ashland our vision is to be a leading, global specialty chemicals company whose inspired and engaged employees add value to all we touch. In fact our people, employees, customers and vendors define who we are. They are the driving force behind everything we do.
 
Not only do we value our customers but we value our employees, and we work to offer them a dynamic and challenging environment. We hold ourselves to high standards at Ashland, and we value integrity and honesty.
 
Ashland has a history of attracting the best people and keeping them. The reasons are simple: industry competitive salary and benefits, pay-for-performance incentive plans and a diverse work environment where employees feel challenged and valued. People come to Ashland and stay. As a growing Fortune 500 specialty chemicals company, we offer opportunities for development and advancement throughout our global organization. Our values define who we are and what we care about as a company. If you are looking for a relationship with a company instead of simply a job, this may be a great fit.

Ashland is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer Minorities/Women/Veterans/Disabled/Gender Identity/Sexual Orientation. 

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability. NOTE:  We do not accept resumes from external staffing agencies or independent recruiters for any of our openings unless we have a signed recruiting agreement in place to fill a specific position.