Operations Manager - Cabot Corporation

Cabot has an exciting opportunity for an Operations Manager to effectively and efficiently lead and direct the production and warehouse departments at the plant in safely producing quality product. Responsible for the day-to-day operations in Ville Platte, LA, your focus will be to drive continuous improvement in SH&E excellence, operational performance, engineering, and quality. As part of the local management team, you will develop and implement site long-range plans, goals, and objectives that support and align with business and global manufacturing goals, share key learnings and seek improvements in technology and managerial methods from others.

The Operations Manager will work on-site at the Ville Platte, Louisiana facility.

The Ville Platte facility is committed to upholding the highest standards in safety, health and environmental (SH&E) practices, while also striving to make a positive and lasting impact in our local community. The site has been recognized for these efforts by the Louisiana Chemical Association (2020 and 2021 SAFE Program “Best in Louisiana” Award) and in 2019 was awarded a Lantern Award by the Louisiana Economic Development for excellence in manufacturing. The International Carbon Black Association (ICBA) has recognized Ville Platte for achieving a level of safety performance above industry average, awarding the site multiple Gold and Bronze Safety Awards in recent years. Site employees have also been awarded numerous Cabot Corporation’s “Bodman Awards for Excellence” over the years for the contributions to Ville Platte’s and Cabot’s success in engineering, manufacturing, and continuous improvement.

• Would you like to contribute and lead operations to ensure the site provides quality, on-time production, as well as striving for excellence in our people’s safety, health, and environment?
• Are you a positive, hard-working, energetic, and motivated leader with a passion for building relationships with a diverse team of colleagues?
• Are you known for your integrity… for always doing the right thing?

If so, please consider the opportunity we have for you to join our team!

In this role, your primary duty is to ensure safe, reliable, and predictable operations. Reduce process variability and improve consistency. Actively support product lines and businesses to develop new products and technologies, along with optimization of existing processes. Support the transfer of manufacturing technology and systems within departments on site, as well as to and from other sites. Define long term capital needs. Schedule all planned outages on units. Support the development of capital budgets, plans and definition scope. Manage raw material and product inventories on site. This role requires a self-motivated person with a positive attitude, safety mind-set, a ton of good energy, effective time management, organization, and record-keeping skills. A successful candidate will be someone who can:

• Consistently models Cabot’s values of integrity, respect, excellence, and responsibility. Influences site toward generative team atmosphere. Interacts professionally with site personnel, visitors, contractors, and individuals at all levels of the Cabot organization. Creates, revises, and follows work instructions, procedures, and policies.
• Works in a safe manner. Actively participates in Cabot's safety, health, and environmental programs. Attends scheduled team meetings and completes safety training requirements. Keeps work area safe and clean.
• Assists in developing a culture where all employees pursue continuous improvement. Ensures improvement of process capability / reliability, resulting in less process variability and reduction in generation of off-quality material. Ensures safe, reliable, and cost-effective manufacturing of standard recipe products. Ensures that the appropriate management of change process is followed for recipe and equipment changes. Effectively manages local measurement capability, resulting in desired levels of measurement error for expected testing of Cabot products. Assure that all ISO standards are met on an ongoing basis.
• Ensure appropriate measurement tools are in place for tracking process performance. Analyze data and determine the best utilization of assets and resources, along with identifying and implementing process improvement projects will be required.
• Develop, implement, and execute programs that decrease fixed and variable cost through managerial and technological innovation. Drive process improvement to minimize overall cost. Communicate timely reports regarding the management of costs to the organization and managers.
• Responsible for the integration and coordination of various operations that support manufacturing to assure maximum effectiveness.
• Demonstrates commitment to effective Human Resource processes and effectively promotes the necessity of excellence in these activities throughout the site.
• Effectively practice Performance Based Management by coaching and developing employees, direct as well as matrix reports, assuring effective alignment with the matrix functions.
• Supports efforts to implement and maintain the Responsible Care® and ISO Management Systems in line with the requirements of the RC14001® and ISO9001 technical specifications.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

• Post-secondary Engineering degree, chemical preferred (Bachelor’s/University) and generally 6+ years of experience in the chemical industry including prior people/budget management experience. At least 3 years of supervisory experience.

• Proven ability to manage and develop budgets.

• Ability to properly monitor and plan for the Production Capacity of the plant while maximizing utilization and managing business plans/goals.

• Models Cabot values of integrity, respect, excellence, and responsibility.

• Technical Excellence. Strong knowledge of chemical manufacturing processes. Understanding of Statistical Process Control (SPC) tools and principals. Experience with Analytical problem-solving methodologies (e.g., root cause analysis, failure mode analysis) as well as Quality Management principles. Ensures compliance with all standards, regulations, and industry best practices (OSHA, RC14001, ISO 9001, PSM).

• Communication & Presentation Skills. Ability to effectively engage in verbal and written communications that are timely, concise, clear, and relevant while delivering with empathy with a broad range of stakeholders. Strong active listening skills. • Able to work collaboratively in a team-based environment. Able to work independently as well. Self-motivated with a track record of dependability.

• Computer skills. Excellent skills with Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook.

• Leads safety. Strictly follows and complies with all SH&E procedures, standards and regulations and constantly strives for Excellence in the fields of sustainability and Safety, Health, and preservation of the Environment. Familiar with topics such as Process Safety Management (PSM), safe work permitting, lockout/tagout, emergency response, and hazard recognition.

• Experience with accident and near miss reporting, incident investigation, and accountability to standards.

How We’ll Support Your Success
• Dynamic, Flexible, Hard Working, Team Environment – We are a busy, collaborative, growing, and continuously learning team who succeeds as a group, not individuals.
• Growth –Training, great peer coaching and support, and the ability to personally grow your influence, your position, and your compensation.
• Meaningful Work that is Valued – Customers are demanding sustainable solutions without compromising quality or performance. The work we do is visible, and is helping to create a more abundant, affordable, and cleaner future. It is an awesome feeling to know you’re making a living by making a positive impact in the world; and to be able to say, “I was a part of that.”
• Benefits, Vacation, Etc. – We offer a competitive package of benefits.
• Relocation Assistance - We offer relocation assistance for those who are not local to the job location.
• Feedback – we are committed to giving and receiving feedback in a direct and open fashion.
• Support – you are part of a team and deserve to feel encouraged and supported. We have a global team of engineers that are willing to help. You will be part of a team that cares about you personally and professionally. Our success depends on your success.

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