Facility Technical Manager

As the largest pureplay adhesives company in the world, H.B. Fuller’s (NYSE: FUL) innovative, functional coatings, adhesives and sealants enhance the quality, safety and performance of products people use every day. Founded in 1887, with 2023 revenue of $3.5 billion, our mission to Connect What Matters is brought to life by more than 7,000 global team members who collaborate with customers across more than 30 market segments in over 140 countries to develop highly specified solutions that enable customers to bring world-changing innovations to their end markets.

Position Overview:

The Facility Technical Manager reports to the Facility Manager and has responsibility for managing the quality effort for the assigned facility. The Facility Technical Manager is the in-plant expert concerning production of the facility’s product line, and manages the laboratory staff.

Primary Responsibilities:

This individual will be involved in a variety of management, leadership, and technical activities including:

• Function as in-plant expert concerning the production of the facility’s product line.

• Manage and develop laboratory staff

• Become familiar with and execute productivity, yield and quality enhancement techniques and adjustments to process equipment and formulations.

• Lead timely corrective action with problem products, marshalling the facility’s technical resources.

• Troubleshoot quality problems, document and address issues with timely corrective actions.

• As the ISO management representative for the facility, take the lead in the improvement and management of ISO procedures and work instructions.

• Assist in the identification and implementation of manufacturing “best practices.”

• Vigorously enforce safe manufacturing practices and assist in the compliance with all-application safety and environmental rules, regulations and procedures.

• Lead all advanced quality planning, Quality Control on incoming raw materials

• Support new product introduction / scale-up and raw material acquisition

• Build and manage Production Models (PM) for the facility, to include running the synchronization and other queries per standard business practices for PM maintenance.

• Oversee management of rework per standard business practices guidelines / Proper storage of products and raw materials

• Devising / revising methods of Quality Control Analysis in collaboration with R & D

• Provide customer service assistance for local sales / technical service, as authorized and agreed to by the sales organization and the Facility Manager

• Assist in process design and development, Container labeling regulations, Batch sheet computations

• Waste management and minimization techniques, Technical record storage, Maintenance and calibration of laboratory equipment

• Act in the place of the Regional Hot Melt Technical Manager, in his/her absence, as required

• Lead internal / external audits, customer visits, and benchmarking

Minimum Requirements:

•  8-10 years of prior experience in the chemical industry is required.  

• At least three years of management experience.

• Ability to lead and supervise others and solve problems independently.

• High familiarity with regulatory matters: OSHA, NIOSH, RCRA, TOSCA, DOT, etc.

• Familiarity with quality management systems and “Best Practices” procedures

• CQE Certification, (Six Sigma Green Belt, with multiple project experience, in lieu)

• Extensive Statistical Process Control experience with proven results implementing and managing continuous improvement systems.

• Experience with ASQ ISO 9000, or ISO 9000-2000

Preferred Qualifications:

• BS/BA Degree in Chemistry, or Chemical Engineering, or other related area. MBA (Operations Management, Finance, Accounting)

• An alternative to a chemistry degree would be any 4-year degree with a minimum of related technical experience.

• Knowledge of SAP or similar ERP database management