Plant Manager

Ashland Specialty Ingredients, GP

Are you the kind of person who 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 Plant Manager to join our Life Sciences business at our Wilmington, DE site. This is a highly visible and significant role within the Company and the manufacturing function. 

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

• Maintaining a safe work environment for all site employees and visitors while complying with all local, state, and federal safety and environmental regulations and company guidelines 

• Work closely with internal and external resources to efficiently produce high-quality products, ensure equipment is properly maintained, and projects are installed on time while consistently seeking ways to improve outcomes and enhance service for $20+m business 

• Plan, direct, and coordinate the manufacturing of products in accordance with company goals and objectives. 

• Optimize unit performance, including yields, throughput, and quality. 

• Develop and implement a solid strategic manufacturing plan for the plant aligned with Ashland’s globalization priority for film coatings 

• Direct Plant Staff of approximately 20 employees in operating strategies, process improvement efforts, and quality improvements 

• Establish and control conditions of production to satisfy customer and quality specifications 

• Lead the new product development process by interacting with corporate R&D, pilot plant, and quality resources. 

• Modeling positive leadership through open and effective communication, motivation, example setting, and best practices 

• Perform other related duties as assigned to ensure the efficient and effective functioning of the entire plant. 

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

• B.S. Degree in Chemical Engineering or a related discipline 

• A minimum of two to five years of supervisory experience leading, influencing, building, and developing a diverse and cross-functional team across various levels and skill sets 

• Experience in effectively developing and managing an annual production plan and cost budget in a cost-conscious environment with financial controls 

• Experience working within and complying with all governmental regulations (OSHA, EPA,  FDA, SOX, etc.) and reporting requirements globally as required 

• Project & capital management, lean manufacturing practices, good manufacturing practices (GMP), and SAP experience preferred 

• Food and/or pharmaceutical experience preferred 

*Third-party recruiters and agencies (“Agency”) should not contact employees of Ashland or its subsidiaries directly. Any resumes sent by an Agency to a hiring manager, recruiter, or submitted to Ashland’s career portal are considered unsolicited and the property of Ashland. Ashland will not pay a fee for any placement resulting from the receipt of an unsolicited resume, unless the Agency has a signed contract with Ashland’s Human Resources/Procurement department in advance of submitting a candidate for consideration. Verbal and written approvals will not be considered a valid contract for ser