Plant Manager - hydrogen peroxide

A well-established specialty chemicals manufacturer is seeking a Plant Manager to lead its Memphis, TN production site. This is a full P&L role with total site accountability — operations, maintenance, engineering, quality, HR, purchasing, accounting, and laboratory functions all report directly or indirectly to this position.

The site has a strong track record in safety, reliability, and customer service. The next Plant Manager will be expected to protect that record while driving the site through a period of business growth and new program integration. This is a change-management role as much as an operations role.

Site profile:

• Approximately 60 employees
• Unionized workforce
• Roughly 8 direct reports
• Multi-million dollar annual maintenance, variable cost, and capital budgets under direct control

Safety, Health & Environment (~20%)

• Set the tone for a "zero is possible" culture and make safety a lived plant value, not a poster
• Ensure full compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local regulations plus internal corporate standards
• Lead behavior-based safety observations personally and hold direct reports to the same standard
• Drive timely, transparent reporting of all incidents and near-misses

Operations (~50%)

• Ensure safe operating procedures and practices are in place, current, and actually followed
• Maintain and improve the mechanical integrity of all plant assets for safe, efficient operation
• Deliver production volumes that meet demand requirements set by S&OP planning
• Ensure training programs support safe and efficient operation across all shifts

Financial (~10%)

• Prepare and own the fixed, variable, and capital budgets
• Monitor and control spend to hit budget commitments

Human Resources (~10%)

• Oversee hiring, promotion, staffing, and compensation decisions with professionalism and consistency
• Maintain an environment of open communication across all levels of the plant

External Relations & Development (~10%)

• Serve as the site's face with local authorities and the Community Advisory Panel
• Build close working relationships with plant personnel; coach and develop both individual and team performance

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Chemical or Mechanical)
• 15+ years of progressive manufacturing experience spanning plant operations, process design, and engineering
• Leadership experience in a specialty chemicals
• MUST have experience in H202 (or other peroxide) production
• Demonstrated success leading continuous improvement initiatives
• Working knowledge of current safety and environmental regulations
• Proficiency with SAP (or comparable ERP), accounting systems, and Microsoft Office

Preferred

• Experience in both large and small integrated process manufacturing environments
• Lean or Six Sigma certification
• Experience leading a unionized workforce