Senior ESSH Manager

POSITION OVERVIEW Ascend Performance Materials is the premium provider of high-quality chemicals, fibers and plastics. With world scale integrated manufacturing facilities, we are able to develop new products from our core technologies and provide flexibility to respond to the expanding needs of customers. Ascend has global sales and distribution facilities across the globe and manufacturing facilities located in the United States, Europe and China. As a privately held company, our people do big things and make big decisions, often much earlier in their careers than at larger companies. Ascend Performance Materials offers team members the opportunity to contribute in big, meaningful ways—all within a stable and growing business. We have an exciting opportunity for a talented individual to lead our Environmental, Safety, Security, and Health (ESSH) at our Decatur Plant located in Decatur, AL. This role will be responsible for leading the environmental, health, safety, security, emergency response and medical programs to deliver best in class levels. This includes setting direction, coordinating with other Ascend sites, and ensuring compliance with all regulatory requirements. TARGETED OUTCOMES In partnership with the broader corporate ESSH team, serve as a thought leader and strategy partner for establishing and implementing ESSH strategy across Ascend Develop a comprehensive multi-year ESSH strategy for the facility that is aligned with the company’s ESSH strategies, driving our Commitment to Zero injuries and releases, and aligning ESSH objectives with business and operational imperatives Develop and sustain strong partnerships with key stakeholders in all functions and have a team viewed as a critical partner to success Implement measures of performance and rhythms to drive results Develop and grow a capable ESSH team who is able to partner effectively across the facility and provide leadership and guidance for ESSH policies and programs Drive a sustainable culture of excellence for the ESSH by fostering leadership commitment, and the engagement of employees and contractors to take responsibility for themselves and others Drive continuous development of knowledge and skills among employees onsite, plus the implementation of systems and processes to drive efficiency and improved ESSH performance KEY RESPONSIBILITIES Leadership in developing a sustainable, engaged organization that takes responsibility for their own personal safety and that of others Manage and lead the site ESSH team and continuously develop their skills and experiences, along with the systems and processes to drive compliance, efficiency, and improved performance Provide leadership on incident and near miss prevention, root cause analysis and behavioral modification to drive a learning organization Provide input annually to update long-range strategic plan and focused current year plan for air issues Network and work cross-functionally with Operating Units, Technology, Engineering, Maintenance and Training organizations and translate problems/solutions directly into the stakeholders’ frame of reference, including the ability to influence without authority Provide leadership in developing a sustainable engaged organization that takes responsibility for their personal safety and that of others Establish credibility and reputation as a leader and as an ESSH team that engages teams, leaders and employees on a personal, behavioral and emotional level to drive Commitment to Zero culture Establish, implement and manage ESSH policies for the facility Lead organizational change in partnership with the Site Leadership Team Provide partnered leadership in Process Safety Management Develop and track metrics to drive improvement Maintain and support site VPP Star status efforts, including year-end reporting and coordination of OSHA on-site audits Manage the Facility Security Plan in conjunction with on-site contract Security staff Maintain compliance with all federal, state, and local standards LEADERSHIP Set Objectives, select personnel, and manage change to drive improvements in ESSH programs. Actively-participate in creation and implementation of ESSH management systems Provide continuous performance feedback and improvement assistance for employees to insure their professional growth Identify and support improvement projects, with adequate charters and resourcing. Maintain and review corrective action progress status for ESSH related actions and recommendation Provide recommended project priorities to functional and plant management TEAM Reports to: ESSH Director, Chemical Operations and Process Safety (direct), Site Director (indirect) Direct reports: Decatur ESSH Team Peers: Site Leadership Team (SLT), other Site ESSH Leaders, Product Stewardship, Corporate ESSH Programs Manager REQUIRED EXPERIENCE Bachelor of Science or higher degree in Occupational Health & Safety, Engineering, Science or related technical discipline Minimum of ten (10) or more years of experience in the Chemical, Pharmaceutical, Petrochemical and/or Oil & Gas Industry Minimum of ten (10) years in the field of ESSH Working knowledge of PSM requirements Previous Operations leadership experience is highly desirable DESIRED CERTIFICATION Certified Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt REQUIRED SKILLS Broad understanding of environmental, health and (occupational and process) safety practices and standards Proactive leadership and team-building skills, with demonstrated ability to work effectively at all levels of the organization Superior influencing capability and ability to engage and inspire others Ability to develop and lead the execution of strategic plans. Excellent organizational skills Excellent verbal and written communication skills Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects Demonstrated commitment to delivering customer success Competent with MS Office products PREFERRED SKILLS Understanding of MARSEC levels and CFATS as it pertains to site security, with training as an MTSA Facility Security Officer (FSO) a plus Knowledge/prior experience with Environmental Management Systems Working knowledge of ACC RCMS or RC-14001 Management System Experience with incident investigation techniques (e.g., Cause Mapping, 5 Why, FMEA, etc.) Skills Summary: About Us: Ascend Performance Materials is the premium provider of high quality chemicals, fibers and plastics. With world scale integrated manufacturing facilities we are able to develop new products from our core technologies, and provide flexibility to respond to the expanding needs of customers. Ascend has global sales and distribution facilities across the globe and six manufacturing facilities globally. As a privately-held company, our people do big things and make big decisions, often much earlier in their careers than at larger companies. Ascend Performance Materials offers team members the opportunity to contribute in big, meaningful ways—all within a stable and growing business. Why work at Ascend? Our vision is to be the recognized leader in the nylon 6,6 value chain, creating new possibilities with PA66 for everyone, everywhere, every day. We achieve that through living our Ascend values. We care. We operate safely with high integrity for our employees, our customers and our communities. Our people are our greatest assets, and our Total Rewards Program extends beyond traditional benefits to include access to on-site medical clinics at our U.S. facilities, a global wellness rewards program and Performance Matters, an employee-driven recognition plan. Our Commitment to Zero demonstrates our belief that is it possible to operate with zero personal injuries, zero process safety incidents and zero environmental releases. And the Ascend Cares Foundation, led by Ascend employees, supports Ascend families in times of need, provides inspiring opportunities for community engagement and facilitates community leadership. Customer-focused. We exist for our customers; they drive our actions. Their success is our success. Our plastics and chemicals are building blocks that help make everyday essentials safer and more sustainable, and we constantly strive to develop new and innovative products to meet the future needs of our customers. And that customer focus doesn’t only apply to the marketplace – it also applies to how we treat our colleagues and our fellow community members. Better every day. We invest in our people and our processes to improve every day. A2E, our continuous improvement program, guides the way we do business. And this way of problem solving applies not only to our manufacturing practices but also to our commitment to developing our people. You’ll see it during your career at Ascend in our leadership development, skills training and mentoring programs Agile. We think broadly and lead proactively in a constantly evolving organization and industry. Agility doesn’t mean simply working quickly – it means critical thinking, creative problem solving and novel approaches to everyday challenges. One Ascend. All together, with a common set of goals and an eye toward the future. We don’t accept silos. We look for ways to share across departments, sites and geography. This means you won’t be boxed into a single role at Ascend – you could get the chance to work with teams across the globe to improve the way we serve our people, our customers and our communities. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, protected veteran status, citizenship, genetic information or other protected status under federal, state or local laws.