Plant Manager

H.B. Fuller is a leading global adhesives provider focusing on perfecting adhesives and sealants across all industries throughout the world. While our products are virtually invisible, they play a vital role in ensuring the quality of modern life and we are committed to connecting what matters to solve some of the world's biggest adhesion challenges.

H.B. Fuller’s Hygiene, Health, and Consumables Adhesives segment provides high quality adhesive solutions used in such markets as disposable hygienic products, rigid and flexible packaging, tapes and labels, paper products, and much more.  As consumer preferences and behaviors evolve, our team of market experts solve adhesive challenges that allow our customers to win in their markets.

Plant Manager

Location:  Seneca, IL

Experienced Plant Manager from Chemical or Adhesives Industry

The Plant Manager reports to the Director of Operations. The incumbent is responsible for serving the customer by creating and maintaining a clean, safe, highly productive plant, while making the most efficient and cost-conscious use of the equipment, materials, and employees to produce high quality products on first pass production runs. The Plant Manager will work with the management team to make H. B. Fuller a great place to work, where employees are engaged and have the opportunity for career growth.

The Plant Manager is responsible for developing and gaining support for both the operating and capital budgets. S/he will drive continuous improvement efforts and achievement of plant goals and objectives. As the senior management representative at the location, the Plant Manager is expected to be the voice of the company and effectively communicate the company’s positions and decisions on a timely basis. This position is in Seneca, IL.

Primary Responsibilities include:

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

• Vigorously enforce safe manufacturing practices and ensure compliance with all applicable safety and environmental rules, regulations and procedures.
• Directly manage the other managers of people in the plant and develop a robust succession plan by hiring, grooming, and mentoring potential successors for plant and operations leadership roles across the organization.
• Achieve results within a centralized matrixed organization by building and maintaining strong working relationships with commercial, marketing, operations, HR, SIOP, Finance and R&D partners. Facilitate collaborative teamwork within the plant and with external partners and manage stakeholder expectations.
• Set and maintain standards that ensure on-time delivery of quality products that meet customer needs.
• Provide innovative solutions to customer issues by leading collaborative efforts to address all issues. Hear and leverage the ideas of others to prioritize, create and deliver innovative solutions. Lead change and change management communications effectively.
• Identify, implement and share manufacturing “best practices”.
• Control costs through close management of the operational and capital budgets and by identifying, prioritizing and pursuing continuous improvement projects.
• Determine plant headcount required and manage planning and approvals. Work with the management team and HR business partner in recruiting, hiring, development and separation activities to meet business needs.
• Maintain performance excellence by holding the team accountable for both rewarding results and managing employees who do not meet performance expectations.
• Ensure timely and data driven corrective action with problem products, marshaling the plant and business unit technical resources.
• Support new product introduction / scale-up and raw material acquisitions.
• Administer merit pay programs within the provided guidelines.
• Hear and address employee problems and concerns appropriately in partnership with management team and HR business partner.
• Effectively manage the bargaining unit relationship
• Effectively lead projects across the network.
• Prioritize work to effectively focus on critical items and deliver quality results on-time and on-budget.

Functions/Duties:

30% - Safety and Regulatory

20% - Human Resources

30% - Functional Control

20%- Continuous Improvement

Employees Supervised:

The position has approximately 55 direct and indirect reports.

Minimum Requirements:

• BA/ BS degree in chemistry, chemical, or mechanical engineering with a minimum of 8 years in a manufacturing environment and a minimum of 5 years of progressive operations management experience with a proven track record of success.
• Experience in OSHA 1910.119 PSM regulations and managing a PSM regulated facility.
• Experience in capital expenditure management.
• Experience with “Lean Six Sigma” tools and methods.
• Experience in chemical and/or adhesive reactions and processing, blending and formulating.
• Prior experience required in (1) demonstrated success in leading a facility and (2) demonstrated ability to successfully manage large Cap-Ex projects on time and within budget.
• Must be creative and imaginative in developing programs and approaches that contribute effectively to the Company, while ensuring the maximum return on the investment made.
• Must possess effective, strong communications and analytical skills, be persuasive and have good general management instincts.
• Must be a competent administrator and have a proven track record of functional management success.
• Experience managing in a union environment
• Strong organizational skills and ability to plan and meet deadlines.
• Must be people oriented and possess good insight into people.
• Prior experience with ISO, Standard Work, TPM and Zero-Defect methodologies.
• Statistical Process Control experience with proven results implementing and managing batch and semi-continuous manufacturing systems.

Preferred Requirements:

• Experience with SAP or similar ERP database management systems.
• Process control experience.
• Quality control experience.
• Some knowledge of the chemistry involved in the manufacturing of the products at the specific site.  High pressure polymerization reaction experience.
• Six Sigma certification, (Green or Black Belt), experience in design for Six Sigma DFSS.
• Exposure to applications using continuous improvement techniques; TQM, Problem Solving DMAIC, Fault Tree Analysis, FMEA’s, Lean Manufacturing, 5S, Value Stream mapping, etc.
• Knowledge, experience and demonstrated results improving process capability, monitored and controlled via a Capability Index.
• Prior experience with adhesives.
• Accountability for Results, demonstrates a bias for action, able to translate goals and objectives into actionable plans and results.
• Build and Lead Effective Teams, Attract and retain the best people.  Invests in people to ensure organizational success.  Actively manages Performance.
• Fosters Change and Innovation; seeks solutions that strengthen quality, value, service and effectiveness.  Respectfully challenges the way “things are done” and supports others in doing so.
• Creates Value for Customers, Anticipates and responds to market trends and opportunities.  Delivers on promises made.
• Demonstrates Business Acumen and Business Agility, Knows the specifics of the business.  Engages in effective operational and strategic planning. 

Physical Environment:

• Comfortable working in a manufacturing environment.
• Chemicals are present.
• Ability to travel regionally 5% to 10% of the time.

Pay is based on several factors including but not limited to education, work experience, certifications, and geographic location.

In addition to your salary, H.B. Fuller offers employees a competitive total rewards package including comprehensive benefits, incentive and recognitions programs, health & wellness benefits, 401K contributions, paid time off and paid holidays. Eligibility may vary.

H.B. Fuller is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer and proud to have created a collaborative culture where employees around the world are seen, heard, and respected. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, disability, or marital status or status as a protected veteran, or any other legally protected classification.

H.B. Fuller does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruiters, employment agencies, or staffing firms. To conduct business with H.B. Fuller, a written service agreement must be executed by Human Resources prior to submitting any information relating to a potential candidate. Without a signed service agreement, H.B. Fuller shall not be obligated for payment of any fee or compensation.

Salary : $125,000 - $165,000