Ecovyst, Inc Hiring for Plant Manager at Baton Rouge, LA, United States Full Time

Energized by an over 200-year history as part of PQ Corporation – our company is now simpler, stronger, leaner, nimbler – and solidly positioned for growth.

Ecovyst is a pure-play catalyst and services company. As catalysts for positive change, our technologies play a critical role in supporting ecological health, and propelling expansion and growth for our customers.

Our long history of innovation expertise and close customer collaboration supports the development of proprietary catalysts and services across our two industry-leading businesses, Ecoservices and Catalyst Technologies

• Ecoservices provides specialty grade high purity virgin sulfuric acid for a number of diverse and growing end uses. Among them are mining, particularly copper for electronics applications, production of lead acid batteries for all types of vehicles, water treatment, and agricultural products.
• Catalyst Technologies business is a leader in engineering proprietary and customized technologies for cleaner fuels, emissions control and waste reduction.

At Ecovyst, we are prioritizing and accelerating our growing and greening initiatives, and are putting sustainability for a safer, cleaner, healthier world at the forefront of our forward strategy.

At Ecovyst, we are ready for change.

Plant Manager

Ecovyst is currently on the hunt for a new Plant Manager at our Baton Rouge, LA location.

Ecoservices Corp has eight manufacturing facilities.The locations are Hammond IN, Orange TX, Houston TX, Baytown TX, Baton Rouge LA, Dominguez CA, Martinez, CA and Portland, OR.

The primary product for Ecoservices Corp is sulfuric acid.The main market that Ecoservices is in is the gasoline manufacturing market.

In many refineries, sulfuric acidis used as a catalyst in their alkylation unit as part of their gasoline manufacturing process.

While Ecoservicessells sulfuric acid into other markets, the gasoline manufacturing market is the largest for the business.

The Business Unit headquarters is located in The Woodlands, TX.

The Company is searching to fill an opening at the Baton Rouge, LA plant.This is Ecoservices Corp 2nd largest facility.It has approximately 90 union employees and 30 salaried employees.

This plant is key to many refineries on the Baton Rouge & New Orleans Ship Channel and Gulf Coast for gasoline manufacturing.

This site has two sulfuric acid units manufacturing various sulfuric acid grades.This site also handles the incineration of Hazardous Chemicals as part of the sulfuric acid manufacturing in their furnaces.

The plant also has a simple process to take the neutralized waste streams and sell as a product.

The Plant manager position at the Baton Rouge, LA Plant is a key position in Ecoservices Corp.Being the 2nd largest facility in the Eco network of plants, it has to supply other sites customerswhen they are having operational issues while still satisfying its own customer demand.

Key attributes for this position include strong safety leadership with a demonstrated record in accident reduction and emergency preparedness.

Multi-tasking is another key attribute as this is a 24-7 operation with complex chemical and logistics processes where products are shipped by barge, truck and rail.

This position will require strong leadership as there will be competing priorities.Details of the job requirements are attached.

Plant Manager Role Expectations

Ecoservices Plant Managers have overall responsibility and accountability for plant personnel, assets, and achievement of plant and corporate goals.

This position generates tremendous value to Ecoservices through :

HSES / Reliability Leadership

• Drives a strong personal safety, process safety, environmental, and sustainability improvement plan to achieve HSES goals and ensure compliance with regulatory and permit requirements.
• Relentlessly pursues maximum plant reliability to reduce unplanned events and support safe operations.
• Knows and champions Life Saving Behaviors.Demonstrates priority and commitment through personal behavior.Keeps a strong field presence and routinely assesses work activities to maintain awareness of plant needs and influence behaviors.

Sets the expectations in words and actions such that employees know that all work is completed in accordance with Ecoservices HSE policies at all times (24 / 7).

• Develops metrics and management systems to drive continuous improvement in HSE and Reliability.
• Prioritizes capital requests to ensure that capital is allocated to design out industrial hygiene hazards, improve environmental compliance, and reduce personal / process safety hazards.

Implements proper engineering, process, and administrative controls for safe and reliable operations.

• Shows courageous leadership by coaching, asking questions, and intervening when needed.Challenges status quo and pas norms to make the operation more safe and effective.
• Ensures the Mechanical Integrity program is robust for safe operation.The Plant Manager is responsible for risk management decisions regarding any potential deferrals / extensions.
• Drives a strong MOC process in their organization to ensure that reviews are completed thoroughly, risks are adequately assessed, and personnel are properly trained prior to implementing changes in the facility.
• Ensures timely and effective investigations are conducted with appropriate corrective and preventative actions to prevent recurrence.

Leverages lessons to other facilities.

Stewards and supports employee health through practices associated with a Healthy Workplace and employee fitness for duty.

Organizational Effectiveness / People Leadership

Sets vision and ensures goals are established and executed in alignment with corporate objectives, while adapting to changing conditions.

Provides motivation, context, and purpose to the team through frequent communications.

This person must earn and retain the credibility of the organization to be effective.Must be decisive, honest, and empathetic.

A leader by example that will inspire the organization to follow them.Effective communicator capable of changing the organization to a best in class operation over time through incremental improvements.

Drives Operational Excellence by developing / implementing effective Management Systems that will deliver quality products on time in a safe and most efficient manner.

This will require development of the Baton Rouge Team (hourly and salaried) as well as delegation and follow-up.This will be ongoing as business conditions and priorities change.

Quickly address operational issues to ensure peak performance of the assets with low risk to employee safety.

Ensures common sense implementation and ongoing effectiveness of work processes, operating discipline, management systems, enabling technologies, and roles to become a Highly Reliable Organization.

Challenges inefficiencies and says “no” when needed.

Must have a flexible mindset as priorities change and be able move the organization quickly and effectively toward the change in a safe and efficient manner.

Must develop the organization to embrace change as part of their business model.Strong Leadership, effective communications, and strong change management skills will be required.

• Works closely with Human Resources to hire a plant team with strong skills.Ensures team members are on-boarded and trained via a comprehensive training program to maximize their opportunity for success and increase plant expertise.
• Addresses discipline issues in a timely manner.Must be able to have the hard conversation with problem employees and clearly communicate expectations while being able to acknowledge and communicate where employees performed well.

Must have employee empathy while upholding the Company standards and values.Escalates to proper channels when needed.

• Inspires and motivates the organization.Continuously shows appreciation and maintains a servant-leader mindset.Models Ecoservices core values and behaviors and understand that his / her behavior shapes plant culture.
• Champions career success and development of each employee via goal-setting, performance management, promotion, and employee development processes.

Establishes resourcing and succession plans to achieve objectives and maintain expertise.

Must have working knowledge of Collective Bargaining Agreement and ensure it is effectively implemented to support both the Union and Company interests while keeping the employee’s needs at the forefront.

Must effectively communicate with the Union on why incremental improvements are necessary and communicate how they tie in the bigger picture for the success of the plant, and therefore the personnel working at the plant.

Financial Acumen / Business Owner Mindset

Develops financial acumen skills across the organization to accelerate profitability and productivity.Understands business model and strategy for facility and helps to plant team to understand how they fit into the company.

Uses knowledge of assets, products, and customers to ensure the business strategy maximizes value from the assets.

• Develops metrics and management system to maximize profitability, margin, and EBITDA within the facility.Knows the total Cost Per Ton (CPT) and continuously optimizes plant cost position through productivity and Variable Manufacturing Cost (VMC) improvements.
• Holds themselves and others accountable for return on investment of projects and ensures compliance with financial ing rules / practices.
• Understands customer needs and drives high levels of quality, responsiveness, and reliability for the customer.Interfaces with the customers as needed.
• Develops strong partnerships with support functions such as HSSE, Commercial, Logistics, Finance, and others to drive improvement in the organization and ensure alignment.

Quality / Continuous Improvement

• Understands product specifications and key performance variables and their impact on customers.
• Continuously drives reductions in process variability.
• Ensures the organization delivers against key process indicators.
• Exhibits accountability for optimizing the relationship between quality, productivity, and profitability.
• Drives continuous improvement mindset and actions across the organization using LEAN and Six Sigma methodologies.
• Strives to leave a legacy of process improvements to drive competitiveness and profitability of the facility while improving operability for the plant team.
• Partners with Tech Group and other departments to reach agreement on the proposed facility improvement plan and ensures resources are available to achieve the plan.

Specific Job Requirements

• Must have at least 10-15 years of experience in a chemical processing plant or refinery.
• Must have a demonstrated record of accomplishment on building a safety culture and accident reduction.
• Must have experience leading a Maintenance organization towards driving Reliability culture and increasing on-stream time of facilities.
• Must have a minimum of 5 years of experience as a plant manager managing at least 70+ employees.
• Must have experience managing in a union environment including sitting in on negotiations and arbitrations.
• Must be willing to be seen in the plant and approachable by employees.
• Working knowledge of truck, train and barge logistics.
1 day ago