Plant Manager

The Role:

Reporting to the Sr Director, Production and Engineering, the Associate Director of Plant Operations will ensure the efficient, safe and compliant operation of the Kao USA, Inc. Cincinnati Factory. You will support the business by overseeing daily operations of the processing and packaging/filling functions. you will lead and manage the plant operations in alignment with organizational goals.

At Kao, we offer amazing benefits that are available to you on your first day of employment (healthcare, 401(k) plus company match), 36 total days off (vacation + holidays + sick) and a reasonable salary range of $150,000 - $180,000.

What you will do:

• Manufacturing Operations Leadership - Oversee day to day Processing and Packaging operations; ensure products are manufactured on time, in full and meet quality standards; drive efficiency, capacity utilization and cost effectiveness.
• Continuous Improvement - Champion continuous improvement, ESG and cost savings initiatives; drive improvements in OEE, yield and scrap reduction; identify and eliminate process bottlenecks, waste and non-value-added activities.
• Quality, Safety and Compliance - Ensure compliance with GMP, FDA, OSHA and other applicable regulations; collaborate with Quality Management to meet internal and external audit standards (e.g. GMP, ISO); promote a culture of safety first and enforce all EHS (Environment, Health and Safety) policies.
• Strategic Planning & Execution - Develop and implement strategies at the ground level, ensuring alignment with business goals (cost, service level, innovation); lead short- and long-term production planning, including labor, equipment and capacity; support new product introductions with cross functional teams.
• Budgeting and Performance Management - Develop and manage operations budget; track and report on key KPIs; conduct root cause analysis for deviations and implement corrective and preventative actions.
• Team Development & Leadership - Lead and mentor department managers, production team leaders and front line team members; foster an engaged, accountable, high-performance workforce; drive talent development, succession planning and workforce flexibility.

What you will need:

• Bachelor's degree in Industrial, Chemical or Mechanical Engineering; Bachelor's degree in Operations or Supply Chain Management.
• 5+ years knowledge of CPG industry, familiarity with industry standards, regulations & technologies.
• 5+ years team leadership and coaching in union or non-union environment.
• 5+ years experience in operations leadership, managing Processing and Packaging operations
• 5+ years experience with high-speed, high-volume production environments.
• 3+ years experience managing product launches, reformulations and seasonal demand spikes.
• Experience in improving efficiency and cost reduction.
• Familiarity with ERP System, e.g. SAP.
• KPI-centric and driven.
• Expense and capital budgeting experience.

What we offer: A friendly and flexible work environment with great compensation packages, benefits package, ongoing development and the opportunity to enhance your skills and deliver tangible results. At Kao your voice will be heard. Your opinion really counts. We believe that change comes from taking opportunities into your own hands, so we value and reward thinking and new ideas.

Hiring Process: Kao embraces the diversity and the individual personalities of its people because we believe it is diversity that makes us strong. This is why we welcome applications from all areas of the global community.

Want to learn more: If you feel you are as unique as our products and want to find out why 33,000 people across the globe opted for a career with us please visit our Americas website (https://www.kao.com/americas/en/).

Kao USA is an equal opportunity employer, including disability/vets.

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