Associate Director, OpEx

Solenis

2d

About The Position

Solenis is a leading global provider of water and hygiene solutions. The company’s product portfolio includes a broad array of water treatment chemistries, process aids, functional additives, cleaners, disinfectants, and state-of-the-art monitoring, control and delivery systems. These technologies are used by customers to improve operational efficiencies, enhance product quality, protect plant assets, minimize environmental impact, and create cleaner and safer environments. Headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware, the company has 78 manufacturing facilities strategically located around the globe and employs a team of over ~23000 professionals in >160 countries across six continents. Solenis is a 2025 Best Managed Company Gold Standard honoree. For additional information about Solenis, please visit www.solenis.com or follow us on social media. Associate Director, Manufacturing Opex – North America Company: Solenis Region: North America Function: Manufacturing / Operational Excellence / Maintenance & Reliability Reports to: Head of Global OPEX Position Summary The Associate Director, Manufacturing Opex – North America plays a critical leadership role in Solenis’ SPRINT transformation program, driving step‑change improvements in manufacturing productivity, operational performance, and asset reliability across North American operations. This role is accountable for translating SPRINT objectives into measurable and sustainable productivity gains through the deployment of Manufacturing Operational Excellence, with a strong emphasis on maintenance excellence, reliability, and asset performance. The Associate Director partners closely with Plant Managers, Maintenance & Reliability Leaders, Engineering, EHS, Finance, and Global OPEX teams to improve throughput, reduce losses, optimize cost structures, and embed a culture of continuous improvement aligned with Solenis’ strategic growth and margin objectives.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations, Maintenance, or a related technical field.
• 8–12 years with demonstrated leadership in Manufacturing Opex, productivity improvement, and/or maintenance & reliability.
• Proven track record of delivering measurable productivity and cost improvements in a multi‑site environment.
• Strong knowledge of Lean, TPM, reliability methodologies, and continuous improvement tools.
• Experience in batch or process manufacturing environments (chemical or industrial manufacturing strongly preferred).
• Willingness to travel across North American sites (approximately 30–50%).

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree (MBA, MS Engineering, or equivalent).
• Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, TPM certification, or Reliability certification (e.g., CMRP).
• Experience supporting large‑scale transformation programs.
• Experience in a global, matrixed organization.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a regional Manufacturing Opex leader within the SPRINT transformation program, ensuring productivity, reliability, and cost competitiveness are core value levers.
• Lead the deployment of Solenis’ Manufacturing Opex framework across North American sites, aligned with SPRINT priorities.
• Translate regional and SPRINT productivity targets into site‑level initiatives with clear KPIs, ownership, and financial impact.
• Act as a change leader, driving adoption of standard work, performance management routines, and disciplined execution.
• Drive manufacturing productivity improvements across labor, assets, and materials, including: Throughput, capacity utilization, and schedule adherence Labor productivity and work process efficiency Reduction of operational losses (downtime, scrap, rework, yield loss)
• Lead initiatives to simplify, standardize, and optimize manufacturing and maintenance work processes.
• Partner with Finance to ensure rigorous tracking, validation, and sustainability of productivity and cost improvements.
• Support margin improvement through reductions in fixed and variable manufacturing costs using Opex and reliability levers.
• Lead regional efforts to strengthen maintenance excellence and asset reliability as foundational enablers of productivity.
• Drive reductions in unplanned downtime and reactive maintenance through: Preventive and predictive maintenance programs Reliability‑Centered Maintenance (RCM), FMEA, and asset criticality assessments Improved maintenance planning, scheduling, and execution discipline
• Promote standard maintenance practices and performance metrics across sites.
• Partner with Engineering and Capital Projects teams to embed reliability and maintainability into equipment design, upgrades, and new installations.
• Ensure safety is fully integrated into Manufacturing Opex, SPRINT, and maintenance initiatives, reinforcing a zero‑harm culture.
• Support mechanical integrity, process safety, and risk‑based maintenance practices.
• Ensure productivity and reliability improvements support product quality, regulatory compliance, and environmental performance.
• Lead cross‑functional Manufacturing Opex initiatives, including Kaizen events, focused improvement workshops, and value stream mapping.
• Identify, replicate, and scale best practices in productivity, maintenance, and reliability across North American sites.
• Drive the use of visual management, tiered accountability, and performance reviews to sustain gains.
• Build long‑term Manufacturing Opex, productivity, and reliability capability across sites.
• Coach and develop Plant Leaders, Maintenance Managers, and CI practitioners to own results.
• Support the development of Lean leaders, TPM pillars, and reliability champions aligned with SPRINT objectives.
• Lead change management efforts to embed new behaviors, routines, and performance expectations.
• Establish governance mechanisms to track Manufacturing Opex, SPRINT, productivity, and reliability performance.
• Provide regular, data‑driven updates to regional and global leadership on progress, risks, and opportunities.
• Support Solenis’ sustainability and ESG objectives by improving energy efficiency, reducing waste, and maximizing asset utilization.

Benefits

• At Solenis, we understand that our greatest asset is our people. That is why we offer competitive compensation, comprehensive benefits which include medical, dental, vision & 401K, and numerous opportunities for professional growth and development.
• At Solenis, we understand that our greatest asset is our people. That is why we offer competitive compensation; comprehensive benefits, including medical, dental and vision insurance and a 401(k) plan; and numerous opportunities for professional growth and development.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees