Interim Plant Manager
About The Position
The Interim Plant Manager has full accountability for the safe, compliant, and profitable operation of a long-established Louisville, Kentucky specialty chemical manufacturing site producing specialty polymer resins and compounds. The position leads production, maintenance, engineering, quality, and EHS teams in a continuous, 24/7 chemical process operation. The engagement is for six months, with potential to extend and an opportunity to transition to the permanent Plant Manager role based on performance and mutual fit. The immediate priorities are to protect safety and process-safety performance, stabilize output and reliability, and build a stronger operating cadence. The role supports the facility through its next phase of performance improvement, including stabilization of recently upgraded process technology.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in Chemical, Mechanical, or Industrial Engineering, or a related technical field.
- 10+ years of manufacturing experience, including 5+ years as a Plant Manager or Operations Manager.
- Experience leading a continuous-process chemical, polymer, resin, or plastics operation.
- Working knowledge of OSHA PSM, EPA regulations, and environmental permitting.
- Proven record of improving safety, quality, delivery, and cost metrics.
- Experience leading multi-shift hourly workforces and salaried leadership teams.
- Ability to start quickly and make an immediate impact in an interim role.
- Willingness to work fully onsite in Louisville, Kentucky, for the duration of the engagement.
Nice To Haves
- Experience with thermoplastic or vinyl polymer manufacturing.
- Background in batch or continuous reactor and compounding operations.
- Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt certification.
- Experience commissioning new process technology or leading major capital projects.
- Prior interim, turnaround, or site-stabilization assignments.
- Experience in a unionized environment.
- Familiarity with SAP or a comparable ERP system.
Responsibilities
- Champion a zero-harm culture and own site EHS performance.
- Ensure compliance with OSHA Process Safety Management (PSM), EPA requirements, and state environmental permits.
- Lead incident investigations, root cause analysis, and corrective actions.
- Oversee management of change (MOC), process hazard analyses (PHAs), and mechanical integrity programs.
- Direct daily operations of continuous resin and compounding processes.
- Deliver production plans, on-time delivery, and inventory targets.
- Improve yield, throughput, uptime, and conversion cost.
- Support commissioning and stabilization of new process technology and capital projects.
- Drive preventive and predictive maintenance to reduce unplanned downtime.
- Prioritize the maintenance backlog and plan turnarounds.
- Maintain product quality and consistency in accordance with customer and industry specifications.
- Uphold ISO 9001 / 14001 and other site quality systems.
- Lead a multi-shift workforce of salaried staff and hourly operators.
- Coach and develop the site leadership team and front-line supervisors.
- Assess organizational capability and recommend changes to structure and talent.
- Foster productive employee relations and clear communication.
- Own the site operating budget, KPIs, and monthly performance reviews.
- Deploy Lean / Six Sigma tools and tiered daily accountability meetings.
- Identify and deliver cost-reduction and productivity initiatives.
- Report performance and risks to business unit leadership.
Benefits
- Competitive hourly rate.
- All reasonable expenses paid, including travel, lodging, and meals.
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What This Job Offers
Career Level
Manager
