Operations Manager

Brenntag • Salt Lake City, UT

1d

About The Position

The Operations Manager leads and oversees daily operations within a chemical distribution facility, ensuring safe, efficient, and compliant warehouse, transportation, and material-handling activities. This is a hands-on working manager role requiring an active presence in operational areas, regular work alongside employees, and direct responses to day-to-day operational needs.

The role manages facilities, assets, and personnel; supports production departments; develops budgets, operating procedures, and training requirements; and drives efficiency, safety, product quality, employee engagement, and customer-demand outcomes. The Operations Manager also leads or participates in capital projects, investigations, audits, customer visits, training, and safety initiatives, while coaching and holding direct reports accountable for performance and safety.

Requirements

• 1–2 years of supervisory experience, preferably in distribution and/or the chemical industry.
• Excellent oral and written communication and interpersonal skills with employees and customers.
• Strong supervisory and leadership skills.
• Self-motivated and proactive, with the ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel, and Outlook, and enterprise management software.
• Ability to regularly walk, stand, bend, stoop, climb stairs and ladders, and move throughout an industrial or chemical distribution facility.
• Ability to work in office and operational environments, including warehouses, loading and unloading areas, rail and truck loading areas, and outdoors.
• Ability to wear and properly use required personal protective equipment, which may include safety glasses, a hard hat, safety footwear, gloves, hearing protection, and respiratory protection.
• Ability to occasionally lift, carry, push, or pull materials and equipment weighing up to 50 pounds.
• Ability to safely inspect, access, and oversee equipment, storage and loading areas, and chemical-handling operations.
• Ability to work around chemical products and conditions typical of an industrial chemical distribution environment, including odors, dust, fumes, and temperature variations, while following applicable safety procedures.
• Ability to remain on one’s feet and actively move throughout the operation for extended periods while supervising employees and responding to operational needs.
• Ability to respond promptly to operational or safety situations, including walking throughout the facility and climbing stairs or ladders when necessary.
• Ability to work outdoors in varying weather conditions when operational needs require.
• Ability to work safely while wearing required PPE and following site-specific safety, environmental, and chemical-handling requirements.

Nice To Haves

• College degree or equivalent experience preferred.
• Strong background in batch chemical production processes.
• Railcar and transloading experience preferred.
• Supervisory experience in distribution and/or the chemical industry preferred.

Responsibilities

• Manage operational facilities, assets, and personnel, ensuring activities comply with corporate and local policies, programs, legislation, and budgets.
• Assist production departments and, when necessary, directly supervise one or more departments.
• Develop annual expense and capital budgets and manage operations to control expenses against budget expectations.
• Develop process descriptions and associated training requirements.
• Help set priorities and production schedules based on safety issues, customer needs, equipment failures, and other operational challenges.
• Pursue efficiency improvements and manage operations to meet inventory and customer-demand requirements.
• Develop and implement procedures that improve safety and product quality or eliminate operational challenges.
• Promote a positive work environment and employee engagement and satisfaction initiatives.
• Build staffing redundancy through cross-training, manage personnel, and assign manpower according to operational needs.
• Assist with or lead capital projects from inception through completion.
• Immediately report conditions that could cause or result in safety, quality, or environmental incidents.
• Identify and recommend improvements to quality, health, safety, and process efficiency.
• Inspect and verify the satisfactory performance of facilities, equipment, and processes.
• Participate in quality and customer-service meetings, assist with project development, and drive assigned projects to completion.
• Lead or participate in investigations and ensure production and laboratory investigation assignments are completed on time.
• Participate in monthly safety meetings and inspections and drive plant-wide participation in the safety KPI program.
• Emphasize housekeeping to improve safety; monitor and coordinate disposition of waste and nonconforming material; and enforce production and safety standards.
• Review and approve plant invoices.
• Participate in customer and regulatory audits and lead or participate in customer plant visits.
• Lead or assist with plant-wide meetings, train operations personnel, and maintain training records.
• Lead and inspire a high-performing Operations Team in support of Brenntag’s Core Values and standards for business conduct and compliance.
• Lead by example as a servant leader; coach, guide, develop, and mentor direct reports; and hold them accountable for performance and safety.
• Conduct performance reviews, discuss and support career progression, advise the operations manager on discipline administration, and issue disciplinary warnings when necessary.

Benefits

• Paid parental leave
• Education assistance program
• Employee assistance program
• Various healthcare plan options
• 401(k)
• Individual development, on-the-job training, and development programs designed to support career growth

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager
• Education Level: No Education Listed