Plant Management - Plant Manager

ERCO Worldwide•Valdosta, GA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

ERCO Worldwide is looking for a Plant Manager to join our Valdosta team! The Plant Manager is responsible for the overall leadership and performance of an ERCO manufacturing facility, providing strategic direction and oversight for all aspects of plant operations, including safety, environmental performance, production, quality, reliability, compliance, financial management, and people leadership. The role ensures the safe, reliable, and cost-effective production of quality products while maintaining compliance with regulatory requirements, corporate standards, and training obligations. The Plant Manager leads and develops site personnel, manages budgets and capital resources, drives continuous improvement and asset reliability initiatives, and oversees risk management, emergency preparedness, and business continuity activities. Acting as the primary link between corporate leadership and the local operation, the Plant Manager translates ERCO's strategic objectives into site-level actions and fosters a culture of safety, accountability, operational excellence, and employee engagement. The role also serves as the senior site representative and principal spokesperson within the local community, building and maintaining effective relationships with employees, labour representatives, customers, suppliers, community leaders, government agencies, regulatory authorities, and other stakeholders to support the long-term success, sustainability, and reputation of the facility and ERCO Worldwide.

Requirements

College Diploma in Operations and Process Controls is required.
Minimum 10 years of progressive leadership experience in chemical manufacturing, pulp chemicals, or a related industrial process environment.
Demonstrated success leading all aspects of plant operations, including production, maintenance, reliability, quality, safety, environmental compliance, and business performance.
Proven ability to lead, develop, and engage multidisciplinary teams through recruitment, coaching, succession planning, performance management, and organizational development.
Strong business and financial acumen, including responsibility for operating budgets, capital planning, cost control, and financial performance management.
Demonstrated ability to analyze operational, commercial, and financial data to support effective decision making and business performance.
Experience applying risk-based decision-making principles to prioritize resources, manage operational risks, and drive sustainable results.
Proven commitment to safety, process safety, Responsible Care®, environmental stewardship, regulatory compliance, and ethical business practices.
Strong strategic thinking skills with the ability to assess industry, customer, market, and product trends and translate insights into business actions.
Experience working with customers, government agencies, regulatory authorities, industry organizations, and community stakeholders.
Demonstrated ability to represent an organization in external-facing leadership roles and build strong stakeholder relationships.
Experience managing contractors, service providers, and vendor relationships; negotiation experience is considered an asset.
Excellent communication, leadership, and influencing skills with the ability to lead through change and drive organizational performance.
Willingness and ability to travel as required to support operational, business, and stakeholder objectives.
Knowledge of Responsible Care Codes and Practices, Quality Systems, Incident Investigation, Problem Solving, Contracts and Service Agreements, Mechanical Integrity, Process Safety, Business Platforms (JDE E-One, Dayforce, Coupa, SharePoint, Microsoft Office Suite, KMS/MOC) is required.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering (Chemical, Mechanical, Pulp and Paper) or Business Administration is preferred.

Responsibilities

Make (or actively support) critical decisions that impact the local site (i.e., capital projects, staffing, performance, environmental, safety, supplier negotiations.
Identify efficiency opportunities (i.e., production, cost) and/or implement appropriate solutions to optimize local plant operations.
Monitor relevant regulations to ensure compliance in areas such as employee safety, contractor safety, local manufacturing (i.e., electrical), environment etc.
Champion development and implementation of key people initiatives (i.e., talent development, skills planning, organization design, hiring/on-boarding, succession management etc.)
Maintain a continuous focus on critical factors pertaining to effective plant operations (i.e., ethical practices, safety, security and environmental factors etc.)
Monitor overall employee engagement and site moral; promotes/ensures a positive/respectful workplace.
Monitor and interpret potential impact of industry and product market trends to ERCO, with a specific focus on assessing implications to local operations.

Benefits

Health and Dental Benefits on Day 1
Health Care/Wellness Spending Account
Annual Short Term Incentive Bonus
Staff Recognition Awards
Tuition Reimbursement
Employee and Family Assistance Program
Paid time off
401k match
Disability Insurance
Developmental Opportunity: At ERCO we believe in continuous improvement, not just with our processes, but with our employees too! We have an excellent L&D department who create and facilitate training courses for our ERCO University platform on all topics for the development of our people. We also help cover and encourage employees to take courses and attend conferences to further their knowledge and skillsets!