Sr. Operations & Maintenance Manager

SYRAH TECHNOLOGIES LLC•Vidalia, LA

11h

About The Position

The Senior Operations & Maintenance Manager is responsible for the safe, reliable and efficient operation of the Vidalia Active Anode Material (AAM) facility. The role provides integrated leadership across production, maintenance, reliability, and continuous improvement functions to ensure operational excellence, cost competitiveness, and compliance with all safety and environmental standards.

Requirements

Bachelor degree in Chemical Engineering or a related discipline
10+ years of experience in heavy industrial, chemical processing, advanced materials, battery materials, or equivalent manufacturing environments
Proven leadership experience managing large operational teams
Strong technical understanding of continuous process operations and maintenance systems
Experience with lean manufacturing, reliability-centered maintenance (RCM), and continuous improvement methodologies
Strong local decision-making capability and accountability
Operationally focused with sound technical judgement
Results-driven with strong commercial awareness
High-level problem-solving and analytical capability
Effective communicator across frontline and executive stakeholders
Ability to lead in a complex, high-growth manufacturing environment
Strong ability to engage with, and drive outcomes within a team environment
Excellent verbal and written communication skills

Nice To Haves

Demonstrated experience in graphite anode materials production or a closely related process-intensive industry preferred

Responsibilities

Lead day-to-day plant operations and maintenance activities (milling, purification, drying, coating, and carbonization areas)
Deliver production volumes, quality standards, and cost targets aligned with business plans
Ensure operational readiness and optimal performance of plant assets
Drive disciplined execution of production schedules and throughput optimization
Establish and maintain best-practice preventive and predictive maintenance programs
Improve equipment uptime, reliability metrics, and overall equipment effectiveness
Oversee shutdown planning and execution
Ensure appropriate spare parts and asset lifecycle management strategies are in place
Champion a zero-harm safety culture
Ensure compliance with OSHA, EPA, and applicable federal, state and local regulations
Lead incident investigations and implement corrective actions
Maintain compliance with environmental permits and reporting obligations
Provide technical leadership in graphite anode materials processing (or equivalent advanced materials / chemical manufacturing processes)
Drive process optimization, yield improvement, and cost reduction initiatives
Support scale-up activities, new process integration, and technology improvements
Collaborate with engineering and technical teams on capital projects and plant upgrades
Lead and develop a workforce of approximately 60 personnel
Build strong frontline leadership capability through supervisors / superintendents
Implement succession planning and capability development programs
Foster a culture of accountability, continuous improvement and operational discipline
Manage operating and maintenance budgets
Monitor and control operating costs
Support long-term asset planning and capital expenditure prioritization