Strategy & Operations Senior Associate

Emery Oleochemicals LLC • Cincinnati, OH

3h

About The Position

The Strategy & Operations Senior Associate plays a critical role in driving strategic initiatives and operational excellence across the chemical manufacturing organization. This position partners with plant leadership, corporate functions, and executive management to analyze performance, improve operational effectiveness, and support execution of business strategy. The role requires strong analytical capability, a solid understanding of manufacturing operations, and the ability to translate strategy into actionable plans.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Business, Operations Management, or related field
• 4–7 years of experience in strategy, operations, manufacturing, consulting, or industrial environments
• Strong understanding of chemical manufacturing operations and plant performance metrics
• Advanced analytical skills with proficiency in Excel and PowerPoint
• Ability to communicate complex technical and operational information clearly to diverse audiences

Nice To Haves

• MBA or advanced technical degree
• Experience in batch or continuous chemical manufacturing
• Familiarity with EHS regulations, process safety, and quality systems
• Experience supporting capital projects or operational transformation initiatives

Responsibilities

• Support development and execution of corporate and site-level strategies aligned with safety, quality, growth, and profitability objectives
• Conduct operational, financial, and market analyses related to chemical manufacturing, capacity utilization, cost structure, and asset performance
• Develop business cases, ROI analyses, and scenario modeling for capital investments, process improvements, and strategic initiatives
• Monitor and report on strategic initiative progress, KPIs, and performance metrics
• Partner with Operations, Engineering, Maintenance, and EHS to identify opportunities to improve efficiency, reliability, and throughput
• Support continuous improvement initiatives (Lean, Six Sigma, PDCA, OEE, yield improvement, waste reduction)
• Analyze production data, downtime, and quality metrics to identify trends and root causes
• Support cost reduction initiatives related to raw materials, energy, labor, and logistics
• Work closely with Plant Managers, Operations Managers, Supply Chain, Commercial, Finance, HR, and IT teams
• Prepare executive-level presentations, dashboards, and operating reviews
• Facilitate cross-functional working sessions and project reviews
• Serve as a strategic thought partner to leadership on operational and business challenges
• Lead or manage workstreams within large-scale strategic or operational projects
• Develop project plans, milestones, and deliverables
• Support change management efforts to ensure successful adoption of new processes and operating models

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 1,001-5,000 employees