This is an onsite, in-person position located at: Mylar Specialty Films - 5401 Route 1, Richmond VA 23234 (located inside the DuPont Manufacturing Facility in Richmond)
This role is responsible for implementing operations strategy developed by the Leadership Team. The person is primarily responsible for developing and maintaining daily work processes to achieve the daily KPI. The person in this role must ensure that the operation is coordinated in a manner that supports the daily KPI by making sure that the resources required are available in a timely manner.
The Operations Manager provides leadership ensuring safe, reliable, and efficient operations that meet customer requirements and unit objectives. This role focuses on driving operational excellence, developing frontline leadership, and identifying and implementing continuous improvement opportunities.
The role reports to the Director of Manufacturing, the Operations Manager leads a team of 6 direct reports, including Supervisors, and Training Specialist, and supports a broader organization of approximately 60 operators across three operating areas. Most of the operators and supervisors work rotating shift schedules.
The Operations Manager typically works Monday–Friday days and provides on-call support as needed to ensure safe and reliable operations.
Responsibilities:Routine Activities
- Ensure resources, raw materials and supplies are available for Unit Operation.
- Translate the department strategy into operating plans and execute the annual operating plan from the Manufacturing Director
- Drive development and engagement of the Operators and Supervisors
- Review Daily KPI and gaps with the team. Assigned owner for each target to help minimize the gaps
- Responsible for planning emerging needs and non-routine operations activities
- Communicates all the support needed from Maintenance and Engineers to minimize downtime
- Reinforce Safety, Quality, Reliability & Engagement (SQRE) plans by performing walk-throughs and providing feedback to the core team
Ad-hoc Activities
- Coordinate with Technology Manager all activities that aim to remove technical roadblocks
- Foster best practices implementation across all units
- Administration of the process safety requirements like MOC, PHA, PSSR, etc.
Overarching Activities
- Ensures effective Conduct of Operations system in place to achieve a flawless daily execution
- Drives consistent and proactive improvement
- Provide timely and thoughtful response to escalation issues
Decision Authorities
- Decides what work is brought in and out of the 24/7 Team
- Directs escalation resources to resolve issues outside the skills/scopes of the 24/7 Team
- Effective Conduct of Operations Protocols in place for the Team
- Responsible for ensuring the 24/7 teams have resources, supplies, raw materials and technology to make good products and daily activities.
- Shutdown or delay start-up of equipment, if unable to safely/reliable operate under SOP, SOC, Quality or Environmental plan or special instructions
- Escalate issues that cannot be solved regarding key activities of the SQRE and need to take action
- Employee performance reward, improvement or termination
- Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical engineering discipline, and 3+ years of leadership experience.
- In lieu of a bachelor's degree, candidates must have 10+ years of manufacturing or industrial operations experience, including at least 3 years in a leadership role managing supervisors or other frontline leaders.
- Motivate others to achieve core principles
- Drive engagement and employee development
- Understand what the Unit needs, strategy and business objectives
- Root cause analysis skills
- Ability to make decisions and prioritize
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in Chemical, Mechanical, Electrical Engineering, or related technical engineering discipline.
- 5+ years of experience in manufacturing or industrial operations, including at least 3 years in a leadership role managing supervisors, engineers, or frontline leaders.
- Demonstrated ability to lead in a team-based, operations-driven environment.
- Strong understanding of balancing safety, production demands, equipment reliability, raw material availability, cost, and other operational constraints.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities and perform effectively in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills.
- Proficiency with ERP systems and standard manufacturing software tools.
- Experience in chemical or process manufacturing environments.
- Familiarity with SAP or similar ERP systems.
- Working knowledge of Process Safety Management (PSM).
- Experience working in a unionized manufacturing environment.
- Demonstrated ability to drive cultural and performance improvements.
What We Do
Celanese is a global leader in chemistry, producing specialty material solutions used across most major industries and consumer applications. Our businesses use our chemistry, technology and commercial expertise to create value for our customers, employees and shareholders. We are committed to sustainability by responsibly managing the materials we create for their entire lifecycle and are growing our portfolio of sustainable products to meet increasing customer and societal demand. We strive to make a positive impact in our communities and to foster inclusivity across our teams. Celanese is a Fortune 500 company that employs approximately 12,400 employees worldwide with 2023 net sales of $10.9 billion. For more information, visit www.celanese.com. For Celanese product news about our Engineered Materials offerings, follow @CelaneseEngineeredMaterials on LinkedIn.







