Title: Plant Operations Manager
Location: Bellingham, WA
Pay: $180,000 Base – 20% Bonus – 20% LTIP – Company Vehicle for Personal Use – Relocation Assistance
Schedule: Monday – Friday
Why Work Here?
This position supports the entire operations department for an energy plant in Bellingham. This encompasses 50 staff with Operations Superintendents, Project Managers, EHS Managers, and other leadership staff reporting directly to you. It’s a newly created position to support a personnel expansion with $50 MM being invested into the facility to keep it viable for the long term. Our client is a diversified energy company that is looking to continue to expand throughout the U.S. making now an ideal time to join their team. Various types of plant background will be considered including oil & gas, power generation, pulp & paper, maritime, and manufacturing. Contribute your leadership background to the team!
Job Description:

• The principal function of this position is to lead the people and to manage equipment, logistics and expenses associated with multiple continuous processing lines and the loading and shipping of product to customers.
• The Plant Operations Manager will have a strong understanding of how each process works and be ready to implement changes as necessary.
• Maintain clean and safe plant/refinery areas. Provide an injury-free work environment for employees, staff, contractors, visitors through engagement, JHAs, training programs, good work practices, company standards, and proactive elimination of exposures. Continually improve safety record by addressing both physical safety issues and employee safety attitudes. Maintain and improve housekeeping in all areas.
• Plan, organize and direct the manufacturing and maintenance operations which ensure the most effective return on assets.
• Initiate plans and processes which minimize operating costs through effective utilization of manpower, equipment, facilities, materials, and capital. Assure attainment of business objectives and production schedules while ensuring product and quality standards that will exceed our customers’ expectations. Reduce costs and improve efficiencies in all processing operations. Develop financial controls and demonstrate continuous improvement in KPIs.
• Establish group and individual accountabilities for safety leadership, problem solving and cost reduction. Work effectively through others to achieve positive results.
• Develop and maintain an open line of communication with employees by demonstrating credibility, willingness to listen, and taking action when appropriate. Assure that collective bargaining agreements are effectively administered and that employee grievances are addressed in a timely fashion.
• Maintain individual skills keeping up to date with latest production and production management concepts.
• Operate the refinery at the highest levels of efficiency by managing equipment reliability and OEE and managing refinery spending and expenses to minimum levels required to meet business strategy.
• Ensure that the needs of the packaging plant are met through collaboration and unified decision making between refining and packaging. Ensure that the needs are met through strong understanding of the business model.
• Ensure the proper planning, design and implementation capital and expense projects consistent with site, and company strategy.
• Ensure that the product being manufactured meets company and our customers’ standards, policies and practices through the proper implementation and maintenance of all aspects of quality systems such as SQF, HACCP, GMP, AIB and other systems
• Ensure proper and timely supply of material requirements through planning supply purchases.
• Ensure proper maintenance of site equipment and infrastructure.
• Manage workforce and staffing requirements. Properly utilize resources. Foster a well-trained and motivated staff.
• Responsible for establishing all shift production schedules.
• Select and train plant supervisory and administrative staff.
• Conduct employee performance reviews.
• Confer regularly with facility, and other department managers to ensure that operations objectives and business goals are being met.
• It is expected that the person in this position will spend up to 30% of their time in the work areas engaging employees, overseeing processing equipment and troubleshooting. The remainder of their time is spent in an office performing administrative and planning functions. Since they are ultimately responsible for the safety and production of the refinery, they often work more than 40 hours per week to meet expectations.
• Additional projects and duties as assigned