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Production Manager

Buckman – Memphis, TN

Location: Memphis, TN

Language: English

Travel: up to 10%

Buckman is a privately held, global specialty chemical company with headquarters in Memphis, TN, USA, committed to safeguarding the environment, maintaining safety in the workplace, and promoting sustainable development. Buckman delivers exceptional service and innovative solutions to our customers globally in the pulp and paper, leather, and water treatment sectors to help boost productivity, reduce risk, improve product quality, and provide a measurable return on investment.

Position Summary

Leads safe, reliable, and cost-competitive production operations to meet customer demand through disciplined execution of the plant’s operating system. Accountable for EHS and Process Safety performance, quality conformance, schedule attainment, asset reliability, and team capability for Production and Utilities. Ensures compliant operations through effective management of risk (PSM/RMP), Management of Change, incident investigation and corrective action closure, and audit readiness. Drives continuous improvement to reduce variability, improve yield and throughput, and optimize conversion cost while developing a high-performing, engaged workforce. Partners cross-functionally with Maintenance, Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, EHS, and Commercial/Customer Service to deliver on-time, in-full product supply within specifications and budget.

Key Outcomes/Responsibilities

Outcome: Deliver safe, on-time, in-full production, utilities, and shipping performance to meet the published schedule and customer demand.

Key Actions:

• Run a disciplined daily management system (shift handover, tier meetings, visual management) that drives schedule attainment and rapid escalation of constraints.
• Own the production plan execution for the area(s), balancing safety, quality, and throughput; reallocate labor and assets to protect customer commitments.
• Ensure accurate and timely transaction discipline (materials consumption/production confirmations, batch documentation, and inventory movements) in SAP and required logs.
• Standardize shift change and line/area status reporting so equipment condition, quality holds, and open risks are understood and controlled at all times.
• Coordinate with Supply Chain/Customer Service and Logistics to maintain reliable ATP/commit dates and to prevent expediting, missed shipments, or avoidable premium freight.
• Maintain operational readiness for start-up/shutdown, abnormal situations, and emergency response; stop work and escalate when safe operating limits are challenged.

Outcome: Build a capable, qualified, and engaged operations team that executes standard work and sustains performance across shifts.

Key Actions:

• Maintain a role-based training and qualification system (competency matrix) ensuring 100% completion of required training and demonstrated proficiency for each workstation.
• Coach supervisors/leads and operators through routine field presence, standard work audits, and timely feedback; reinforce “trust but verify” behaviors.
• Plan staffing and coverage to ensure safe manning, relief coverage, and cross-training depth; address performance or conduct gaps promptly with HR support as needed.
• Ensure operators execute accurate batch records, checklists, and critical control documentation; correct deficiencies and prevent recurrence through coaching and system improvements.
• Develop succession and development plans for key roles (e.g., operator leads/shift leaders) and actively support hiring, onboarding, and retention.

Outcome: Improve operational excellence and utilities reliability through continuous improvement, standardization, and effective asset care.

Key Actions:

• Lead a continuous improvement pipeline (Lean/6S/Kaizen) that reduces variability, improves throughput/yield, and lowers conversion cost; track benefits and sustainment.
• Partner with Maintenance to improve reliability (preventive maintenance effectiveness, breakdown elimination, critical spares readiness) and to optimize equipment availability.
• Own utilities performance (e.g., steam, air, chilled water, power, wastewater as applicable) through operating standards, daily checks, and rapid response to abnormal conditions.
• Support technology upgrades/automation projects by providing operational requirements, participating in commissioning/start-up, and ensuring operators are trained for sustained use.
• Identify and mitigate risks to business continuity; maintain contingency plans for critical equipment, utilities, and raw material constraints.

Outcome: Ensure Process Safety and risk management systems are effective and embedded in daily operations (PSM/RMP where applicable).

Key Actions:

• Champion process safety culture: verify critical controls, enforce safe operating limits, and ensure frontline teams understand major accident hazards.
• Lead/participate in PHA/HAZOP/LOPA and risk assessments; ensure action items are prioritized, resourced, and closed on time.
• Own effective Management of Change (MOC) execution for operational changes; ensure Pre-Start-up Safety Reviews (PSSR) and training are completed prior to start-up.
• Lead incident/near-miss investigations (RCA) and ensure corrective/preventive actions are completed and verified for effectiveness.
• Serve as operations leader during abnormal situations and emergencies per site response plan; escalate and coordinate as required. Co-Lead with SHE Manager as Emergency Response Team Leader.

Outcome: Achieve world-class EHS and Quality performance (zero serious injuries/events; compliant operations; right-first-time product).

• Drive visible felt leadership: routine field observations, high-quality JSAs/permits, and immediate intervention on unsafe conditions/behaviors.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory and company requirements (OSHA/EPA/DOT/NFPA as applicable) and maintain audit readiness for ISO and internal systems.
• Own product quality execution: adherence to SOPs, in-process controls, batch record integrity, and effective disposition of nonconforming product.
• Lead corrective action management to closure and verification for EHS and quality findings (incidents, near misses, customer complaints, audits).
• Sustain housekeeping/6S standards across production, utilities, and shipping areas to reduce risk and improve efficiency.

Outcome: Improve cost, productivity, and working capital through disciplined loss elimination, accurate costing, and effective budget management.

• Own daily/weekly cost and loss review (yield, waste, rework, downtime, utilities consumption) and execute countermeasures to deliver year-over-year improvement.
• Maintain accurate production reporting to support product costing and variance management; investigate and resolve abnormal variances quickly.
• Manage controllable operating expense within budget; forecast needs and implement controls without compromising safety, quality, or service.
• Partner with Supply Chain and Procurement to optimize inventory (FIFO discipline, reduction of slow/obsolete stock, improved turns) and prevent material shortages/expedites.
• Support capital planning and project justification for high-ROI improvements; ensure benefits realization after implementation.

Outcome: Provide effective people leadership and cross-functional alignment that strengthens culture, accountability, and execution.

• Set clear expectations and KPIs for the team; review performance routinely and address gaps with structured coaching and follow-through.
• Lead employee performance management (hiring, onboarding, development, recognition, corrective action) in partnership with HR, consistently and fairly.
• Create an engaged, inclusive, improvement-oriented culture where operators surface problems, propose improvements, and participate in solutions.
• Coordinate with Maintenance, Quality, EHS, Engineering, and Supply Chain to resolve chronic losses and to deliver shared site priorities.
• Manage contractor/service-provider work in operating areas to ensure safe execution, quality workmanship, and adherence to site requirements.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree: Preferred Chemical Engineering OR Electrical engineering OR mechanical engineering OR automation engineering OR University Degree with minimum of 10 years Batch Chemical Plant supervisory/management experience
• Experience: 7 - 9 years

Mandatory:

• People management
• Experience in process control in chemical industries
• Knowledge in Management Systems: Environment, Quality, Industrial Safety.
• Knowledge in SAP
• Knowledge of ISO 9001, 14001 and 45001 management systems
• Knowledge of unit operations.
• Experience in industrial instruments and systems such as controllers, meters, sensors, control valves, scales, inverters, DCS, PLC, MCCs and alarms
• Experience in Utilities: generators, compressors, chillers, boilers and firefighting systems fire
• Experience in industrial project management
• Experience in control systems and mechanical, instrumentation and electrical maintenance
• Knowledge in Management Systems: Environment, Quality, Safety and 6S
• Knowledge in Word, Excel, Power Point, AutoCAD.

Desirable:

• Strong communication and team leadership skills.
• Ability to analyze failures and resolve problems.

Competencies

• Collaborates - Building partnerships and working collaboratively with others to meet shared objectives
• Manages Complexity - Making sense of complex, high quantity, and sometimes contradictory information to effectively solve problems
• Drives Results - Consistently achieving results, even under tough circumstances
• Persuades - Using compelling arguments to gain the support and commitment of others
• Cultivates Innovation - Creating new and better ways for the organization to be successful

We appreciate the interest of recruitment partners, but we are not engaging external agencies for this role.

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