Production Manager

Make a +Difference at Kraton!

At Kraton, we make a Positive Difference, and we are looking for individuals who are also looking to make a difference in their jobs, for our customers and to the world.  We are looking to hire a key member of our Operations team at our Panama City, FL location. 

The Terpene Production Manager oversees operational areas, ensuring adherence to safety, compliance, and production goals while developing the capabilities of shift leaders and unit engineers. This role requires a strategic, safety-oriented mindset, a commitment to operational excellence, and the ability to develop and lead a team in a dynamic production environment.  

Key Responsibilities

Safety and Integrity Excellence

• Adhere to safety, environmental, security, and health policies.
• Prioritize safety action items and work notifications to reduce risk.
• Understand and implement actions to meet environmental targets and sustainability goals.
• Collaborate with the Operations Maintenance Coordinator to maintain environmental equipment.
• Make production decisions to ensure compliance in all areas.
• Promote risk-reducing initiatives and mentor shift supervisors and hourly employees in risk assessment.
• Conduct failure analysis reviews and ensure that corrective actions reduce risks.
• Engage in active supervision by "Managing by Walking Around" (MBWA).
• Ensure ergonomic, process safety, and operational considerations are integrated into capital projects.
• Instill a “safety first” mindset among Unit Engineers and operators.
• PSM-covered process experience is a must have

Organizational Development

• Coordinate with the Operations Supervisor and shift leaders to ensure consistent department operations.
• Support shift leader development through mentoring and leadership coaching.
• Implement strategies to enhance employee understanding of responsibilities and provide responses to their questions and concerns.
• Lead usage and scheduling in UKG for daily notes and work schedules.
• Develop skills to foster positive Union-Management relations and support shift leads in this area.
• Identify and address development opportunities through the IDP process.
• Provide mentoring on process knowledge and troubleshooting to empower decision-making at the lowest level.
• Manage and develop a Day Supervisor.
• Oversee two supply chain hourly employees via the Supply Chain Supervisor.
• Supervise two Unit Engineers.

Operations Excellence

• Ensure operational targets are met and address any deficiencies.
• Coordinate with the Operations Supervisor to fulfill resource needs across the plant.
• Establish and maintain processes for safety, cleanliness, operator rounds, and consistent shift communications.
• Ensure completion of Root Cause Failure Analysis (RCFA) and 5-Whys as needed and meet deadlines for completion.

Fiscal Responsibility

• Work with shift leads to develop cost-reduction strategies.
• Eliminate production variances to improve predictability and efficiency.
• Develop strategies for fixed and variable cost control in assigned units.
• Manage a system to control high-value operating supply inventory.
• Lead operational improvements to enhance Cost of Goods Manufactured (COGM).

Customer Excellence

• Collaborate with Supply Chain and Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) to meet operational demands.
• Develop business cases and scenarios for new product introductions.
• Support initiatives to enhance packaged product appearance and customer satisfaction.
   

Required Skills

• Qualified candidates must be proficient in the use of a personal computer and systems applications (e.g., spreadsheets, presentation applications, word processing, data management and information processing, databases, e-mail, and other business information software)
• Knowledge in chemical engineering processes, plant operations and manufacturing processes, maintenance systems, and EHS systems.
• Able to facilitate and influence a number of key stakeholders both at the plant and corporate levels on matters of process and production.
• Ability to interact and supervise a unionized workforce.

Education, Certifications & Licenses

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering or other related major from an accredited college / university preferred. 
• Candidates without this educational background who possess additional 3-5 years of relevant work experience may also be considered.

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The statements above are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by employees assigned to this classification.  Statements are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities and skills required for this position.

Kraton’s internal talent acquisition team manages our recruiting efforts and from time to time works with pre-selected/pre-approved external staffing agencies. We do NOT accept unsolicited resumes or candidate referrals from recruiters and/or agencies who are not pre-selected/pre-approved.

Kraton is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer.