Job description: Assistant Plant Manager-Process Improvement
Location: Genesis Custom Chemical Blending--Ennis, TX (on-site)
Employment Type: Full-Time
Reports to Plant Manager
Position Summary
Genesis is a growing custom chemical blending and toll manufacturing operation in Ennis, Texas. Demand through our facility has grown rapidly, and we are investing in the people, processes, and equipment to support the next phase of growth.
We are seeking an Assistant Plant Manager – Process Improvement with a strong engineering mindset for a dual-mandate role. Roughly half of this role supports the Plant Manager in running a safe, reliable daily operation — including serving as plant leader in the Plant Manager's absence. The other half is dedicated, intentional ownership of the plant's process improvement and capacity agenda: understanding what this facility can produce, where the bottlenecks are, and what it will take to grow throughput at the lowest possible cost.
This is not a back-office analyst role and it is not a production scheduler role. The right candidate leads from the floor, works comfortably through technical process issues, and turns operating problems into sustainable, measurable improvements.
Key Responsibilities — Process Improvement & Plant Projects
- Own the plant's continuous improvement agenda: drive measurable gains in batch cycle time, changeovers, tank utilization, material handling, housekeeping, and overall equipment effectiveness.
- Build and maintain the plant capacity model: quantify current production capability by product family and define the trigger points at which additional personnel, equipment, storage, or facility investment is required to support growth.
- Optimize material flow: study and improve tote and material traffic, storage locations, warehouse organization, and plant layout to reduce unnecessary moves, congestion, and safety risk.
- Lead capital projects: equipment installations, process changes, plant trials, commissioning, and production scale-up activities.
- Evaluate automation and conveyance solutions: assess automated guided vehicles, conveyance, weighing, and other plant-floor technologies; support vendor evaluations, benchmark visits, and on-site pilots.
- Develop standard work and operating data: document cycle times, changeover standards, and utilization data so improvement is measured, not guessed.
- Implement shopfloor management: help establish lean daily shopfloor management — visual performance boards, tiered daily meetings, standardized KPI reviews, and structured problem escalation — and work alongside external lean consultants on this and other lean implementations across the plant.
- Fix problems permanently: use structured root-cause problem-solving to eliminate recurring safety, quality, reliability, and service issues — and prevent them from coming back.
- Debottleneck the plant: identify bottlenecks and build practical, prioritized plans to increase plant capacity and improve cost performance.
Key Responsibilities — Operations & Plant Support
- Support daily operations: support the Plant Manager in the safe, reliable execution of daily batch mixing, blending, and packaging operations.
- Provide leadership coverage: serve as acting plant leader in the Plant Manager's absence, providing clear direction and timely communication.
- Coordinate EHS and compliance: coordinate environmental, health, safety, and compliance programs in partnership with plant and corporate EHS leadership — chemical handling, hazard communication, PPE, spill prevention, and emergency response.
- Manage vendors and plant purchasing support: coordinate outside vendors and contractors for plant services, repairs, and projects; support purchasing of parts, supplies, and production consumables.
- Partner with Maintenance: strengthen preventive maintenance execution, improve equipment reliability, and reduce unplanned downtime.
- Partner with Quality and Laboratory: ensure batch records, in-process controls, sampling, traceability, and product release meet specifications.
- Support materials control: help ensure raw materials, intermediates, finished goods, and containers are controlled, accurately recorded, and available when needed.
- Develop people: coach operators, support training and cross-training, and help build frontline capability as the plant grows.
Required Qualifications
- 10+ years of progressive experience in chemical manufacturing, batch processing, blending, specialty chemicals, toll manufacturing, or a comparable process-manufacturing environment.
- Bachelor's degree in chemical, industrial, process, mechanical, or manufacturing engineering — or 15+ years of equivalent progressive plant experience.
- 5+ years leading process improvement, capital projects, or plant engineering work with measurable, quantified results (throughput, OEE, cost, capacity, or safety).
- Supervisory or team leadership experience in a manufacturing environment.
- Working knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, or other structured continuous-improvement and problem-solving methods.
- Strong working knowledge of batch manufacturing controls, process safety, chemical handling, and quality systems.
- Ability to lead from the floor, make sound decisions under pressure, and balance safety, quality, customer service, and cost priorities.
- Strong communication, organization, and computer skills, including Microsoft Office and manufacturing or ERP systems.
Preferred Qualifications
- Lean or Six Sigma certification (Green Belt or Black Belt).
- Experience implementing shopfloor management or lean daily management systems, including work with external lean consultants.
- Experience in specialty chemical blending, liquid and dry-product mixing, formulation processes, bulk material handling, packaging, and multi-product environments.
- Hands-on experience implementing automation, conveyance, AGV, robotics, or other plant-floor technology.
- Experience with process scale-up, equipment commissioning, and capacity expansion.
- Familiarity with OSHA, EPA, DOT, and process-safety requirements applicable to chemical manufacturing.
Leadership Profile
- Safety-first and uncompromising on quality and compliance.
- Visible, hands-on, and highly engaged with employees and plant-floor performance.
- Intentional: works from a prioritized improvement plan rather than reacting to the pinch point of the day.
- Direct and accountable while treating people with respect.
- Data-driven and skilled at turning problems into sustainable operating improvements.
- Collaborative across Operations, Maintenance, Quality, Laboratory, Supply Chain, and Commercial teams.
What Success Looks Like
- A working plant capacity model that leadership uses to make growth and investment decisions.
- Measurable improvement in equipment effectiveness, changeover time, and material flow.
- Capital projects and equipment installations delivered safely, on time, and on budget.
- Reliable daily operations support and seamless plant leadership coverage when needed.
- Fewer recurring problems — root causes eliminated, not symptoms managed.
Work Environment
This is an on-site leadership role in an active chemical manufacturing environment. The position requires regular presence in production and warehouse areas, use of required personal protective equipment, and flexibility to respond to operating needs outside normal business hours when necessary. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals to perform the essential functions of the role.
Equal Employment Opportunity
Genesis is an equal opportunity employer. Employment decisions are based on qualifications, merit, and business needs without regard to any characteristic protected by applicable law.
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Health savings account
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Vision insurance
Work Location: In person
