TCL Specialties, LLC
Location: Proctor, West Virginia
Position Type: Full-time, On-Plant
Base Salary: $190,000–$220,000 per year
Bonus: Performance-based annual bonus opportunity
Relocation Assistance: Available
Target Start Date: October 15, 2026
Reports To: CEO, Americas
Lead the Startup of a World-Class Chemical Manufacturing Facility
TCL Specialties, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Thirumalai Chemicals Ltd., is seeking an accomplished Plant Manager to lead its new, world-scale chemical manufacturing facility in Proctor, West Virginia.
Thirumalai Chemicals is a publicly listed global chemical company headquartered in India, with subsidiaries and operations in Malaysia, the Netherlands, Singapore, and the United States. The company is a leading global producer of maleic anhydride, malic acid, and fumaric acid.
As the Proctor facility approaches completion, the Plant Manager will have a unique opportunity to build a high-performing organization, shape the Plant’s culture, establish operational best practices, and lead the successful startup of a major continuous-process manufacturing facility.
The Plant Manager’s primary initial objective will be to successfully start up the plant and achieve commercial production by the company’s established target date.
Position Summary
Reporting to the CEO, Americas, the Plant Manager will provide overall leadership for the safe, compliant, reliable, and cost-effective operation of the Proctor facility.
This position will oversee all plant manufacturing activities and lead a multidisciplinary management team representing Operations, Maintenance and Reliability, Environmental Health and Safety, Human Resources, Warehousing, and Purchasing.
The Plant Manager will develop the plant team and its capabilities to achieve world-class safety, production, reliability, quality, and cost performance. Working closely with Sales, Marketing, Finance, and global leadership, this individual will balance operational requirements, customer commitments, and the company’s strategic and financial goals.
This role is ideal for an experienced chemical manufacturing leader who has held overall responsibility for a U.S.-based continuous-process manufacturing facility. The successful candidate will bring significant experience leading plant operations, maintenance and reliability, process safety, environmental compliance, production, quality, and cost performance within a chemical manufacturing environment.
Candidates should have demonstrated success leading chemical production operations, developing high-performing teams, driving operational excellence, and managing facilities operating under OSHA, EPA, and Process Safety Management (PSM) requirements. Experience leading a plant through commissioning, startup, ramp-up, or commercial production is highly desirable.
Key Responsibilities
- Provide strategic and operational leadership for all manufacturing activities at the Proctor facility.
- Lead the successful startup of the plant and achieve commercial production by the established target date.
- Establish and maintain a strong culture of safety, environmental stewardship, operational discipline, accountability, and continuous improvement.
- Ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, and local environmental, health, safety, and process-safety requirements, including OSHA, EPA, and Process Safety Management requirements.
- Achieve established daily, weekly, monthly, and annual production objectives.
- Meet plant cost, quality, reliability, and operational-performance targets.
- Develop and implement strategies to maximize plant availability, equipment reliability, asset performance, and production efficiency using recognized global best practices.
- Lead continuous-improvement initiatives focused on safety, environmental performance, quality, productivity, reliability, cost control, and operational efficiency.
- Identify and resolve issues that could affect plant startup, safety, production, product quality, equipment reliability, or customer commitments.
- Build, develop, coach, and retain a high-performing team of managers, supervisors, operators, technicians, and other plant professionals.
- Serve as a visible leadership presence throughout the facility and act as a role model and mentor for managers, supervisors, and employees.
- Establish clear performance expectations and provide ongoing coaching, feedback, and development to members of the plant leadership team.
- Develop and implement training, qualification, professional-development, and succession-planning programs for the plant workforce.
- Ensure products are manufactured and delivered in accordance with customer requirements and commitments made by the Sales team.
- Develop, administer, and monitor the plant’s operating and capital budgets.
- Partner with Finance to evaluate plant performance, identify inefficiencies, manage cost drivers, and implement corrective actions.
- Collaborate effectively with Operations, Maintenance, Human Resources, EHS, Warehousing, Purchasing, Sales, Marketing, and Finance.
- Establish performance measures and management systems that support data-driven decision-making.
- Maintain productive relationships with the Plant landlord, regulatory agencies, government authorities, emergency-response organizations, and other key stakeholders.
- Represent TCL Specialties within the regional community and strengthen the company’s reputation as a responsible manufacturer and employer.
- Perform other duties consistent with the scope and responsibilities of the position.
Required Qualifications
- Minimum of 15–20 years of progressive leadership experience in chemical manufacturing operations, process manufacturing, refining, petrochemicals, specialty chemicals, industrial chemicals, or related continuous-process industries.
- Minimum of 5 years of experience as a Plant Manager, Site Manager, Site Director, Plant Director, Operations Manager, or equivalent leader with overall responsibility for a chemical manufacturing facility.
- Demonstrated experience leading chemical manufacturing operations involving the conversion of raw materials, feedstocks, or intermediates into finished chemical products within a continuous-process manufacturing environment.
- Experience leading plant operations, maintenance and reliability, process safety, environmental compliance, quality, and production functions.
- Strong knowledge of OSHA regulations, EPA requirements, and Process Safety Management (PSM).
- Demonstrated success achieving safety, environmental, production, quality, reliability, and financial performance objectives.
- Experience managing operating budgets, capital budgets, and Plant performance metrics.
- Strong leadership, organizational, communication, and decision-making capabilities.
Preferred Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering strongly preferred.
- Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a related engineering discipline will also be considered.
- Previous leadership experience within a U.S.-based chemical manufacturing facility operating under OSHA, EPA, and PSM requirements.
- Experience commissioning, starting up, ramping up, or stabilizing a new chemical manufacturing facility.
- Experience leading facilities producing specialty chemicals, industrial chemicals, chemical intermediates, polymers, additives, organic chemicals, petrochemicals, or similar products.
- Experience implementing reliability, asset management, operational excellence, Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, or continuous improvement programs.
- Experience working within multinational manufacturing organizations.
- Experience managing a Process Safety Management (PSM)-covered manufacturing facility.
Compensation and Benefits
TCL Specialties offers a competitive executive compensation and benefits package, including:
- Base salary of $190,000–$220,000 per year, commensurate with experience and qualifications
- Performance-based annual bonus opportunity
- Relocation assistance
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance
- 401(k) plan with company match
- Paid time off
Work Environment and Physical Requirements
This position operates in both an office setting and an active chemical manufacturing environment. The Plant Manager must be able to move throughout the facility, access production and maintenance areas, and wear required personal protective equipment.
The position may involve exposure to industrial equipment, chemicals, elevated noise levels, and varying indoor and outdoor conditions. It may also require extended or nontraditional working hours and availability outside the regular schedule to respond to plant operating conditions, startup requirements, emergencies, and other business needs.
Reasonable accommodations may be provided to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.
Join TCL Specialties
This is a rare opportunity to lead the startup of a new, world-scale chemical manufacturing facility and have a direct impact on its culture, workforce, operating systems, and long-term success.
We are seeking a proven chemical manufacturing leader with a track record of safe and reliable plant operations, process safety leadership, workforce development, and operational excellence. If you have successfully led a chemical manufacturing facility and are excited by the opportunity to help launch TCL's flagship U.S. manufacturing operation, we encourage you to apply.
Equal Employment Opportunity
TCL Specialties, LLC is an equal opportunity employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.
Pay: $190,000.00 - $220,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
- Vision insurance
Application Question(s):
- Do you have at least 5 years of experience serving as a Plant Manager, Site Manager, Site Director, or equivalent leader with overall responsibility for a chemical manufacturing facility?
- Do you possess a Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering or another engineering discipline?
- Do you have direct experience leading chemical manufacturing operations that convert raw materials, feedstocks, or intermediates into finished chemical products?
Work Location: In person
