Nylon Front Line Leader

POSITION OVERVIEW

Ascend Performance Materials is the premium provider of high-quality chemicals, fibers and plastics. With world scale integrated manufacturing facilities, we are able to develop new products from our core technologies and provide flexibility to respond to the expanding needs of customers. Ascend has global sales and distribution facilities across the globe and manufacturing facilities located in the United States, Europe and China. As a privately held company, our people do big things and make big decisions, often much earlier in their careers than at larger companies. Ascend Performance Materials offers team members the opportunity to contribute in big, meaningful ways-all within a stable and growing business.

The primary purpose of this position is to provide leadership for a diverse hourly workforce. This position will be experienced in coaching, developing, ensuring adherence to policy/procedures, maximizing quality compliance. Strong communication and leadership skills and ability to resolve workplace issues effectively are required. The Supervisor will guide, train, influence, support their team members in order to ensure regulatory compliance, safety and operational efficiencies as well as targeted results are met.

TARGETED OUTCOMES

• Maintain our right to operate through our Commitment to ZERO injuries, process safety or environmental events

• Retain a fully trained, qualified, and engaged workforce

• Maintain a heathy pipeline of A2E initiatives to achieve maximum possible improvements in safety, quality, cost, and operating performance

• Achieve, on a consistent basis, the targeted objectives in cost, reliability, quality and productivity for their area

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

ESSH

• Exhibit a proactive approach to environmental and safety performance by owning ESSH performance of assigned area

• Establish and maintain processes which ensure that Ascend employees and contractors understand and follow Ascend ESSH procedures, guidelines, and standards

• Coach individuals in the area of personal and team safety, environmental stewardship, and site security driving a Commitment to Zero before production mindset

• Ensure that delegated ESSH audit and investigation recommendations are communicated and completed timely

• Conduct walk-throughs and safety meetings

• Conduct Life Critical permit audits

• Report all first aids, injuries, near misses, damages, etc. within one hour of the occurrence

• Ensure accountability and compliance to use of HRP/JSAs for all tasks.

• Drive and establish accountability for 5S and housekeeping standards.

• Ensure required ESSH training is complete for all direct reports to include refresher and critical safety issue training

• Coordinate with and support ERT staffing within minimum staffing requirements

LEADERSHIP

• Drive positive employee engagement and safety culture through actively modeling Ascend Values and Key Leadership Behaviors

• Recruit, interview, and make recommendation for hire as may be required to maintain required staffing levels

• Develop and communicate clearly defined roles, responsibilities, standards, and expectations for direct reports and ensure performance through leadership, coaching, development and effective use of performance feedback processes

• Ensure that the training process is followed:

• Hold employees accountable that qualifications are timely met

• Work with Production Specialist to continuously track training progress and quality of training

• Guide, assign, oversee and audit the work of hourly workforce

• Engage in active conversation with direct reports to understand developmental "wants" and "needs"

• Communicate, maintain and administer procedures, policies, plant direction/results and programs

• Coordinate with HR to administer the Ascend Performance Materials corrective action processes, as needed, to ensure employee performance expectations are met

• Maintain and administer processes that ensure equitable operator and technician resource leveling, overtime allocation, vacation practices and labor cost control

• Manage hourly and non-exempt payroll approval process

• Coach and hold employees accountable for daily performance

• Utilize Performance Matters and/or other methods to celebrate, reward, recognize and encourage employees

• Ensure that appropriate resources, necessary tools, and equipment are available for employees to perform their functions

• Understand, manage, and is responsible for assisting in the delivery of the area annual operating plan (AOP) by controlling area costs including labor and maintenance/reliability costs.

• Ensure that the MOC process is followed and emergency MOCs are generated as required

• Coordinate with Managers and other FLL/Supervisors to drive consistency within the plant.

• Lead and is accountable for continuous improvement of area including developing and maintaining active pipeline of improvement projects

OPERATIONS/MAINTENANCE (Adjusted to each site/role requirements)

• Attain basic process knowledge in all unit jobs over a 12-18 month period and demonstrate sustained job knowledge in the following areas as part of on-going development planning:

• Process hazards and safeguards, including all interlock actions, purposes and classifications

• Unit operations

• Equipment requirements

• Procedures - unit and plant

• Follow Leader Standard Work guidelines to drive performance (ensure they exist for every Leader role)

• Review and ensure accuracy of procedures

• Submit red-lines as required

• Ensure consistency/ alignment of procedures with plant procedures and policies

• Communicate procedural changes/adjustments to trainers, operators and/or technicians

• Monitor daily sample analyses and trends - direct process changes accordingly to ensure product quality and proficient operation

• Approve the daily handheld rounds. Ensure accurate and 100% completion of the handheld rounds

• Audit the completion of all operator/technician generated logs, records, and forms

TEAM

• Reports to: Manager

• Direct Reports: Hourly/Non-Exempt Workforce (15 to 20)

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE

• Minimum High School Diploma or GED plus 5 years of operations experience required

• Minimum of 2 years leadership or supervisory experience highly desired.

• Qualification or ability to obtain qualification in area strongly preferred

REQUIRED SKILLS

• Must be able to demonstrate, based on past performance, excellent leadership skills and experiences

• Ability to influence, direct, coach and develop employees and to provide the necessary tools to ensure performance to meet area and site goals

• Working knowledge of time entry systems, Workday preferred

• Ability to delegate, as required

• Knowledge of company and site policies and procedures

• Knowledge and understanding of regulatory/compliance issues, ES&H policies, guidelines and procedures

• Knowledge of budgeting, cost controls and purchasing as it relates to labor and maintenance expenditures.

• Participation in or leadership of continuous improvement projects (A2E)

• Problem solving, conflict resolution, facilitation, and prioritizing skills

• A strong bias to "act on facts" and "data driven" logic to develop creative solutions

• Strong sense of ownership and a drive to improve existing systems and processes

• Solid interpersonal and organizational skills with excellent verbal and written communication skills

• Moderate to advanced computer skills are required including proficiency in MS Office

• Demonstrated and strong root cause and corrective action skills are a plus

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Ability to move safely over site terrain to validate operations activities and audit work

• Ability to work in extreme weather conditions

• Ability to safely climb stairs and/or ladders as may be required

• Ability to lift up to 25 lbs periodically

• Ability to see and hear in order to respond quickly to equipment, system, and safety alarms

• Ability to wear personal protective equipment correctly for most of the work day

Skills Summary:

About Us:

Ascend Performance Materials is the premium provider of high quality chemicals, fibers and plastics. With world scale integrated manufacturing facilities we are able to develop new products from our core technologies, and provide flexibility to respond to the expanding needs of customers. Ascend has global sales and distribution facilities across the globe and six manufacturing facilities globally. As a privately-held company, our people do big things and make big decisions, often much earlier in their careers than at larger companies. Ascend Performance Materials offers team members the opportunity to contribute in big, meaningful ways-all within a stable and growing business.

Why work at Ascend?

Our vision is to be the recognized leader in the nylon 6,6 value chain, creating new possibilities with PA66 for everyone, everywhere, every day. We achieve that through living our Ascend values.

We care. We operate safely with high integrity for our employees, our customers and our communities. Our people are our greatest assets, and our Total Rewards Program extends beyond traditional benefits to include access to on-site medical clinics at our U.S. facilities, a global wellness rewards program and Performance Matters, an employee-driven recognition plan. Our Commitment to Zero demonstrates our belief that is it possible to operate with zero personal injuries, zero process safety incidents and zero environmental releases. And the Ascend Cares Foundation, led by Ascend employees, supports Ascend families in times of need, provides inspiring opportunities for community engagement and facilitates community leadership.

Customer-focused. We exist for our customers; they drive our actions. Their success is our success. Our plastics and chemicals are building blocks that help make everyday essentials safer and more sustainable, and we constantly strive to develop new and innovative products to meet the future needs of our customers. And that customer focus doesn't only apply to the marketplace - it also applies to how we treat our colleagues and our fellow community members.

Better every day. We invest in our people and our processes to improve every day. A2E, our continuous improvement program, guides the way we do business. And this way of problem solving applies not only to our manufacturing practices but also to our commitment to developing our people. You'll see it during your career at Ascend in our leadership development, skills training and mentoring programs

Agile. We think broadly and lead proactively in a constantly evolving organization and industry. Agility doesn't mean simply working quickly - it means critical thinking, creative problem solving and novel approaches to everyday challenges.

One Ascend. All together, with a common set of goals and an eye toward the future. We don't accept silos. We look for ways to share across departments, sites and geography. This means you won't be boxed into a single role at Ascend - you could get the chance to work with teams across the globe to improve the way we serve our people, our customers and our communities.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, protected veteran status, citizenship, genetic information or other protected status under federal, state or local laws.