Superintendent-Production

Westlake offers you the potential to enrich your work life and career experience in an entrepreneurial environment. We work together to enhance peoples lives through our products and presence in the communities in which we operate.

SUMMARY

Westlake makes chemical and plastic products which in turn make life better for people every day. We are a quality manufacturer and dependable global supplier of petrochemicals plastics and building products. Our mission is to serve our clients by enhancing daily life through the products and services we provide.

The Superintendent Production (VCM) is responsible for day-to-day production leadership and execution of the operating plan for the assigned VCM operating area. This role provides direct oversight of Area Supervisors Shift Supervisors OMCs and Production Operators and coordinates closely with the Unit Manager Production Engineers Maintenance Technical Safety Environmental Laboratory and Engineering resources to achieve safety environmental quality production reliability yield and cost objectives. The Superintendent ensures operating discipline supports troubleshooting and incident investigation coordinates planned and unplanned outages and develops production personnel to maintain safe reliable and compliant operations.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

May include but are not limited to the following:

Safety Environmental and Compliance

• Performs duties in a manner that protects personal safety and the safety of all personnel on site.
• Promotes safe work practices operating discipline and compliance with company policies site procedures and regulatory requirements.
• Promptly reports Safety Health Environmental Quality or operating incidents or concerns so corrective action can be taken.
• Responsible for completion and follow-up of production-related Safety and Environmental action items including recommendations from process hazard analyses audits and incident investigations.
• Supports operator certification and training requirements associated with OSHA PSM and site operating procedures.

Daily Operations and Production Execution

• Responsible and accountable for day-to-day operations of the assigned operating area through direct oversight of Production Supervisor OMCs and Production Operators.
• Directs production teams with appropriate operating targets to maintain safe and reliable plant performance.
• Monitors daily yields quality energy production and cost performance against agreed targets.
• Assists in establishing the monthly operating plan and provides production input for monthly operating reports.
• Ensures standard operating procedures and production schedules are followed and that deviations are escalated and addressed appropriately.

Maintenance Outage and Technical Coordination

• Coordinates with Production Supervisors on scheduled and unscheduled turnarounds plant outages non-routine activities process changes project implementation and operating or technical training needs.
• Coordinates with Production Engineers and Maintenance to align production priorities equipment availability and maintenance execution.
• Represents production and technical interests in maintenance scheduling and planning meetings.
• Reviews work-order backlog solicits operating input prioritizes work and follows up until completion.
• Initiates and follows up on necessary work orders to support safe reliable and efficient operations.

Training Procedures and Organizational Capability

• Directs training of new operators and ensures production personnel receive the training necessary to achieve safe compliant and improved production performance.
• Assists in reviewing rewriting and generating operating procedures to ensure procedures remain current and effective.
• Coaches Production Supervisors OMCs and Production Operators on operating discipline troubleshooting expectations and escalation practices.
• Supports development of production personnel by reinforcing expectations for safety reliability teamwork and continuous improvement.

Incident Investigation and Problem Solving

• Participates in the investigation of mechanical process Safety Environmental Quality and operational incidents or shortcomings in a timely manner.
• Helps determine root cause and recommends procedures corrective actions or modifications to prevent recurrence.
• Ensures solutions are actively pursued for permanent plant improvements.
• Recommends appropriate personnel actions when warranted and in coordination with leadership and Human Resources.

Continuous Improvement and Company Support

• Fully supports company goals of continuous improvement and operational excellence at strategic and tactical levels.
• Reviews assigned areas for improvement opportunities and initiates projects or communicates ideas to management.
• Actively participates on project teams and supports implementation of approved improvements.
• Complies with all company policies and procedures.
• This position may be required to drive company vehicles from time to time.

EDUCATION EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS

Required Qualifications

• Bachelors degree in Engineering and a minimum of 7 years of process or production experience in a refinery or chemical plant; or High School Diploma or equivalent with at least 10 years of operating experience in a refinery or chemical plant.
• Demonstrated ability to lead production employees in a chemical manufacturing or similar process operating environment.
• General knowledge of safety environmental quality production yield cost and reliability performance expectations.
• Working knowledge of OSHA PSM requirements operating procedures incident investigation and field operating discipline.
• Strong communication coordination troubleshooting and decision-making skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Chemical Engineering degree.
• VCM chlor-alkali PVC or related petrochemical manufacturing experience.
• Prior experience supervising operators or serving in a lead operations role.
• Experience coordinating outages maintenance planning procedure updates operator training or production improvement initiatives.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

While performing the duties of this job the employee is frequently required to sit; stand; walk; use hands to touch handle or feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stoop kneel or crouch. Employee may be required to use stairs/elevators and have the ability to occasionally work at elevated heights. The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds frequently lift and/or move up to 25 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision distance vision color vision peripheral vision depth perception and ability to adjust focus. Additionally this position must take general decisions requiring judgement and perform activities requiring sustained concentration.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate as normally based in an office. Some of the work may be required in the operating units which can require usage of required PPE including safety glasses hearing protection FRC (flame retardant clothing) etc. May also result in exposure to outside elements and may require usage of stairs and elevators. Travel including air travel or auto travel may occasionally be required.

Westlake is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any characteristics protected by applicable legislation.

If you are an active Westlake employee (or an employee of any Westlake affiliates) please do not apply will apply via the Jobs Hub application in Workday.