Operations Manager

Our client is one of America’s largest suppliers of biodiesel and one of the most diverse and profitable industrial gas companies in the world.

A fantastic opportunity exists for an Operations Manager at their Southern California facility located in Paramount. This is one of the world’s first large-scale sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) facilities and highlights our client’s commitment to energy transition and supports California’s decarbonization by producing renewable aviation fuel.

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Operations Area Manager will directly manage operations and is accountable for ensuring safe, reliable, and cost-effective operation of assigned processing areas. The Area Operations Manager is a key member of leadership and as such is instrumental in establishing and promoting a culture focused on safe, environmentally compliant, and reliable operations. This role provides oversight for the overall operation, sets priorities for safety, environmental, process safety, reliability; and directs the area operators and efforts of support staff including maintenance planning & execution, turnarounds, capital projects, and technical support.

PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES:

• Manage and lead the activities of the Area Operations Team to ensure process safety, safety, environmental, reliability, and cost optimization goals of the refinery are achieved. Champion initiatives, projects, and programs to promote safety, environmental, and reliable unit operation.
• Monitor operation of units on a daily basis. Review lab sample results and optimize operation. Review and optimize energy usage for units. Lead unit optimization and troubleshooting initiatives. Issue daily orders for units.
• Ensure that the unit operates safely to yield products that meet specifications. Ensure safety policies and environmental regulations are always followed.
• Support turnaround and unit shutdown planning and execution through active participation in scope development, providing justification for work items, development of shutdown/startup and outage timelines, and active leadership during the event.
• Direct the unit operations during upsets and emergencies.
• Work with the maintenance department to ensure that the scheduled work items are appropriately prioritized. Work with capital and maintenance groups on scope and timing for capital/maintenance projects.
• Utilize sound human relations and communications skills to provide development of direct reports and motivation of staff resulting in a reliable and competent work force.
• Address any personnel issues including training, vacation scheduling, work schedules, disciplinary issues, and approving timesheets.
• Accountable for ensuring process safety and safety compliance by supporting process hazard analysis, leading incident investigations, owning procedure development and improvement, owning management of change, ensuring emergency response preparedness, supporting alarm management, and providing assistance for work scope development, and assessment of operability requirements for design consideration.
• Responsible for assuring all HR company policies, rules and guidelines are being followed and administered in a fair and consistent manner. Provide direct assistance to Human Resources for all employee issues.
• This is a safety sensitive position.

REQUIREMENTS AND QUALIFICATIONS:

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering or related engineering field preferred.
• Five (5) or more years of experience in Manufacturing, preferably in Refining and/or Renewable Fuels.
• Two (2) or more years of experience in a supervisory/leadership role.
• Advanced understanding of oil refining processes with experience in Distillation, Reforming, Hydrotreating, Hydrocracking, Isomerization, heater operation, utilities, etc.

Qualifications:

• Strong working knowledge and experience in process safety programs including mechanical integrity, incident investigations, process hazard analysis, management of change, procedure development, and emergency response.
• Demonstrated capability in successfully leading change management and implementing programs
• Proven ability to lead and influence direct staff and staff not under direct supervision.
• Excellent communication skills and strong business acumen