Maintenance & Reliability Manager at Ashland Inc. in Hopewell, Virginia

Job Description:

Ashland Specialty Ingredients, GP

Are you the kind of person that is always thinking, sketching, seeking, and adjusting? Who needs to understand how things work and then figure out how they can work better? Are you a passionate, tenacious, solver who loves to work with others who share your drive? Are you positive, constructive, and ingenious?

Are you always solving?

Then we'd like to meet you and bet you'd like to meet us.

Ashland has an exciting opportunity for a Maintenance & Reliability Manager to join our team at the Hopewell, VA plant. This has a significant role in the Company and its maintenance function. This position will report to the site manager. The position is accountable for providing maintenance and reliability engineering support to Ashland's Hopewell plant. This includes developing, implementing, and monitoring all the plant maintenance programs, managing mechanical integrity programs, and contract maintenance workers. Also, oversees project work as appropriate.

The responsibilities of the position include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Works with Site Leaders and Corporate Engineering to establish maintenance and reliability engineering goals, financial performance targets, and objectives for the site.


• Participates in Safety and Environmental initiatives that will contribute to compliance with State/Federal regulations and improve existing Company programs. Provides supplemental safety training as appropriate.


• Utilizes effective leadership to maximize employee productivity and contributions across the site.


• Manages the maintenance budget, which includes approving expense and capital spending budgets, to ensure completion of current and forecasted projects while staying within established budget guidelines.


• Utilizes experience and expertise in preventive and predictive maintenance methods, Process Safety Management, and Mechanical Integrity to ensure safe and productive operations and equipment suitability.


• Ensures mechanical reliability programs and procedures are utilized effectively to support plant operations. Direct activities of the site's Reliability Engineers and mechanical integrity program to ensure compliance with all PSM regulations.

• Manages site Storeroom daily activities and spare parts inventory to ensure effective utilization of maintenance activities.

• Keep the plant's union and management personnel working cohesively to ensure efficient operations.

• Trains and develops staff to provide management depth and skill base for a safe, well-maintained production facility. Recognizes the successful efforts of employees to increase productivity, reduce costs, and improve work processes.

• Demonstrates experience by leading, influencing, building, and developing diverse and cross-functional teams across various experience levels and skill sets.


• A committed member of the Site Leadership Team (SLT)

In order to be qualified for this role, you must possess the following:

• Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering or related discipline with a minimum of 7 years' chemical plant manufacturing experience OR 20 years of plant experience with a minimum of 7 years in a maintenance manager role.


• Well-versed in a combination of plant maintenance standards, engineering and project standards, Process Safety Management, current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP), environmental compliance standards, Quality Process Management, Management of Change, budget preparation, and project management.


• Must be able to lead and manage others effectively, communicate effectively, and interface well with employees at all levels, especially with Site Department Managers and Corporate Management.


• Must be able to respond appropriately during site emergencies as directed by the Site Emergency Manager.


• Must promptly evacuate the manufacturing process areas should an emergency arise.


• Must also be able to wear and adequately utilize appropriate personal protective equipment if required to work or visit within the manufacturing process area. This may include a hard hat, safety glasses, respirators, ear plugs, steel-toed shoes, or other equipment as required by the work performed and the location where the work is being performed.


• Be able to endure walking throughout the plant, climbing stairs, bending, stooping, kneeling, or reaching depending on the work activity required. Work is performed in an office/plant environment with trips to the operating areas to supervise maintenance work or projects, make inspections and collect data.


• Training or networking required to perform the job properly requires this position to travel within Texas and around the United States of America.


• Must also be able to 1) identify critical issues and formulate action plans with all levels of management, including Corporate, 2) develop and foster a positive work environment at all levels, and 3) resolve conflicts through problem-resolution skills.


• Must also be able to identify quality improvement opportunities and formulate action plans for implementation. This requires exceptional work planning and problem-solving skills.

The following skill sets are preferred by the business unit:

• Food and/or pharmaceutical experience preferred.


• Knowledge of Lean/Six Sigma or other process improvement methodologies is a plus.


• Experience in a union environment.


• Experience with Maximo

Must be authorized to work in the US.

Third party recruiters and agencies ("Agency") should not contact employees of Ashland or its subsidiaries directly. Any resumes sent by an Agency to a hiring manager, recruiter or submitted to Ashland's career portal are considered unsolicited and property of Ashland. Ashland will not pay a fee for any placement resulting from the receipt of an unsolicited resume, unless the Agency has a signed contract with Ashland's Human Resources/Procurement department in advance of submitting a candidate for consideration. Verbal and written approvals will not be considered a valid contract for service.

In more than 100 countries, the people of Ashland LLC. (NYSE: ASH) provide the specialty chemicals, technologies and insights to help customers create new and improved products for today and sustainable solutions for tomorrow. Our chemistry is at work every day in a wide variety of markets and applications, including architectural coatings, automotive, construction, energy, personal care and pharmaceutical. Visit www.ashland.com to see the innovations we offer.

At Ashland our vision is to be a leading, global specialty chemicals company whose inspired and engaged employees add value to all we touch. In fact our people, employees, customers and vendors define who we are. They are the driving force behind everything we do.

Not only do we value our customers but we value our employees, and we work to offer them a dynamic and challenging environment. We hold ourselves to high standards at Ashland, and we value integrity and honesty.

Ashland has a history of attracting the best people and keeping them. The reasons are simple: industry competitive salary and benefits, pay-for-performance incentive plans and a diverse work environment where employees feel challenged and valued. People come to Ashland and stay. As a growing Fortune 500 specialty chemicals company, we offer opportunities for development and advancement throughout our global organization. Our values define who we are and what we care about as a company. If you are looking for a relationship with a company instead of simply a job, this may be a great fit.

Ashland is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer Minorities/Women/Veterans/Disabled/Gender Identity/Sexual Orientation.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability. NOTE: We do not accept resumes from external staffing agencies or independent recruiters for any of our openings unless we have a signed recruiting agreement in place to fill a specific position.