Site Engineering Manager, Accrington

William Blythe was founded in 1845 originally to produce dyes for the textile industry that was in the area. Since then, WB have transformed into a manufacturer of speciality inorganic chemicals. Our vision is to be a leading innovator in the development of advanced, functional inorganic materials. Our manufacturing site is located in Accrington, Lancashire in the UK with sales offices in the US and China. We have an established blue chip customer base serving high growth markets such as polymers, catalysts, and life science. We have a team of highly skilled scientists, technicians and engineers, the majority being based at our manufacturing facility in Accrington. WB are now investing in advanced materials and beginning to grow sales in this area. Graphene oxide is a key new product which is now manufactured at industrial scale with several exciting applications in water purification, polymer reinforcement and catalysis. Other key areas for our advanced materials range are perovskite materials for solar cells and doped metal oxides with NIR absorption properties.

Purpose of the Job:

Lead and manage the engineering and maintenance teams and resources effectively to ensure the production of high-quality products while adhering to all relevant policies, procedures, regulations, and laws, and aligning with William Blythe’s Vision and Values. As a member of the local management team, create and execute a long-term site plan, along with goals and objectives that support and align with the business objectives of William Blythe and Synthomers manufacturing. Actively share insights and pursue advancements in technology and management practices from external sources.

Main Accountabilities:

• Develop a proactive approach aimed at enhancing customer satisfaction by providing effective and sustainable solutions to issues and their resolution. 

• Ensure continuous adherence to ISO9001, ISO14001, and ISO50001 standards. 

• Reduce process variability while improving consistency. 

• Actively support product lines and business units in the development of new products and technologies, as well as in optimising existing processes. 

• Enable the transfer of manufacturing technologies and systems across various locations. 

• Identify and articulate long-term capital needs. 

• Aid in the formulation of capital budgets, plans, and scope definitions. 

• Serve as a technical and engineering liaison for business groups, customers, global technical support, and other Synthomer facilities. 

• Efficiently lead and manage engineering functions related to maintenance and capital projects at the site, ensuring the production of quality products while adhering to all policies, procedures, regulations, and laws, in alignment with William Blythe’s Vision and Values. 

• As a member of the local management team, create and execute a long-term site plan, goals, and objectives that align with business and global manufacturing objectives. 

• Oversee the Engineering Group while adhering to budget constraints. 

• Develop and implement advanced process control and reliability systems and techniques. 

• Analyse data to optimise asset and resource utilisation, while identifying and implementing necessary process improvement initiatives. 

• Lead efforts in process improvement to lower overall costs and provide timely cost management reports to the organisation and its managers. 

• Supervise the integration and coordination of diverse operations that facilitate manufacturing, aiming for optimal efficiency. 

• Actively participate in Performance Development by mentoring and training both direct and matrix-report employees, ensuring alignment with matrix functions. 

• Collaborate with the leadership team to promote effective communication and cooperation within the site team. 

• Lead and manage engineering functions related to maintenance and capital projects on-site, ensuring the production of quality products while adhering to all policies, procedures, regulations, and laws, in alignment with William Blythe’s Vision and Values. 

• Ensure compliance with all Company policies and procedures. 

Proven Skills:

• Understanding of Safety Awareness. 

• Demonstrated capability in budget management and development.

• Familiarity with Environmental Awareness. 

• Comprehension of Process Safety Management.

• Technical expertise in process and product technology. 

• Awareness of maintenance strategies. 

• Proficiency in analysing and managing business plans. 

Education:

A Bachelor's or University degree in Engineering, preferably in Chemical Engineering. Chartered Engineer status is required.

Experience: A minimum of ten years in manufacturing within the chemical sector, including at least five years in a supervisory role.

In addition, we offer a highly desirable benefits package:

• Private health insurance.

• Company bonus scheme.

• Contributory pension.

• Cycle to work scheme.

• Life insurance.

• Support counselling.

• Company social events throughout the year.

At William Blythe we value the difference everyone brings to work, and we are committed to create a diverse and inclusive workplace, where people are supported to make their best contribution in creating a vibrant and successful business.

Why Synthomer?

We are ambitious!
We have grown significantly – both organically and inorganically. We are a FTSE 250 listed company, 22% of our revenue comes from newly commercialized products, and we’re recognized in the top-quartile for chemicals manufacturing safety.​
We believe in high challenge, high support!
We are keen to let you contribute in real roles from day 1. We expect a lot, but offer a lot, too. This includes onboarding, induction and learning events, networking opportunities, mentoring and personal development planning. So, be up for an inspiring long-term career adventure.​
We personalize our approach to development!
At Synthomer, you won't find generic career tracks or development programs but rather a one-size-fits-one approach to employee development. We'll partner with you to ensure you have the right experiences that build your capabilities and accelerate your career growth.