Program Manager

Description

Responsibilities:

Site Leadership & Daily Operating System:

• Run the site’s daily and weekly operating rhythm: site walks, inspections, end-of-shift reports, open-items follow-up, and escalation across a three-shift, 24-hour operation.
• Lead and develop the on-site team; manage Tier 2 service providers against defined KPIs.
• Participate in plant daily and shift-change meetings, chemical approval committees, and other operational forums the customer hosts.
• Maintain visible floor presence across stamping, body, paint, and assembly — lead from the production environment, not the desk.
• Deliver regular written performance and usage updates to the customer.
• Serve as the primary on-site contact for plant leadership, purchasing, paint shop, environmental, facilities, and EHS counterparts.

Chemical & Gas Procurement and Inventory:

• Own procurement of all production and facility chemicals: paint shop materials support (pre-treatment, e-coat, sealers, solvents, purge and cleaning chemistry), body shop adhesives and weld-process chemicals, stamping lubricants and washer chemistry, final-assembly fill fluids, water treatment products, and maintenance chemicals.
• Manage bulk and cylinder industrial gas supply, including welding and shielding gases, nitrogen, and refrigerants, with associated contracts and delivery logistics.
• Create and manage purchase orders in the ERP system; confirm supplier receipt, ensure delivery dates support a 24-hour production schedule, and communicate delays to the customer in a timely manner.
• Continually develop cost-savings opportunities through alternative products, consolidation, usage reduction, and process improvements.

Process Chemistry Support – Stamping, Body, Paint and Assembly:

• Understand plant chemical processes at a working level: pre-treatment and e-coat chemistry, paint booth operation and purge solvent management, sealer and adhesive applications, stamping lubricant and washer concentration control, and final-line fluid fill.
• Monitor chemical usage data and trends by shop; flag abnormal consumption, quality, or supply issues and recommend corrective actions.
• Coordinate supplier technical representatives on site and engage the company’s Paint & WWT Technical Services for issues requiring deeper expertise.
• Support the customer’s troubleshooting of chemical-related process disruptions affecting production, paint quality, or environmental compliance.

Water & Wastewater Treatment:

• Oversee the chemical programs supporting the plant’s heavy water and wastewater treatment operations, including coagulants, flocculants, pH control, and paint booth water decalcification chemistry.
• Coordinate the water treatment program with Tier 2 water partners and the company’s technical services: service alignment, system walks, and rotating inspections of utility systems (cooling towers, boilers, pre-treatment rinse trains, booth recirculation systems).
• Analyze water system performance through testing and data trends; recommend chemistry and dosing adjustments to maintain reliability, compliance, and total cost of ownership.
• Support the plant’s environmental compliance requirements related to wastewater discharge, including data requests and reporting.
• Notify customer leads in real time on operational threshold events (pH, flow, alarm conditions) per plant protocol.

Compliance, Reporting & EHS:

• Manage SDS process flow, WHMIS-compliant labeling, document control, and the site’s chemical approval workflow.
• Own spill and leak response protocols for chemical storage, dispensing, and treatment areas, including escalation paths with plant environmental and facilities teams.
• Ensure compliant storage, segregation, and handling of all chemicals and gases, including solvents, paint materials, and treatment chemicals.
• Participate in safety observation tours, layered audits, and plant safety programs as requested by the customer

Required Skills

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Business, Chemistry, Engineering, or a related field of study, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 5+ years of experience in chemical management, industrial procurement, or manufacturing site operations, with site leadership experience preferred.
• Experience in automotive assembly environments — paint shop and/or water treatment exposure strongly preferred.
• Experience in the chemical industry and familiarity with chemical supply chains strongly preferred.
• Experience in unionized manufacturing environments preferred.
• Ability to work in Canada and travel across the U.S.–Canada border as required.
• Strong procurement and supply chain skills: sourcing, negotiation, supplier management, and contract administration for chemicals and industrial gases. Working knowledge of automotive assembly chemical processes — paint shop chemistry, water and wastewater treatment, stamping and body shop materials — sufficient to understand SDS and technical data sheets and the production impact of chemical decisions, without requiring deep technical specialization