Plant Manager - Clackamas

American Vanguard Corporation is a diversified agricultural and specialty products company focusing on crop protection, turf and ornamental markets, and public health applications.  We have an opening for a Plant Manager at our Clackamas, Oregon (near Portland, OR).  This is the site of our newest manufacturing facility that focused on  sustainable, microbial-based products (biofertilizers, biostimulants) designed to enhance crop yield, quality, and soil health, complementing traditional agriculture by improving nutrient use efficiency. 

The Plant Manager will be responsible for supporting the daily operations of our manufacturing facility. This role is critical in fostering a culture of safety and continuous improvement, ensuring product quality, and driving operational excellence. The successful candidate will manage, lead, coach, and develop her or his team while establishing and requiring a collaborative work environment.
 

Job Duties & Responsibilities:

• Ensure proper implementation of plant policies, programs and standards consistent with corporate policies
• Uphold and demonstrate the company’s core values in all aspects of leadership and decision-making
• Coordinate and participate in long-range plant infrastructure improvement and expansion planning, organizational design and succession planning, as well as efficiency analysis
• Prepare annual manufacturing and capital expense budgets, and maintain conformance to those budgetary limits
• Manage manufacturing execution, product quality, raw material receipt, and finished goods shipments through a well-qualified workforce
• Plan, organize, and direct manufacturing and maintenance operations to maximize asset utilization and operational efficiency
• Champion continuous improvement initiatives using visual tools, performance metrics, and employee engagement strategies
• Collaborate cross-functionally with production, supply chain, quality, commercial, regulatory, and maintenance teams to ensure smooth operations and compliance with safety and environmental regulations
• Display a continuous improvement mindset and use progressive visual tools, production reporting, employee involvement teams, performance measurement, and other techniques to improve facility performance
• Support training and development of personnel, including SOP creation, onboarding, and operational certification
• Drive process optimization in manufacturing to enhance yield, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness
• Monitor equipment and troubleshoot issues to minimize downtime and maintain peak performance
• Ensures 100% compliance with all company policies, safety standards, environmental permits and regulations
• Continually improve safety performance by addressing physical, process, system, and culture opportunities throughout the plant
• Partner with quality assurance and control leader to ensure the plant quality facilities, documentation, methods & techniques, and staff capability meet or exceed industry standards
• Work closely with quality personnel to minimize and eliminate ‘out of specification’ product
• Investigate quality incidents to correct all deficiencies in a timely and cost-effective manner and to prevent recurrence of identified issues
  
  

Education Requirements:

• Bachelor of Science degree in engineering, business, or a related discipline from an accredited institution

Experience Requirements:

• 3 (three) plus years leadership experience in a process manufacturing environment is preferred
• Working knowledge of local, state, and federal regulations which apply to the facility
• Familiarity with regulatory standards and environmental compliance
• Lean manufacturing and/or continuous improvement methodology experience is preferred

Skills & Qualifications: 

• Commitment to safety, quality, and continuous improvement
• Knowledge of safety and environmental regulations and a commitment to compliance and workplace safety
• Proven leadership and team management experience in a manufacturing setting
• Strong understanding of manufacturing processes, equipment maintenance, and quality control systems
• Demonstrated ability to lead continuous improvement initiatives and apply lean manufacturing principles
• Excellent analytical skills with experience in data-driven decision-making and KPI reporting
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to collaborate across departments
• Proficiency in production planning software, ERP systems, and Microsoft Office Suite
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and manage multiple priorities effectively
• Must be able to pass post offer background check & physical
• Must be authorized to work in the United States

Work environment:

• While performing the essential job duties and responsibilities of this role, the employee may be exposed to fumes or airborne particles, moving mechanical parts, loud noises, and/or vibrations.
• The employee is occasionally exposed to a variety of extreme conditions at the manufacturing site.  
• This position may occasionally require work performed in various and/or extreme weather conditions.

AMERICAN VANGUARD OFFERS:
 At American Vanguard, our robust benefits are an important part of our compensation including:

• Health insurance including Medical, Dental, Vision plans with low out-of-pocket costs
• Health Savings (HSA) / Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
• 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan with employer matching
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan with employee discount
• Vacation, Sick & Holiday Pay

American Vanguard Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.  We are proud to be an EEO/AA employer M/F/D/V. We maintain a drug-free workplace and perform pre-employment background checks and substance abuse testing.