Manufacturing Operations Manager

Relocation Assistance Offered Within Country

Job Number #165723 - Sanford, Maine, United States

Who We Are

Colgate-Palmolive Company is a global consumer products company operating in over 200 countries specializing in Oral Care, Personal Care, Home Care, Skin Care, and Pet Nutrition. Our products are trusted in more households than any other brand in the world, making us a household name!

Join Colgate-Palmolive, a caring, innovative growth company reimagining a healthier future for people, their pets, and our planet. Guided by our core values—Caring, Inclusive, and Courageous—we foster a culture that inspires our people to achieve common goals. Together, let's build a brighter, healthier future for all.

The Operations Manager is responsible for overall management of the manufacturing production areas of the Sanford plant, including Making and Finishing Areas and the Warehouse.

Successful management of these areas will be accomplished through active involvement and development of work teams, appropriate coaching and feedback, effective resource utilization and visible team leadership.  The Operations Manager will lead this integral function from a Supply Chain / End-to-End global business perspective, and growth mindset, with an understanding of market trends and demands.

The ideal candidate will have a track record of demonstrating personal leadership while courageously driving innovation via a strategic vision and exercising influence to achieve and exceed business objectives.

Principal Duties & Responsibilities

Lead continuous improvement efforts for processes that drive deliver against key performance indicators for the Sanford Plant, i.e. asset utilization and operational efficiency, within Quality, GMP, FDA and safety expectations.

Lead team of supervisory Operation Team Leaders and Technicians.

Partner closely with internal cross-functionals in EOHS, Maintenance, Engineering and Quality teams to drive and enhance Operations performance

Engage external vendors, suppliers to support the quality of operating supplies / services.

Champion a plantwide culture centered on Safety, Quality and Productivity.

Partner with Quality Team to enable timely completions of SOP reviews and support audit preparation initiatives.

Implement the standards of Factory, Performance & Reliability (FP&R) within the teams, with focused emphasis on People Capability, Visual Workplace, Autonomous Maintenance and Continuous Improvement.

Active in the development of contingency plans and strategies for any business interruption

Assume, in partnership with Plant Director, financial responsibility of the plant production

Enable Fund-the-Growth Savings by decreasing total labor costs and active participation in the FTG ideation sessions

Improve cash flow by effectively managing operating expenses, capital expenditures and inventory; reporting financial implications to Senior Leadership.

Review and establish site KPIs to drive improvement with plans to achieve.

Execute strategies that deal effectively with operating issues related to labor relations

Own decisions re. out-of-specification raw materials, packaging material, WIP and finished products.

Support Product Traceability Ensure production team proficiency with lot tracking, code dating and production records SOPs.

Ensure alignment with Microbiology release specifications; use of validated and documented changeover, cleaning and sanitization procedures.

Corrective & Preventive Action : ensuring changes to process, formula, packaging, specifications, equipment, on-line procedures, etc. are documented; production personnel are trained and fully understand deviation and out-of specification SOPs.

Determine and document causes of non-conformances and monitor results of corrective / preventive action implementation plans

Knows the handling and storage requirements of raw materials, finished goods, and waste streams.

Ensure appropriate technology transfer for new formulas, processes, packages and equipment; that acceptance criteria has been defined and met for all technology transfers, and production capability has been proven

Identify all critical process parameters and finished product variables.  Establish yearly site process capability goals and review results on a monthly basis. Utilize process capability measures as criteria for success for technology transfers.

Taking action on and documenting out-of-control points; ensuring production team proficiency with documentation requirements and SOPs.

Understand the technical processes in the plant; identifying and communicating equipment capabilities and partnering in resolving constraints

Ensure personnel are trained and proficient with cleaning, sanitization and  batch-on-batch procedures

Maintain SOPs for safe & effective equipment operation, set-up and change overs

Enable preventative maintenance programs

Required Qualifications

Bachelor’s Degree, preferably in an Engineering Discipline

8 years production / operation management experience, inclusive of team leadership and project or process engineering experience in a manufacturing environment

Knowledge of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) and ISO, OSHA Standards

Experience within or demonstrated understanding of Quality function within a manufacturing environment.

Highly collaborative and comfortable with working with cross-functional teams and various levels of management via demonstrated written and verbal communications skills, including the coaching and feedback skills required in a high performance work systems environment.

Demonstrated ability to prioritize multiple initiatives and management in ambiguous situations to meet business objectives.

Advance competency across digital and analytical tools, (i.e. Google Suite , Data Studio, etc.)

Preferred Qualifications

Experience in a regulated industry / environment, i.e. FDA, EPA

Working knowledge of SAP, WMS, and plant floor systems required.

Continuous improvement and / or lean six sigma experience or certification

Experience managing projects via project management skills and tools

Compensation and Benefits

Salary Range $102,000.00 - $144,000.00 USD

Pay is determined based on experience, qualifications, and location. Salaried employees may also be eligible for discretionary bonuses, profit-sharing, and long-term incentives for Executive-level roles.

Benefits : Salaried employees enjoy a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, basic life insurance, paid parental leave, disability coverage, and participation in the 401(k) retirement plan with company matching contributions subject to eligibility requirements. Additional benefits include a minimum of 15 vacation / PTO days (hourly employees receive a minimum of 120 hours) and 13 paid holidays (vacation days are prorated based on the employee's hire date within the calendar year). Paid sick leave is adjusted based on role and location in accordance with local laws. Detailed information regarding paid sick leave entitlements will be provided to employees upon hiring and may be subject to adjustments based on changes in legislation or company policies.

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Achieving our purpose starts with our people — ensuring our workforce represents the people and communities we serve —and creating an environment where our people feel they belong; where we can be our authentic selves, feel treated with respect and have the support of leadership to impact the business in a meaningful way.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Colgate is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, ethnicity, age, disability, marital status, veteran status (United States positions), or any other characteristic protected by law.

Reasonable accommodation during the application process is available for persons with disabilities. Please complete this request form should you require accommodation.

For additional Colgate terms and conditions, please click here .

LI-On-site

Salary : $102,000 - $144,000