Vice President Operations / VP Of Ops

The Vice President of Operations is responsible for management of package gas fill plant operations, plant distribution, and cylinder asset management throughout the region. Responsibilities include oversight of operations, maintenance, safety, regulatory compliance, capital expenditures and budgeting functions and other duties as assigned.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND ACCOUNTABILITIES:

Safety and Regulatory Compliance

• Demonstrates and ensures staff alignment with Airgas Safety Pledge and 12 Life Saving Rules.
• Exemplifies, promotes and develops safe work behaviors. Provides direct coaching to improve associates’ safety behaviors resulting in an improved safety culture.
• Collaborates with the region Safety & Compliance Director to perform safety incident investigations and implementation of corrective actions, develop and deploy training tools to support Airgas’s safety, regulatory, continuous improvement and operational efficiency initiatives and Region AERO team objectives.
• Ensures compliance with all applicable regulatory requirements (including OSHA, DOT, DHS, FDA, EPA). Ensures applicable training and recordkeeping is performed to meet regulatory, departmental, and location deadlines.

Customer Service / Business Development

• Ensures all customers receive quality customer service from operations associates.
• Ensures internal and external customer inquiries are promptly and courteously handled, providing follow-up to ensure complete customer satisfaction.
• Responsible for inventory management of cylinder assets throughout the Region.

Operations / Facility Management & Support

• Establish and consistently meet or exceed quality and delivery standards for products and services for internal and external customers.

• Develop operations and capital expenditure budgets and coordinate capital expenditures once proper approvals have been received.
• Works closely with Area Operations Managers, Regional Cylinder Asset Manager, Specialty Gas Coordinators and Plant Managers to monitor order, production, cylinder retest, cylinder needs and distribution trends to meet customer needs.
• Monitors monthly operations financial reports and dashboards to identify improvement opportunities, explain variances and implement corrective actions. Reviews monthly with Region President and Area Operation Managers.
• Resolves operational, manufacturing, and maintenance problems to ensure minimum costs and minimum delays.
• Develops, implements or revises, as needed, standard operational practices.

• Adheres to a sustainable process for operational files and records; completes all required paperwork accurately, timely and in compliance with various company policies and procedures, to ensure full regulatory compliance.
• Continuous improvement of all applicable safety, environmental, quality and compliance programs.

• Works closely with other regions, Division and other subject matter experts when necessary to resolve issues, assist with technical support and provide data as requested.
• Approve restricted product requests and interact with the product review board as necessary.
  

Personnel / Personnel Development

• Provides overall management of direct reports in accordance with the organization’s policies, procedures and applicable laws to ensure assigned performance and financial targets are met or exceeded.
• Works closely with Area Operations Managers to develop subordinate managers.
  • Ensures sufficient operations staffing levels; works with the Human Resources Department to develop recruitment, staff development and retention strategies.
  • Delegates duties and responsibilities when appropriate for increased business efficiency and staff development.

• Consults with Human Resources regarding personnel issues including coaching, counseling and performance management.
• Supports union negotiations and grievance resolutions.
  

QUALIFICATIONS:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Demonstrated ability as a highly motivated individual to create and execute action plans that drive business improvement in key metrics.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, self-starter, self-motivated, sense of urgency, personable, extroverted personality, well organized, ability to achieve goals, ability to focus and pay attention to detail.
• Ability to work independently and under some pressure to meet deadlines.
• Must be able to work with a wide variety of people with different personalities and backgrounds.
• Must have demonstrated knowledge and ability for using basic leadership skills to effectively engage and manage a staff.
• Must be able to work flexible hours to meet customer needs and management expectations.
• Able to travel including overnight stay, primarily by vehicle estimated at 40 to 60% of the time and may include outside of normal business hours.
  

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelors’ Degree in Engineering, Chemistry, Operations Management or related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience in a production environment in a chemical, gas or related industry.

• 8+ years’ experience in the distribution/manufacturing industry.
• 3+ years’ demonstrated leadership/management experience
• Knowledge and experience in regulatory management including FDA, OSHA, DHS, DOT, EPA, and other federal or state regulations. Specific experience and knowledge of cylinder markings, test dates, pressure ratings, DOT/ICC markings, placarding, hazardous material classifications, accident reporting, and safety and compliance.
• Must have a proven track record of motivating and leading individuals and groups.
• Experience managing both union and non-union workplaces is preferred.

• Demonstrated strong financial acumen.
• Negotiating and selling skills a plus.
  

COMMUNICATION and/or CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS:

• Ability to read, analyze and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations.
• Ability to write routine business reports and business correspondence in English.

• Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from employees and/or customers.
• Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists.
• Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and product literature using the English language.
• Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Is able to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.
  

LANGUAGE SKILLS

Has the ability to analyze, read, and interpret common scientific and technical journals, financial reports and legal documents. Is able to respond to common inquiries or complaints from customers, regulatory agencies, or members of the business community. Is able to communicate in standard business style and grammar. Has the ability to effectively present information to region management, public groups, and current or potential customers.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS

Understands mathematical concepts such as probability and statistical inferences. Has the ability to apply concepts such as fractions, percentages, ratios, and proportions to practical situations.

REASONING ABILITY

Is able to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Is able to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, use a PC or calculator, or feel and talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to stand, walk, and sit. The employee is occasionally required to reach with hands and arms, and smell. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move 25 to 75 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to noise from office machinery and production plant equipment. The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet, but may be moderate and require personal protective equipment.