Tessenderlo Kerley, Inc., is a company of diverse businesses unified by shared values and vision. We serve the agriculture, mining, industrial and water reclamation markets with a broad range of products and technologies, worldwide. Serving these customers well is a passion and a commitment-one which the people of TKI find rewarding, empowering and meaningful.

If you want the work you do to make a positive impact on the world in which we live, working alongside innovative, quality-focused people of vision, then TKI is the right place for you.

Be a key contributor to the present and the future of NovaSource and its plan to grow its crop protection business.

As the Director of Manufacturing for the NovaSource business you will set up and maintain a responsive, high quality and cost effective supply chain that fully complies with the regulatory requirements of the crop protection industry and TKI standards for manufacturing. You will play a key role in vetting potential acquisition candidates and integrating newly acquired products into the TKI business by leading the decisions on manufacturing processes, locations, and logistics.

What you will do:

• Manage all aspects of manufacturing of NovaSource products including raw material production and sourcing, active ingredient production and sourcing, and formulation and packaging production and sourcing for a modest sized but fast growing and complex crop protection company.
• Manage quality, supply and HSEQ risk at NovaSource suppliers and tollers. Monitor processes to be sure they comply with the registration requirements.
• Manage demand and supply planning to insure timely production and delivery of raw materials, inert materials and packaging materials, technical products and finished products.
• Establish and execute effective production distribution plans warehouse stocking in order to insure product availability.
• Maintain high quality relationships with all vendors because the new vendor approval process is a long and drawn out process in the crop protection business and replacing vendors is generally not in the best interest of the BU.
• Ensure all product lines have stable, long term suppliers of technical product and take action as needed. Identify alternatives if assessments indicate serious technical and/or commercial risks.
• Investigate back integrated supply situations to reduce number of companies involved in the supply chain.
• Implement consistent ways to look at working capital (inventory). Maintain above average control working capital control while maintaining excellent customer service.
• Experience with manufacturing practices and processes for agricultural chemical active ingredients, formulation and packaging.
• Production creation, production planning and order fulfillment.
• Production planning, new product introduction, troubleshooting product problems, special customer concerns
• New product synthesis, production and qualification from new sources
• Establish new and modified standard costs
• Establish and control inventory levels for key material sand products
• Establish and maintain stocking locations for key materials and products.

What you need to know/have:

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering with higher education being preferred.
• Technical knowledge of safe chemical synthesis and unit operations required.
• Experience in managing multi-step chemical synthesis and formulation operations for all formulation types.
• Experience in negotiating contracts with industry vendors.
• Industry network to be able to respond to unanticipated events.
• Working knowledge of organic chemistry.
• > 15 or more years of relevant experience required
• In depth understanding of regulatory (including EPA and other country regulatory bodies, IMDG, DOT, OSHA)
• Working knowledge of industry vendors and their capabilities but even more so, a manufacturing network to be able to find reliable new producers and sources when needed.
• Responsible (creation, purchase and use) for COGS towards optimizing gross margin. Lead the team responsible for maintenance, purchase and use of about 100’s of different items.
• Working knowledge of SAP, MRP.
• Purchasing and sourcing
• Material Resource Planning
• Hazard Risk Management. Experience with HSEQ audits.
• Contract Negotiation

Why join TKI:

• Work/life balance
• Fun and rewarding environment
• Learning, development and team work
• Community involvement/outreach
• Challenging and meaningful work

Benefits & Rewards:

• Medical-Dental-Vision-Prescription (low employee premiums!)
• 401k Plan with dollar for dollar matching, up to the first 5% of employee contribution
• 401k Company Retirement Contribution at year-end, equal up to 4% of annual base salary
• Short-Term Incentive awards based on measured performance criteria
• Life Insurance – 2x Annual Base Salary
• Paid vacation & sick time & 10 paid holidays per year
• Tuition Reimbursement- up to $5,000 per calendar year- Non Taxable
• Adoption Assistance-up to $7,500 in reimbursement assistance
• Business Travel Life & Accident Insurance
• Flexible Spending Account
• Telemedicine program - for you and your dependents
• Long-Term Disability insurance
• Company referral program