Engineering Manager

Synthomer is a leading supplier of high-performance, highly specialised polymers and ingredients that play vital roles in key sectors such as coatings, construction, adhesives, and health and protection – growing markets that serve billions of end users worldwide. Headquartered in London, UK and publicly listed there since 1971, we employ c.3,900 employees across our 5 innovation centres of excellence and more than 29 manufacturing sites across Europe, North America and Asia. Around 20% of our sales volumes are from new and patent protected products.

At our innovation centres of excellence in the UK, Germany, China, Malaysia and Ohio, USA we collaborate closely with our customers to develop new products and enhance existing ones tailored to their needs, with an increasing range of sustainability benefits. Since 2021, we have been proud holders of the London Stock Exchange Green Economy Mark, which recognises green technology businesses making a significant contribution to a more sustainable, low-carbon economy.

Position Summary

The Engineering Manager is a key leadership role responsible for overseeing all engineering and capital project activities at the Synthomer Jefferson Hills chemical manufacturing facility. This position leads a multidisciplinary team of engineers and project managers to ensure safe, reliable, and cost‑effective operation of the plant while executing a portfolio of capital and improvement projects aligned with site and business objectives. The Engineering Manager is a critical partner to Operations, Maintenance, SHE, Supply Chain, and Corporate Engineering.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership & Team Development

• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of engineers and project managers, ensuring strong technical capability, engagement, and performance.
• Establish clear goals and development plans; provide coaching, feedback, and succession planning.
• Foster a culture of safety, accountability, teamwork, and continuous improvement.

Capital Project Portfolio Management

• Oversee the planning, prioritization, budgeting, and execution of the site’s capital project portfolio.
• Ensure projects follow Synthomer’s project management processes, engineering standards, and stage‑gate requirements.
• Allocate engineering and project management resources according to site priorities and project risks.
• Monitor project performance (cost, schedule, scope) and implement corrective actions as needed.
• Coordinate with Corporate Engineering, Procurement, and Finance to align on strategic investments and reporting requirements.

Engineering Governance & Technical Oversight

• Provide technical guidance and approvals for engineering work, design reviews, MOCs, and plant modifications.
• Ensure compliance with PSM requirements, including Process Hazard Analyses (PHA), Pre‑Startup Safety Reviews (PSSR), and mechanical integrity standards.
• Drive reliability improvement initiatives, asset lifecycle management, and engineering best practices.
• Maintain site engineering standards and ensure alignment with Synthomer global standards.

Operational Support & Facility Improvement

• Support operations and maintenance with troubleshooting, root cause investigations, and reliability improvements.
• Lead or sponsor continuous improvement initiatives focused on safety, process efficiency, quality, and cost.
• Participate in site leadership activities, including risk assessments, audits, and site‑wide planning.

Budgeting & Resource Management

• Develop and manage engineering department budgets (labor, contracts, and engineering services).
• Steward capital budgets in collaboration with Finance and site leadership.
• Manage third‑party engineering, construction, and specialty service providers.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Chemical, Mechanical, Electrical, or related discipline).
• 8+ years of experience in chemical manufacturing, refining, or related process industries.
• 3+ years of leadership experience (formal or informal), preferably in engineering or project management.
• Demonstrated experience managing capital projects (small and large).
• Strong knowledge of PSM, industrial safety practices, and chemical plant engineering.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and organizational skills.

Preferred

• Professional Engineer (PE) license or PMP certification.
• Experience in polymer, latex, resins, or specialty chemical production.
• Familiarity with stage‑gate project systems and reliability methodologies (RCM, FMEA, RCA).
• Experience with SAP, Aspen, AutoCAD, or similar engineering tools.

Key Competencies

• Safety Leadership
• Strategic Thinking & Prioritization
• Cross‑Functional Collaboration
• Technical Depth in Process/Mechanical/Chemical Engineering
• Project Management Expertise
• Coaching & Talent Development
• Data-Driven Decision Making

🌍 Global Benefits Overview

• 💰 Competitive, market-aligned compensation

• 🎯 Discretionary global bonus scheme

• 📈 Discretionary Long-Term Incentive Plan (LTIP) – for senior positions

• 🚗 Company car or car allowance – varies by region and role

• 🩺 Healthcare – tailored to regional locations

• 👶 Parental leave and family support – maternity, paternity, adoption (aligned with regional policies)

• 🏡 Working options – flexibility where it matters, based on role and business needs

• 📚 Learning & development opportunities – training, online platforms, buddy/mentorship programs, Internal Synthomer University with L&D offers

• 💙 Wellbeing support – employee assistance program (EAP), mental health resources, wellbeing initiatives

• 🌱 Retirement / pension contributions – plans vary by country

• 🤝 Culture of Inclusion – where everyone can thrive

• 🏆 Performance culture, global reward & recognition programmes