Program Manager

Position Summary

The Stellantis Windsor Program Manager leads Chemico’s Chemical Management Services at the Stellantis Windsor Assembly Plant (Windsor, Ontario), a full vehicle assembly operation — stamping, body, paint, and general assembly — producing the Chrysler Pacifica minivan family and the Dodge Charger on a flexible multi-energy line, running a three-shift, 24-hour production schedule. The role owns the site’s chemical program end to end: procurement of all chemicals and gases, inventory and materials management, process chemistry support across all shops, and oversight of the plant’s significant water and wastewater treatment chemical programs.

This is an on-floor leadership role within a high-volume, unionized (Unifor) assembly environment. The Program Manager runs a structured daily and weekly operating rhythm — site walks, inspections, shift coverage, escalation, and customer meetings — and must understand the plant’s chemistry and processes at a working level, well enough to make informed decisions, hold credible technical conversations with the customer, and know when to engage Chemico technical resources.

Responsibilities/Duties:

Site Leadership & Daily Operating System

• Run the site’s daily and weekly operating rhythm: site walks, inspections, end-of-shift reports, open-items follow-up, and escalation across a three-shift, 24-hour operation.
• Participate in plant daily and shift-change meetings, chemical approval committees, and other operational forums the customer hosts.
• Maintain visible floor presence across stamping, body, paint, and assembly — lead from the production environment, not the desk.
• Deliver regular written performance and usage updates to the customer.
• Serve as the primary on-site Chemico contact for plant leadership, purchasing, paint shop, environmental, facilities, and EHS counterparts.

Chemical & Gas Procurement and Inventory

• Own procurement of all production and facility chemicals: paint shop materials support (pretreatment, e-coat, sealers, solvents, purge and cleaning chemistry), body shop adhesives and weld-process chemicals, stamping lubricants and washer chemistry, final-assembly fill fluids, water treatment products, and maintenance chemicals.
• Manage bulk and cylinder industrial gas supply, including welding and shielding gases, nitrogen, and refrigerants, with associated contracts and delivery logistics.
• Create and manage purchase orders in the ERP system; confirm supplier receipt, ensure delivery dates support a 24-hour production schedule, and communicate delays to the customer in a timely manner.
• Continually develop cost-savings opportunities through alternative products, consolidation, usage reduction, and process improvements.

Process Chemistry Support — Stamping, Body, Paint & Assembly

• Understand plant chemical processes at a working level: pretreatment and e-coat chemistry, paint booth operation and purge solvent management, sealer and adhesive applications, stamping lubricant and washer concentration control, and final-line fluid fill.
• Monitor chemical usage data and trends by shop; flag abnormal consumption, quality, or supply issues and recommend corrective actions.
• Coordinate supplier technical representatives on site and engage Chemico Paint & WWT Technical Services for issues requiring deeper expertise.
• Support the customer’s troubleshooting of chemical-related process disruptions affecting production, paint quality, or environmental compliance.

Water & Wastewater Treatment

• Oversee the chemical programs supporting the plant’s heavy water and wastewater treatment operations, including coagulants, flocculants, pH control, and paint booth water detackification chemistry.
• Coordinate the water treatment program with Tier 2 water partners and Chemico technical services: service alignment, system walks, and rotating inspections of utility systems (cooling towers, boilers, pretreatment rinse trains, booth recirculation systems).
• Analyze water system performance through testing and data trends; recommend chemistry and dosing adjustments to maintain reliability, compliance, and total cost of ownership.
• Support the plant’s environmental compliance requirements related to wastewater discharge, including data requests and reporting.
• Notify customer leads in real time on operational threshold events (pH, flow, alarm conditions) per plant protocol.

Compliance, Reporting & EHS

• Manage SDS process flow, WHMIS-compliant labeling, document control, and the site’s chemical approval workflow.
• Own spill and leak response protocols for chemical storage, dispensing, and treatment areas, including escalation paths with plant environmental and facilities teams.
• Ensure compliant storage, segregation, and handling of all chemicals and gases, including solvents, paint materials, and treatment chemicals.
• Participate in safety observation tours, layered audits, and plant safety programs as requested by the customer.

Team & Coverage

• Lead and develop the on-site team; manage Tier 2 service providers against defined KPIs.
• Maintain a documented coverage plan supporting the plant’s three-shift, 24-hour operation, including all planned and unplanned absences.
• Cross-train designated backup personnel; coverage cannot rely on staff from unrelated sites without prior customer approval.
• Work effectively within a unionized (Unifor) manufacturing environment and the plant’s joint processes.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Strong procurement and supply chain skills: sourcing, negotiation, supplier management, and contract administration for chemicals and industrial gases.
• Working knowledge of automotive assembly chemical processes — paint shop chemistry, water and wastewater treatment, stamping and body shop materials — sufficient to understand SDS and technical data sheets and the production impact of chemical decisions, without requiring deep technical specialization.
• Demonstrated ability to drive operational discipline and standard work across a multi-shift site team.
• Strong analytical and data-interpretation skills; advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and competence in ERP-based purchasing systems.
• Effective communicator across customer leadership, engineering, supplier, and floor-level audiences.
• Proactive, same-day issue surfacing; ability to raise issues in a timely manner and close the loop in writing.
• Ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced, high-volume manufacturing environment.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Business, Chemistry, Engineering, or a related field of study, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 5+ years of experience in chemical management, industrial procurement, or manufacturing site operations, with site leadership experience preferred.
• Experience in automotive assembly environments — paint shop and/or water treatment exposure strongly preferred.
• Experience in the chemical industry and familiarity with chemical supply chains strongly preferred.
• Experience in unionized manufacturing environments preferred.
• Ability to work in Canada and travel across the U.S.–Canada border as required.

Work Environment:

This position operates primarily within a high-volume vehicle assembly plant running a three-shift, 24-hour production schedule, and requires daily presence on the production floor, in the paint shop, in chemical storage and dispensing areas, and in water treatment areas. The role balances procurement and administrative responsibilities with hands-on operational support in a fast-paced environment.

Physical Requirements:

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions:

• Walk and stand for extended periods within a large industrial facility.
• Work at a computer workstation for prolonged periods.
• Lift up to 50 pounds as required.

Travel:

Overnight travel may be required — less than 5%. Regular cross-border travel between Michigan and Windsor, Ontario may be required.

EEO Statement:

Chemico provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, amnesty, or status as a covered veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws. Chemico complies with applicable state and local laws governing non-discrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including, but not limited to, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

Chemico expressly prohibits any form of unlawful employee harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status. Improper interference with the ability of Chemico employees to perform their expected job duties is absolutely not tolerated.

Other Duties:

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.