Director, Physical Automation

Founded over 35 years ago, First Quality is a family-owned company that has grown from a small business in McElhattan, Pennsylvania into a group of companies, employing over 5,000 team members, while maintaining our family values and entrepreneurial spirit. With corporate offices in New York and Pennsylvania and 8 manufacturing campuses across the U.S. and Canada, the companies within the First Quality group produce high-quality personal care and household products for large retailers and healthcare organizations.

Our personal care and household product portfolio includes baby diapers, wipes, feminine pads, paper towels, bath tissue, adult incontinence products, laundry detergents, fabric finishers, and dishwash solutions. In addition, we manufacture certain raw materials and components used in the manufacturing of these products, including flexible print and packaging solutions. Guided by our values of humility, unity, and integrity, we leverage advanced technology and innovation to drive growth and create new opportunities.

At First Quality, you’ll find a collaborative environment focused on continuous learning, professional development, and our mission to Make Things Better®.

We are seeking a Director, Physical Automation for our First Quality Tissue, SE facility located in Anderson, SC. This position will lead the organization to identify and reduce manual operations in manufacturing processes - from unloading of raw materials till finished products delivered to customers.

• Create and execute roadmap for the physical automation rollout in FQ Tissue (North Star – No human interactions with machines for operations, maintenance or product handling)
• Create business case and prioritize rollout of physical automaton projects
• Lead cross functional teams across the organization (operations, maintenance, engineering, business unit leads, IT hardware, SAP, project management, Product development ) to execute physical automation projects
• Joint development of automation solutions along with suppliers wherever applicable for the benefit of FQ
• Create a consortium of suppliers, research labs, universities etc who can partner with FQ to the vision of no human interaction operations
• Insure the organization is prepared and knowledgeable for the ongoing introduction of new automation solutions

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or related degree.
• Experience leading TPM or Continuous improvement methodologies (IWS, Lean etc)
• Experience with implementation of automation projects to reduce waste and variability in industrial environments, for example: self-guided vehicles, trailer loading, ASRS, robots (humanoid, dogs or others), sensors/cameras, manual operations automation, AI solutions in machines, automated product quality checks, converting line automation, warehouse automation, etc.
• Experience working with suppliers of technology, machinery or automation solutions
• Paper industry or CPG experience preferred
• Strong leadership skills
• Technical mastery – mechanical, electrical, pneumatic, data
• Manage suppliers and external partners
• Ability to lead cross functional teams via influence
• Good communication skills – oral, written, presentation
• Ability to travel as necessary to support multiple sites.

• Competitive base salary and bonus opportunities
• Paid time off (three-week minimum)
• Medical, dental and vision starting day one
• 401(k) with employer match
• Paid parental leave
• Child and family care assistance (dependent care FSA with employer match up to $2500)
• Bundle of joy benefit (year's worth of free diapers to all team members with a new baby)
• Tuition assistance Wellness program with savings of up to $4,000 per year on insurance premiums ...and…