A career where you can enhance lives every day
At Kensing, we work together to improve the quality of life of our clients, their customers, and each other. It shows in our dedication to collaboration, in our commitment to teamwork, and in the culture of pride and respect each of us strives to exhibit day after day.
We combine the deep heritage of our Kankakee plant with a commitment to leading the world in safety and purity, along with an eagerness for expansion. If you are passionate about innovation, about improving products and lives, we want to hear from you. At Kensing, we have a bright future ahead. You can be a part of it.
Mechanical Integrity and Reliability Engineer | Kankakee, IL | 5/17/2024
JOB TITLE: Mechanical Integrity and Reliability Engineer
DEPARTMENT: Maintenance
LOCATION: Kankakee, IL
SUPERVISOR: Director of Engineering
JOB SUMMARY
The Mechanical Integrity and Reliability Engineer has a long-term and strategic focus. This position will coordinate and lead the plant’s mechanical integrity program as it relates to stationary equipment, piping, and pressure relief devices and the plant’s reliability program for rotating equipment and utilities. Ensure compliance with corporate, federal, state, and local inspection and testing requirements. Lead Root Cause Failure Analyses and monitor equipment KPIs for the early identification and resolution of reliability issues. The position supports capital and expense projects by reviewing fabrication drawings and coordinating Quality Control and Vendor Surveillance inspections as requested. Direct reports for this position include API Inspectors and Reliability Technicians.
PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES
Mechanical Integrity
- Ensure new installations and repairs comply with corporate, federal, state, and local codes and requirements such as: BC032.018, N-P-MC-105, N-G-MC-105, OSHA CFR 1910.119, API 510, API 570, API 653, API 579, ANSI B31.1, ANSI 31.3, ANSI 31.5, ASME B31G, NBIC NB23 and other regulatory requirements.
- Direct and coordinate the activities of contract examiners and inspectors to execute routine, shutdown, and turnaround inspections and tests on stationary equipment and piping.
- Plan and schedule inspection work based upon the MI schedule.
- Provide technical knowledge and expertise, including coaching and mentoring of contractors, to ensure inspections, tests and reporting are in accordance with corporate, federal, state, and local inspection and testing requirements.
- Provide technical knowledge and expertise and ensure compliance with inspection and repair codes/procedures including API 510, API 570, and API 653.
- Review and authenticate inspection reports to ensure accuracy. Analyze Inspection results and findings. Make recommendations based upon results of as-found condition, including repair recommendations, the need for additional NDT testing, and re-inspection intervals. Issue reports in accordance with internal procedures.
- Maintain the Inspection Reporting database including set up of new inspections, results of inspections, re-inspection frequencies, schedules, due/overdue, etc.
- Coordinate offsite inspections of process equipment such as heat exchangers, vessels, tanks, and other fabricated equipment. Coordinate or document vendor surveillance inspections for new equipment, including compliance to engineering specifications, dimensions, nozzle orientation, lining integrity, etc.
- Participate in failure investigations and analysis, problem solving activities associated with stationary equipment and piping.
Reliability
- Apply appropriate reliability tools to drive improvements, optimize costs, and improve AE (i.e., Bad Actor Program, FMEA, RBI, RBM, RCM, Reliability Roadmap, etc.)
- Ensures development and sustenance of Critical Equipment list.
- Ensure the development of equipment strategies to optimize site availability (including PM, PDM, spare parts, etc.)
- Monitor Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and metrics for proactive identification and resolution of reliability issues.
- Lead Root Cause Failure Analysis (RCFAs) and corrective actions for complex and/or repetitive problems.
- Lead the Bad Actor Program and create action plans for improving reliability.
- Identify and implement best practices across Kensing’s 5 sites.
- Ensure the effective management of the PDM programs which include Vibration Analysis, Oil Analysis, Steam Trap, and Thermography.
- Evaluate new technologies.
- Evaluate alternatives for equipment repair seeking cost and time advantages.
- Support capital projects by supplying engineering expertise in the specification, design, and construction of capital projects in accordance with plant design requirements as well as regulatory and corporate standards.
- Scope development
- Spare parts recommendations
- Support with technical Bid analysis and bonus/malus reviews.
- Support commissioning and startup activities.
Supervisory Responsibilities
- Manage merit and PIC process for Reliability technicians and API inspectors.
- Manage discipline issues and conflict resolution.
- Owner for Team development / Build and maintain an engaged work force.
- Ensure direct reports maintain required API certifications.
- Talent development / career management for direct reports.
- Performance Management inc: job assignments for development. Consistent and ongoing dialogs.
- Consistent enforcement of rules and policies.
- Effective change management.
- Effective and clear communication.
- On-boarding of new employees and transfers to the department.
KEY QUALIFICATIONS
EDUCATION
Required: Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering or 5+ experience in plant engineering.
EXPERIENCE:
- 5-10 Years of Experience; preferably within chemical or related industry.
- Experience in the design, construction, repair, inspection, or operation of pressure vessels, of which one year must be in supervision of inspection activities or performance of inspection activities as described in the API codes.
KNOWLEDGE/SPECIALIZED SKILLS:
- Strong mechanical background and problem-solving skills.
- SAP, and Microsoft office experience required.
- Must have a working knowledge of the American Petroleum Institute codes (i.e., API 510 pressure vessel inspection, API 653 atm vessel repair, and API 570 piping).
- Must have a broad knowledge base relating to maintenance, inspection, repair, and alteration of pressure vessels.
- Must have a broad knowledge base relating to pressure safety devices.
- Demonstrate positive, proactive leadership and teamwork behaviors.
- Ability to communicate effectively with facts and figures along with the ability to influence, persuade and negotiate. Strong interpersonal and communications skills.
- Work collaboratively with multiple diverse stakeholders, including Production, Engineering, Maintenance, Procurement, Stores, Accounting, Project Engineers, Engineering Managers, Site Leadership Team, Manufacturing Support Services, etc.
- Strong interpersonal and communications skills.
- Able to work collaboratively with diverse multiple stakeholders, including Production, Engineering, Maintenance, Procurement, Stores, Accounting, Project Engineers, Engineering Managers, Site Leadership Team, Manufacturing Support Services, etc.
- Demonstrated entrepreneurial drive without the need to be closely supervised.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
- High sense of urgency.
- Deal effectively with the unknown and unexpected and possess the ability to handle non-routine and emergency activities, such as plant shutdowns, start-up, commissioning, etc.
- Be able to lift 60 lbs., walk, sit, squat, bend, push/pull with arms/legs, body, reach overhead, stoop.
- Available for occasional after hours support of Maintenance activities such as planned turn arounds and unplanned shutdowns.
- The process problems include dealing with the technical difficulties of corrosive and hazardous chemicals and operating temperatures up to 2400°F.
- This is a site-based position located within Kankakee, IL (Onsite/Hybrid work schedule).
Senior Financial Analyst | US - Chicagoland Area | 4/29/2024
JOB TITLE: Senior Financial Analyst
DEPARTMENT: Accounting/Finance
LOCATION: Hybrid Remote – Kankakee, IL
SUPERVISOR: Director of FP&A
JOB SUMMARY
The Financial Analyst role at Kensing is a key member of the Financial Planning and Analysis team, and core support as a business partner to Kensing’s leadership team across all functions. This individual must possess an insatiable curiosity and “5 Why” mentality in how they approach gaining a superior understanding of the business dynamics at play, that influence and impact Kensing’s business performance. This individual will be adept at synthesizing meaningful and actionable information out of vast amounts of data, leveraging data mining and analytics tools including Power BI, SAP Analytics Cloud, Tableau, SAS, and other similar data analytics tools. This individual must be astute at working in ambiguity while evolving the fact patterns to develop cohesive and relevant analysis that may at first, not be obvious. An acute awareness of confirmation bias tendencies and the ability to avoid this trap should be part of the individual’s DNA, along with the ability to work with speed and accuracy under pressure, with an ever-present sense of urgency as the norm.
PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES
- Lead monthly sales reporting, including building models – sales reporting, price/volume/mix analysis, and variance analysis and fulsome commentary of actual results to budget, prior year, and forecast.
- Utilize large financial datasets to build predictive models and lead data analysis and problem solving to root cause.
- Prepare key financial and operational analysis and reports by collecting, formatting, analyzing, and explaining data with the objective of creating actionable information and insights about the issues at hand.
- Automate financial data collection and manipulation into useful dashboards or reports to drive user independence and support analytical scalability as the Company grows.
- Support monthly reporting package including but not limited to Income Statement, Balance Sheet, and Statement of Cash Flows
- Analyze & monitor current and past KPI’s related to all facets of the business (Safety, Operations, Commercial, Financial, ESG, HR)
- Work with leadership to evaluate initiatives and actions to improve business performance; assists with implementing and tracking actions over time.
- Drive continuous process improvements in reporting, forecasting, and budgeting activities leveraging technology and analytical tools including AI and machine learning, automation, and system enhancements.
- Support Director FP&A, CFO, CCO, and other Kensing Leadership to improve business performance and operational awareness by analyzing results, monitoring variances, and recommending quantifiable actions to senior leadership.
KEY QUALIFICATIONS
EDUCATION
Required Education: Bachelor’s degree in accounting/finance, liberal arts with emphasis on critical thinking, math, science or statistics, or engineering with a desire to pivot to finance and credible experience to support pivot.
- Focus: Analytically intensive math, statistics, engineering, science or other related fields requiring ability to frame abstract issues into problem statement, analyze and model data, and formulate insightful conclusions that support decision making.
EXPERIENCE:
- 3-5 years hands-on analytical support experience, ideally in a manufacturing environment, but alternatively in a banking or other similar financial setting where exposure to different business models requiring financial scrutiny on business performance was required. Working in an environment any vertical where vast amounts of varying types of data are available to drive decision support.
KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS/ABILITIES:
- Must have excellent communication skills, analytical skills and sound understanding of applied analytics in business (understanding of accounting, finance, applied in a commercial and operations environment)
- Must have strong skills in Microsoft Office Excel, including building and maintaining integrated financial models, building complex data lookups, pivot tables, etc., and Power Point (able to create presentations that convey critical analysis in a straightforward fashion),
- Must have experience with customer profitability reporting, business unit and segment profitability analysis in a manufacturing environment, including understanding of basic cost accounting-related concepts such as conversion costs, material margins, absorption.
- Experience with SQL, SAP (preferably S4/Hana) Analytics, SAC, Fiori, Power BI, Tableau, Think Cell, and other tools a plus.
- Self-starter with desire to constantly learn and develop new skills.
- Strong communicator with ability to simplify complex issues and effectively communicate results up and down the organizations including operations and other functions.
- Critical thinking skills with penchant for spotting the “unobvious” and challenging conventional wisdom or the most likely answer in a constructive and non-threatening way.
- Customer focused mindset with desire to over-deliver on commitments with a high sense of urgency
- Willingness and desire to invest time learning the business and getting beyond the numbers.
- Ideally bilingual (Spanish/English) language.
Senior Financial Analyst | Pilar, Argentina | 4/29/2024
JOB TITLE: Senior Financial Analyst
DEPARTMENT: Accounting/Finance
LOCATION: Pilar, Argentina
SUPERVISOR: Director of FP&A
JOB SUMMARY
The Financial Analyst role at Kensing is a key member of the Financial Planning and Analysis team, and core support as a business partner to Kensing’s leadership team across all functions. This individual must possess an insatiable curiosity and “5 Why” mentality in how they approach gaining a superior understanding of the business dynamics at play, that influence and impact Kensing’s business performance. This individual will be adept at synthesizing meaningful and actionable information out of vast amounts of data, leveraging data mining and analytics tools including Power BI, SAP Analytics Cloud, Tableau, SAS, and other similar data analytics tools. This individual must be astute at working in ambiguity while evolving the fact patterns to develop cohesive and relevant analysis that may at first, not be obvious. An acute awareness of confirmation bias tendencies and the ability to avoid this trap should be part of the individual’s DNA, along with the ability to work with speed and accuracy under pressure, with an ever-present sense of urgency as the norm.
PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES
- Lead monthly sales reporting, including building models – sales reporting, price/volume/mix analysis, and variance analysis and fulsome commentary of actual results to budget, prior year, and forecast.
- Utilize large financial datasets to build predictive models and lead data analysis and problem solving to root cause.
- Prepare key financial and operational analysis and reports by collecting, formatting, analyzing, and explaining data with the objective of creating actionable information and insights about the issues at hand.
- Automate financial data collection and manipulation into useful dashboards or reports to drive user independence and support analytical scalability as the Company grows.
- Support monthly reporting package including but not limited to Income Statement, Balance Sheet, and Statement of Cash Flows
- Analyze & monitor current and past KPI’s related to all facets of the business (Safety, Operations, Commercial, Financial, ESG, HR)
- Work with leadership to evaluate initiatives and actions to improve business performance; assists with implementing and tracking actions over time.
- Drive continuous process improvements in reporting, forecasting, and budgeting activities leveraging technology and analytical tools including AI and machine learning, automation, and system enhancements.
- Support Director FP&A, CFO, CCO, and other Kensing Leadership to improve business performance and operational awareness by analyzing results, monitoring variances, and recommending quantifiable actions to senior leadership.
- Collaborate with business leadership to share insights and drive improved business outcomes, partnering with cross-functional teams as required.
- Contributes to finance team effort by proactively identifying opportunities to drive enhancements into the finance and accounting function and other functions as appropriate.
- Identify, lead and or support special projects and initiatives, as needed, including ad-hoc quantitative analyses of information to identify and understand drivers and root causes of performance.
- Drive change where needed through a lens of continuous process improvement consider new ways to gather data and analyze business data and results.
- Adhere to all GMP Standards/Requirements.
- Other Duties as Assigned.
KEY QUALIFICATIONS
EDUCATION
Required Education: Bachelor’s degree in accounting/finance, liberal arts with emphasis on critical thinking, math, science or statistics, or engineering with a desire to pivot to finance and credible experience to support pivot.
- Focus: Analytically intensive math, statistics, engineering, science or other related fields requiring ability to frame abstract issues into problem statement, analyze and model data, and formulate insightful conclusions that support decision making.
EXPERIENCE:
- 3-5 years hands-on analytical support experience, ideally in a manufacturing environment, but alternatively in a banking or other similar financial setting where exposure to different business models requiring financial scrutiny on business performance was required. Working in an environment any vertical where vast amounts of varying types of data are available to drive decision support.
KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS/ABILITIES:
- Must have excellent communication skills, analytical skills and sound understanding of applied analytics in business (understanding of accounting, finance, applied in a commercial and operations environment)
- Must have strong skills in Microsoft Office Excel, including building and maintaining integrated financial models, building complex data lookups, pivot tables, etc., and Power Point (able to create presentations that convey critical analysis in a straightforward fashion),
- Must have experience with customer profitability reporting, business unit and segment profitability analysis in a manufacturing environment, including understanding of basic cost accounting-related concepts such as conversion costs, material margins, absorption.
- Experience with SQL, SAP (preferably S4/Hana) Analytics, SAC, Fiori, Power BI, Tableau, Think Cell, and other tools a plus.
- Self-starter with desire to constantly learn and develop new skills.
- Strong communicator with ability to simplify complex issues and effectively communicate results up and down the organizations including operations and other functions.
- Critical thinking skills with penchant for spotting the “unobvious” and challenging conventional wisdom or the most likely answer in a constructive and non-threatening way.
- Customer focused mindset with desire to over-deliver on commitments with a high sense of urgency
- Willingness and desire to invest time learning the business and getting beyond the numbers.
- Ideally bilingual (Spanish/English) language.
Account Manager SNVE | REMOTE- US | 3/19/2024
JOB TITLE: Account Manager (SNVE)
DEPARTMENT: Commercial
LOCATION: Remote, US (Preferably Central/Eastern Time Zone)
SUPERVISOR: Sales Director SNVE
JOB SUMMARY
Kensing, LLC delivers high-quality and natural anionic surfactants, esters, sterols, & vitamin E, used in the Personal Care, HI&I and Nutrition markets. Set to achieve $400MM in 2023, Kensing is poised for significant innovation and growth with our customer base of global blue-chip consumer product companies. Within this position, the Account Manager will drive high performance with a strong track record of building strategic customer relationships and opportunities to closure, as well as leading and owning total customer experience while exceeding growth initiatives. The account manager will have the ability to thrive in a fast-paced enterprise with team focus and a high level of communication across a matrix environment.
PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES
Account Management, Planning & Execution:
- Build and maintain customer relationships within assigned territory, serving as their primary point of contact to drive high levels of customer satisfaction.
- Act as the main point of contact for clients, addressing inquiries, resolving issues, and ensuring a positive customer experience.
- Consistently engage with customers to understand their needs, desired outcomes, and identify aligned strategies to create positive impact and propose executable solutions.
- Collaborate with internal teams, including customer service, marketing, and product development, to ensure seamless customer experiences.
- Create a strategy and develop, manage, and execute sales realization for assigned accounts.
- Create account plans to effectively align with customer’s strategies to identify mutual and establish actionable next steps.
- Develop strong relationships with key decision makers and identify influences with multi-level connections across the organization.
- Prepare call reports, forecasts, and quarterly presentations for current or new business activity, new products, and other relevant marketing or competitive information.
- Analyze sales data and market trends to accurately forecast future sales within the territory.
Territory Growth Initiatives for New Business:
- Identify and prioritize growth opportunities and target potential clients within assigned territory.
- Develop and execute strategic plans, and conduct market research to generate new leads, prospects, and business opportunities.
- Collaborate with the marketing team to implement effective lead generation campaigns.
- Identify opportunities to cross-sell and upsell additional products or services to existing clients.
- Develop and implement strategies to maximize revenue within existing accounts.
Customer Success: Price Management, Forecasting & Cross Functional Collaboration
- Align with organizational initiatives to maximize Customer value through systematic adoption, education, and execution, in an incredibly fast-paced, exciting, and constantly changing environment.
- Maintain and communicate customer forecasting and ordering needs aligning with Kensing Supply Chain, Demand Planning, and Plant Operations to ensure proper inventory planning and production schedules.
- Maintain customer pricing file and communication on contract and market adjustments +/-.
- Manage spot business/rush offers as needed.
- Monitor pricing strategies and adjust them as needed to remain competitive while maximizing profitability.
- Negotiate pricing agreements with clients, considering volume discounts and long-term contracts
- Adhere to all GMP Standards/Requirements
- Other Duties as Assigned
KEY QUALIFICATIONS
EDUCATION
- Required Education: Bachelor’s degree (chemistry, chemical engineering, or business administration, marketing).
- Preferred Education: Master’s degree (chemistry, chemical engineering, or business administration, marketing
EXPERIENCE:
- Minimum of 5-10 years’ experience in B2B sales in the ingredients industry with proven success and consistent track record. Preferably experience with Vitamin E, Antioxidants or Sterol Esters in the Personal Care or HI&I industries.
- Chemical Distribution or Manufacturing experience a plus
KNOWLEDGE/SPECIALIZED SKILLS:
- Consummate professional with a strong commercial understanding acting with integrity and confidentiality.
- Ability to balance day-to-day project execution and long-term customer initiatives within a fast-paced, collaborative team environment.
- Superior communication and presentation skills, both written and oral
- Strong relationship-selling, negotiation, and critical thinking capabilities
- Driven, agile, organized, and entrepreneurial self-starter.
- Approachable, team-player mentality
- Order to Cash experience (PO to invoice), ERP expertise and an understanding of integrated technologies.
- CRM Experience required, preferably Salesforce, and strong experience using Office 365 suite and Team Collaboration software tools.
- Fluent English Language, additional languages are a plus.
- Ability to work remotely.
TRAVEL:
- Frequent travel required based on business needs up to 50%
Human Resources Manager | Spain | 3/5/2024
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JOB TITLE: Human Resources Manager, Spain
DEPARTMENT: Human Resources
LOCATION: Valencia & Talavera, Spain
SUPERVISOR: Corporate Human Resources Manager
PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES
- Employee Relations
- Labor Relations
- Engagement / Recognition
- Performance Management Support
- Pre-Onboarding, Orientation, Onboarding
- Benefits/Wellness Support
- Talent Development/Management
- Recruitment & Selection Process
- Organizational Design
- Attendance, Time off, Time keeping and Payroll Support
- Medical and other leave of absences.
- HR & Legal Compliance (Country Specific)
- Strategic HR Departmental Site Specific Support
- Policies and Legal Compliance (Spain)
- Events & Holidays coordination
- Reports /Year End Compliance
- Audits / Certifications
- Maintaining digital and physical filing system
- Assist with KPI and other reporting.
- Training and Development
- Adhere to all country specific laws, guidelines, compliance, policies
- Adhere to GMP Standards/Requirements
- Other Duties as assigned.
KEY QUALIFICATIONS
EDUCATION
- Preferred: Master’s degree in human resources or equivalent degree is preferred.
- Required: Bachelor’s degree in human resources or equivalent degree is required.
EXPERIENCE
- Preferred: 10+ years of Human Resources experience (preferably within Manufacturing plant & Union Environment)
- Required: Minimum 3+ years of Human Resources Managerial experience in a Manufacturing plant & Union Environment & 3+ years Human Resources Generalist Experience within Manufacturing plant & Union Environment.
KNOWLEDGE/SPECIALIZED SKILLS:
- Knowledge of hr, benefits/wellness, compensation, HRIS, administrative tasks and responsibilities
- Thorough understanding of Spanish employment legislation and HR practice
- Ensure employees follow all policies and procedures
- Stay up to date on laws and regulations so the human resources team can best contribute to policy changes within the organization.
- Experience with Microsoft programs (MS Teams, Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
- Ability to remain confidential, handle investigations professionally in the workplace with legal guidance.
- Collaborate with outside vendors, management, and peers to maintain company values and standards.
- Ability to manage time and determine priorities to meet daily plant requirements.
- Ability to be manage teams effectively and professionally
- Ability to understand and carry out routine verbal and written instructions.
- Ability to maintain effective working relationships with other employees.
- Ability to be creative and provide insights to corporate and local HR Teams
- Ability to make decisions and collaborate when needed with appropriate corporate and local HR Team members.
- Attend intercompany meetings with other managers
- Support and present department materials in site/country specific town halls
- Lead and train to hr specific local training efforts
- Development of Plant specific communications
- Provide human resources support, guidance and mentorship to local team
- Excellent verbal and written communication
- Team collaboration and positivity
- Problem Solving and resourceful thinking.
- Detail Oriented, excellent organizational skills and analytically driven.
- Bilingual in English & Spanish language (written/spoken).
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
- Must be able to lift, push and sometimes pull up to 25 lbs.
- Must be able to visit/work in production environment and comply with plant ehs, and compliance regulations.
- Must be able to work remotely 1 day a week.
- Strong Preference to be bilingual in English and Spanish Language
- Must be able to travel and work within multiple Spain locations (Talavera, Valencia).
- Preferable knowledge working with all levels of manufacturing personnel
