Opportunity Snapshot

This position offers you the opportunity to take over a well-run global ES&H function but also to make your mark as you lead our continuous improvement initiatives and ongoing commitment to being world class. We take a proactive approach to succession planning and your performance in this role with Daramic LLC could set you up to pursue the ES&H leadership role for all of Polypore International, our $500 million (and growing) parent corporation. You'll acquire international EH&S experience if you don't already have it. At Daramic we have brought together strong talent in a highly collaborative environment, and we offer stability and growth in an unsure economy.

You will provide leadership and oversight for developing and deploying effective ES&H policies and programs in a matrix organization with 10 facilities in the US, Europe, and Asia. To be a good fit for this opportunity you will have significant experience leading ES&H activities in industrial settings, and the ideal candidate will have hands-on experience with both environmental and health & safety. In addition to demonstrated leadership abilities, you will need excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to influence others and to interact effectively with diverse cultures. You also will need to be willing and able to travel domestically and internationally between 30% and 50% of the time.

For over 75 years, Daramic LLC has led the way in developing new and innovative technology for the lead acid battery market. As the largest division of Polypore, Daramic today supplies more than 50% of the world's demand for high performance polyethylene battery separators to the lead acid battery industry.

What Else You'll Bring to the Table

In addition to the qualifications detailed above, you'll need:

• A bachelor's degree in an engineering or science discipline and/or a degree in the field of environmental or safety with ten or more years experience in ES&H in an industrial work setting. Alternatively we will consider candidates with a master's degree in environmental or safety technology or engineering and at least seven years of ES&H applied experience in an industrial workplace.
• Demonstrated initiative, a track record of progressively increasing responsibility and continuous improvement successes in leadership, and proven performance results.
• The ability to communicate effectively with people at all levels of the organization, including coaching.
• A goal-setting/results orientation and proven problem solving and decision-making abilities.

Preferred but not required:

• An advanced graduate technical or ES&H related degree or professional ES&H recognized certifications.
• A business related accredited degree (such as MBA) or proven business acumen.
• Knowledge and application of auditing, management systems, and total quality management processes.
• A thorough understanding of the regulatory environment and the ability to comprehend, interpret, and apply ES&H regulations and related technical standards, including flowing down regulatory requirements into corporate policies, procedures and practices.

You will travel between 30% and 50% of the time. Visits to our facilities in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Indiana will be relatively short, although you probably will be overseas about one week a month. Asian facilities are located in China, India, and Thailand, and in Europe Daramic's operations are in Austria, France, Germany, and Italy.

What's in It for You

Autonomy and impact -- we encourage an entrepreneurial approach, providing support when you need it and "elbow room" when you don't. You'll do challenging but achievable work concerning intriguing technology (separator solutions in lead-acid battery applications), and we are constantly raising the bar to ensure we maintain our world-class status.

Career development -- Daramic is the largest division of Polypore in terms of revenue, headcount, and facilities, and the experience you acquire in this role will make you a solid contender, down the road, to lead ES&H for all of Polypore. In fact, this position is open because the incumbent was promoted.

No slowing here -- Daramic and Polypore continue to grow, as our product line is used in a diverse number of applications, many in growth markets. We have a strong history of success, but also a great deal of potential yet to achieve. While other companies are "hunkering down," we are expanding. As evidence, in March 2008 we acquired Microporous Products LP, a move that supports our effort to expand our core business in microporous membranes.

Excellent compensation -- in addition to a competitive salary and incentives, we offer a comprehensive benefits package.

Great place to live and work -- with history stretching back before the American Revolution, Charlotte has burgeoned into a cosmopolitan city with a Southern flair. The "Queen City" is the nation's second largest financial center, and a number of Fortune 500 corporations make their headquarters here. In 2008 Relocate-America.com named Charlotte the "Best Place to Live in America," based on such factors as employment opportunities, crime rates, and housing affordability. Relocation assistance is available.

More About Your Role

You will report to the Vice President and General Manager of Daramic, and have a matrix relationship with Polypore's General Counsel, ES&H on regulatory and legal matters. Each of our ten manufacturing sites has an ES&H Manager who reports to that site's leader, but also has a matrix relationship with you in which you will act as a resource and provide oversight. You also will partner with other Daramic VPs in integrating ES&H into the conduct of business.

Your mission will be not only to maintain regulatory compliance, but also to drive continuous improvement in the overall ES&H culture for building and sustaining an industry-leading program. The program ensures alignment with the corporate commitment to the well being of our employees and to protecting our environment and public neighbors relative to Daramic business operations. The program is well established and there are various initiatives under way, such as the integration and remediation of acquired facilities and legacy technology. Some of the facilities are in a continuous improvement mode while others are undergoing step change.

Your key areas of responsibility will include:

• Driving strategic initiatives across the worldwide organization for developing, implementing and refining ES&H programs, including ensuring oversight and adjustment of ES&H initiatives, actions, and related procedures/processes that lead to effective improvements.
• Providing guidance and advice for influencing senior and site responsible managers in building an effective ES&H management system and strong organizational safety culture.
• Partnering with Daramic VPs and sites in establishing Daramic WW ES&H goals, objectives and measures. This will include assisting site management in aligning site-specific goals and resources with corporate goals/objectives.
• Ensuring the transition of acquired companies, new expansions, and projects to the desired Daramic/Polypore ES&H culture.
• Providing for effective auditing and correcting processes to identify and resolve systemic and root causal factor issues relative to ES&H.
• Modeling and communicating actions and behaviors necessary to demonstrate the Company's safety commitment to employees and the public.
• Interacting and negotiating with public and agency officials with regard to the Company's position on regulatory requirements, legislation, and compliance.

Keys to Success

While the ES&H program is already will respected, you will need to take a proactive approach to establishing your credibility as the subject matter expert. At the same time, you'll need to be influential rather than directive, creating relationships based on trust and mutual respect. In addition, in order to be an outstanding VP, Worldwide EH&S, you will:

• Spend time out on the floor when you visit a site to interact with the line employees, and be as comfortable communicating with them as you are with senior executives.
• Strike an appropriate balance between influencing and being assertive.
• Demonstrate initiative and strong leadership, as you often will coordinate among multiple stakeholders on issues.
• Promote collaboration across all divisions of Polypore, keeping an eye out for opportunities to leverage synergy.

If this sounds like the right mix of challenge and opportunity for you, and you meet the minimum qualifications, we want to hear from you!

Who We Are

Daramic LLC is the global leader in supplying separator solutions for use in starting, deep-cycling and stand-by power battery applications. Daramic separators can be found in Flooded, Gel and AGM battery types used in applications such as starting, stationary, motive power, and deep-cycle lead-acid battery applications. We serve a variety of industries, particularly automotive.

Our passion has always been to deliver leading-edge technology and value-added services by working closely with our customers. Now, after decades of steady growth, we're aggressively investing in the talent needed to support our global expansion.

Daramic is part of Polypore International, Inc, a global high technology filtration company specializing in microporous membranes. Polypore's flat sheet and hollow fiber membranes are used in specialized applications that require the removal or separation of various materials from liquids, primarily in the ultrafiltration and microfiltration markets. Based in Charlotte, NC, Polypore International, Inc has manufacturing facilities or sales offices in nine countries serving six continents.