Mill Operations Manager

The opportunity:

The Operations Manager is responsible for managing the safety, reliability, cost, quality, productivity, and employee engagement in a goal-oriented environment. The position is responsible for the operations of West Point and reports to the General Manager.

How you will impact WestRock:

Provide leadership to mill personnel to ensure overall safe operations by driving toward a 100% safe work environment by leading safety culture, systems, and processes.

Facilitating an environment where safety is our priority.

Effectively manage production performance

Effectively create an environment of teamwork

Planning and controlling production performance

Troubleshooting quality and operational issues and developing systems and structures to avoid reoccurrences

Establish high level of performance by setting key departmental goals and objectives

Monitoring compliance with standard operating procedures

Ensuring quality systems are supported, in place, and comply with required customer specifications

Identifying long term departmental improvement opportunities

Ensure environmental compliance with federal, state, and local statutes, and WestRock environmental standards

Operate in a manner that meets customer expectations

Support Continuous Improvement activities and champion the overall improvement of the mill’s cost position

Supports the development of operational forecasts and budgets to improve mill profitability

Drives systematic improvement in mill operations and other mill processes like communications, safety, quality, employee engagement

Develop leaders through training, stretch assignments, feedback, the performance management process, etc.

Build positive relations with employees and union leaders based on the Smurfit Westrock values of Safety, loyalty, integrity, and respect.

What you need to succeed:

Bachelor’s degree in an engineering discipline is highly preferred

Minimum 10 years of experience in Pulp and Paper manufacturing leadership roles preferred

Strong leader with demonstrated communication skills and a high sense of urgency and attention to detail

Ability to direct continuous improvement in all areas, but with special emphasis on safety, environmental, quality, production, and cost

Must possess excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to interface with employees at all levels of the organization

Must have excellent oral and written communications skills

Excellent problem-solving skills

Excellent planning, organizational, time management and prioritization skills

Proficient computer skills (MS Office, MS Project, JD Edwards, Panther, etc.)

Competencies:

Safety – Exhibits strong competencies in Safety Mindset and has a thorough understanding of safety policies and procedures.

Ability to Execute – Targets and achieves results, sets and accomplishes challenging goals, prioritizes and manages tasks effectively, maintains an organized system to monitor progress, overcomes obstacles, accepts accountability, sets standards and responsibilities.

Champion of & Adaptor to Change – Drives for continuous improvement while managing expectations and results. Able to quickly adapt to changing circumstances and accelerate the change within themselves, their work group, or the organization; challenges the status quo and creatively identifies opportunities for improvement. Demonstrates a constant commitment to do things better.

Customer Focused – Understands and works to meet customer requirements. Listens to and responds to customer’s needs; builds relationships with and gains trust of customer by always meeting commitments.

Decision Making/Judgment – Recognizes problems and responds by systematically gathering information and weighing options. Able to sort through complex issues, seeks input from others and addresses root cause of issues. Make timely and accurate decisions. Use consensus when possible and clearly communicate decisions to others.

Initiative – Tackles problems and takes independent action. Seeks out new responsibilities, acts on opportunities, generates new ideas, practices self-development, and demonstrates a bias for action without being prompted.

Problem Solving/Analysis – Breaks down problems into smaller components, understands underlying issues. Can simplify and process complex issues and information, understand the difference between critical details and unimportant facts, can analyze data/information and draw accurate conclusions.

Influence & Persuasion – Able to exhibit a ‘can-do’ approach and inspire associates to excel, uses competition to encourage others, develops performance standards and confronts negative attitudes. Develops team spirit and uses tact when expressing ideas or opinions. Presents new ideas to authority figures and adapts presentations to suit a particular audience. Responds to objections successfully.

Quality – Attentive to detail and accuracy; is committed to excellence. Looking for improvements, seeking opportunities to increase effectiveness and efficiency.

Integrity – Able to be tactful, maintain confidences, and foster an ethical work environment. Prevents inappropriate behavior by coworkers, give proper credit to others and handles all situations honestly.

Communication – Able to clearly present information through spoken or written word; read and interpret complex information; talks with employees, customers, and supplies, and has strong listening skills.

What we offer:

Corporate culture based on safety, loyalty, integrity, and respect.

Comprehensive training with numerous learning and development opportunities

An attractive salary reflecting skills, competencies and potential

A career with a global packaging company where Sustainability, Safety and Inclusion are business drivers and foundational elements of the daily work.