Production Manager

Domtar is a leading producer of pulp, paper, packaging, tissue and wood products. Through our focus on safety and sustainability, as well as our commitment to operational excellence and our network of facilities across Canada and the United States, Domtar delivers high-quality and cost-effective products to customers around the world.

Our workforce is comprised of 14,000 talented and hardworking individuals. We are proud to offer competitive compensation, a supportive working environment, rewarding career paths and plenty of opportunities for learning and growth.

The location in Kingsport Packaging, (Tennessee, United States), is seeking talent to fill the position of Production Manager. This job is full-time permanent.

The Production Manager will oversee all aspects of safely producing top quality recycled linerboard and corrugated medium grades with top decile cost position. This position will manage the production organizations of the mill. This position will ensure that the mill produces recycled liner and medium grades to meet production budgets as well as exacting quality standards. This position will ensure that mill operations are well coordinated and planned in concert with maintenance activities and remain in compliance with all environmental regulations. This position will also champion and support the flow to work, high performance family-based work system.

Key Responsibilities:

• Ensure a culture of safety exists, and that the culture is the same across the organization
• Ensure a culture of environmental stewardship and mill remains in compliance at all times
• Lead and develop the mill’s operations organizations 
• Develop the flow to work, high performance family work system to a point of team self-management
• Develop the hourly organization so that progressive and holistic maintenance is part of the culture
• Develop and maintain a positive working relationship with the union
• Be accountable for safety, environmental, production, manufacturing cost, and quality results
• Participate in customer visits and get to know our customer base.  Be responsive to the sales organization through customer inquiries, concerns, or complaints
• Actively engage with containerboard sales team to deliver value proposition and maximize margins
• Participate in the budgeting process, deliver cost results, and communicate financial budgets and monthly financial analysis, both P&L and spend, appropriately to team
• Be obsessive about driving out costs while producing a high-quality product
• Function as a liaison/partner with other mill departments, outside suppliers and service providers
• Partner the fiber procurement, sales, and supply chain teams so we are a supplier and customer of choice with a lean and efficient supply chain
• Recognize wins and people contributing to wins
• Ensure problems and issues are investigated and corrective actions put in place, for any issue of relevance
• Participate in outside professional organizations if they add value to Kingsport operations
• Ensure PMPs and job expectations are in place for direct reports and managers within your organization
• Ensure individuals have succession and development plans, and that job reviews, based on objective performance, are completed
• Champion & embrace continuous improvement, seek to improve the operation through production, lower costs, and efficiency improvements
• Ensure housekeeping standards are set and upheld
• Demonstrate strong troubleshooting skills and develop staff and hourly workforce to be able troubleshoot issues and resolve them
• Ensure continuing progress on reliability workstreams to support world class reliability results
• Ensure a good collaborative, supportive relationship exists between maintenance and production
• Support and foster maintenance support activities on shift through DMSI and operational support of maintenance activities
• Have good technical communication skills, both verbal and written

Required Qualifications

Bachelor of Science degree in related engineering discipline.

Recent 10+ years of experience of successful direct management and leadership in the production of 100% recycled linerboard and medium products with a demonstrated proficiency in production of Power, Pulp and/or Paper.

Two or more years of leadership experience with both OCC plant and 100% recycled linerboard operations.

Demonstrated advancement through an organization.

Preferred Qualifications

Ready now candidate for General Manager role.

Recent experience with start-up of a new recycled linerboard paper machine.

Experience leading in a Union environment.

Demonstrated ability to lead and grow high performance work systems with flow-to-work and ownership principles.

You will be required to successfully complete a selection process that could include interviews, an employment background check, a pre-employment drug and alcohol screen, reference verifications, aptitude tests (for some positions), and a fitness-for-duty test (for some positions).

Domtar is an equal-opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will be considered without regard to age, race, color, sex (including gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, and pregnancy), marital status, religion, national origin, genetic information, disability, or veteran status.  We are also committed to ensuring reasonable accommodations for individuals protected by Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1974, and Title I of the Americans with Disability Act of 1990.

Once your application has been submitted, you will receive a confirmation email.  If you are selected to interview, you will be contacted by a member of our Human Resources team.  

To learn more about our company, consult the Domtar Company Web Site and follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter.