Job Title: Operations Manager
Location: Greater Allentown, PA Area
About the Company: Join a leading packaging and containers manufacturer known for its commitment to safety, quality, and innovation. This company operates globally, providing high-quality products and services to a diverse set of international markets.
About the Role: The Operations Manager is responsible for managing the safety, reliability, cost, quality, productivity, and employee engagement in a goal-oriented environment. This position oversees the operations of the Stroudsburg mill in the Greater Allentown, PA area, and reports to the General Manager.
Key Responsibilities:
- Provide leadership to mill personnel to ensure overall safe operations by driving toward a 100% safe work environment.
- Facilitate an environment where safety is the top priority.
- Effectively manage production performance and create a teamwork-oriented environment.
- Plan and control production performance.
- Troubleshoot quality and operational issues, developing systems to avoid reoccurrences.
- Set key departmental goals and objectives to establish high performance levels.
- Monitor compliance with standard operating procedures.
- Ensure quality systems are supported, in place, and comply with required customer specifications.
- Identify long-term departmental improvement opportunities.
- Ensure environmental compliance with federal, state, and local statutes.
- Operate in a manner that meets customer expectations.
- Support Continuous Improvement activities and champion the overall improvement of the mill's cost position.
- Support the development of operational forecasts and budgets to improve mill profitability.
- Drive systematic improvement in mill operations and other processes like communications, safety, quality, and employee engagement.
- Develop leaders through training, stretch assignments, feedback, and the performance management process.
- Build positive relations with employees and union leaders based on the company's values of Safety, Integrity, Respect, and Loyalty.
Required Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline is highly preferred.
- Minimum 10 years of experience in manufacturing leadership roles, preferably in the pulp and paper industry.
- Strong leadership and communication skills with a high sense of urgency and attention to detail.
- Ability to direct continuous improvement in all areas, especially safety, environmental, quality, production, and cost.
- Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to interface with employees at all levels of the organization.
- Excellent oral and written communication skills.
- Strong problem-solving skills.
- Excellent planning, organizational, time management, and prioritization skills.
- Proficient computer skills (MS Office, MS Project, JD Edwards, etc.).
- Ability to travel up to 25%.
Key Competencies:
- Strong safety mindset with a thorough understanding of safety policies and procedures.
- Ability to execute and achieve results, set and accomplish challenging goals, and manage tasks effectively.
- Champion of change, driving continuous improvement and managing expectations.
- Customer-focused, understanding and meeting customer requirements.
- Strong decision-making and judgment skills.
- Initiative to tackle problems and take independent action.
- Excellent problem-solving and analytical skills.
- Ability to influence and persuade, inspiring associates to excel.
- Commitment to quality and excellence.
- Integrity, maintaining confidence and fostering an ethical work environment.
- Strong communication skills, both spoken and written.
What We Offer:
- Corporate culture based on integrity, respect, accountability, and excellence.
- Comprehensive training with numerous learning and development opportunities.
- An attractive salary reflecting skills, competencies, and potential.
- Benefits package including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, 401(k) with match, tuition reimbursement, employee discounts, employee referral bonus, and more.
- A career with a global packaging company where sustainability, safety, and inclusion are foundational elements of daily work.