Business Unit Leader - Paper Mill Operations
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Job Description
Business Unit Leader — Paper Mill Operations
Overview
A consumer products manufacturer is seeking a hands-on Business Unit Leader to own end-to-end production operations for a paper mill business unit running across multiple shifts. This role leads ~100+ employees with 7–10 direct reports and is accountable for safety, quality, delivery, cost, and morale while driving continuous improvement.
What You’ll Do
- Lead daily operations for the business unit across multiple shifts; set priorities and allocate resources to meet plan.
- Manage, coach, and develop a team of supervisors/engineers/technicians; build bench strength and a high-performance culture.
- Own KPI performance (OEE, yield, waste, uptime, throughput, safety, quality); diagnose gaps and execute recovery plans.
- Champion Lean/Six Sigma and project management to deliver sustained CI across the paper machine and supporting processes.
- Ensure compliance with safety and regulatory standards; model and enforce a zero-injury culture.
- Partner with maintenance, quality, supply chain, and technical teams to optimize runnability and product performance.
- Plan and execute capital and productivity projects; manage budgets and timelines.
- Standardize best practices, visual management, and tiered daily management routines.
Requirements
Must-Have Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree (Engineering, Paper Science, or related field).
- Paper industry background from a paper mill with direct paper machine operating/leadership experience.
- Backgrounds limited to corrugated, lumber, or general packaging are not eligible for this role.
- Proven production leadership managing 100+ employees and 7–10 direct reports across multiple shifts.
- Demonstrated success in continuous improvement with Lean and/or Six Sigma and formal project management experience.
- Track record of driving change and improving key metrics (safety, quality, cost, delivery, OEE).
Preferred Qualities
- Strong floor presence; decisive, data-driven, and calm under pressure.
- Excellent coaching, mentoring, and talent-development skills.
- Effective cross-functional collaborator with clear, direct communication.
Benefits
Location/Shift: Multi-shift manufacturing environment (on-site leadership required).
Compensation/Benefits: Competitive base, bonus, and benefits commensurate with experience.
Automate your job search with Sonara.
Submit 10x as many applications with less effort than one manual application.