Forming Manager

Smurfit-Westrock; Eutaw (AL); On-site; USD 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Smurfit Westrock is seeking a Forming Manager for the Livingston, AL plant. You will oversee the Forming and Folding department, ensuring safe operations, high-quality output, and achievement of daily production goals while managing a team of about 50 hourly employees.

The role emphasizes leadership in continuous improvement, budget awareness, and collaboration with plant leadership to meet safety, quality, and efficiency targets in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of manufacturing experience required.
• Supervisory leadership experience preferred.
• High School diploma or GED required.
• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, business or related technical field preferred.
• Demonstrates adaptability, accountability and results-driven leadership.

Responsibilities

• Provide oversight and leadership to the Forming Department (approx. 50 hourly employees).
• Ensure a safe work environment, product quality, and achievement of production goals.
• Manage performance, troubleshoot, and drive continuous improvement.
• Oversee budgeting, capital planning input, and cost controls.
• Lead efforts to improve OEE, reduce waste, and maintain safety and quality standards.

Skills

Leadership

Problem solving

Adaptability

Collaboration

Accountability

Growth mindset

Education

High School diploma or GED

Bachelor’s degree in engineering, business, or relevant technical field

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

Smurfit Westrock (NYSE:SW) is the go-to leader and partner of choice in sustainable packaging. We are dedicated to creating efficient and scalable paper and packaging solutions to help solve complex packaging challenges. Guided by our values of safety, loyalty, integrity and respect, we are committed to delivering meaningful value for shareholders, customers, employees and the communities where we operate.

Forming Manager - Eutaw/Livingston, AL Plant

The Opportunity:

The Forming Manager will provide oversight and leadership to our forming and folding department in Smurfit Westrock Livingston’s Consumer Packaging facility. This position is responsible for day-to-day management of the Forming Department: ensuring a safe work environment, product quality, achieving production goals, managing performance of hourly team members, making sound operational decisions, solving problems, and managing conflict.This role serves as a member of the plant leadership team and will contribute to achieving safety, quality, productivity, and financial objectives.

How You Will Impact Smurfit Westrock:

Business Excellence

• Oversee planning, scheduling, execution, and maintenance of department assets, including formers, baggers, wrappers, labelers, and other ancillary equipment.
• Provide input and oversight for annual capital investments including planning, coordination, and installation for area of responsibility while ensuring items are completed on time and within budget.
• Collaborate and assist the Plant Manager with the development of annual budgets and standards for cost control.
• Develop and implement the short- and long-term department strategies to enable operating efficiency.
• Manage departmental compliance with all food safety and quality requirements, e.g. Safe Quality Food.
• Oversee the department’s product quality, ensuring it meets the customer’s expectations and Smurfit Westrock’s standards.
• Develop and implement timely and sustainable corrective action for internal or external non-conforming products.
• Must be able to analyze data and determine root causes for efficiency deficits and drive change through the department to improve OEE, cost, and waste utilizing statistical tools and continuous improvement methods.

People and Culture

• Champion a culture of continuous improvement by creating a culture of innovative problem solving, implementing best practices, and acting as an effective change agent.
• Ensure that a safe workplace is always maintained and that the habits and practices of every employee hold safety as the top priority.
• Provide leadership to a production department of approximately 50 employees ensuring adherence to Smurfit Westrock’s core values of Safety, Loyalty, Integrity, and Respect.
• Determine training needs and administer appropriate training programs for department employees.

What You Need to Succeed:

• Required: A minimum of 5 years of relevant manufacturing experience
• Preferred: Prior supervisory leadership experience, technical background with process & mechanical trouble shooting experience, folding carton experience, continuous improvement background
• Required: High School diploma or G.E.D.
• Preferred: Bachelor’s degree in engineering, business, or other relevant technical field
• Adaptability: Demonstrates agility, flexibility, and a willingness to modify one’s approach to achieve desired results; responds quickly to changing demands, processes, and updated information.
• Accountability: Holds self and others responsible for actions and results; Strong bias for results.
• Growth and Results Oriented: Delivers personal and/or organizational results by successfully influencing others (i.e. co-workers, other teams, external partners, etc.), delivers on-time high-quality work to achieve maximum results.
• Leadership: Leads and motivates a team of people to achieve performance excellence; ability to read people and situations and adjust approach as needed; proactively leads and enforces initiatives that drive organizational effectiveness; teaches others how to build trust-based relationships.
• Collaboration: Works effectively with others to complete a task or achieve a common objective; ability to cooperate in both interpersonal and team relationships to support positive team culture and maintain mutual trust, candor, and respect for others. Works through conflict constructively.
• Integrity & Respect: Exhibits the highest personal standards of authenticity, honesty, integrity, and positive respectful relationships with others.
• Technical Skills
  • Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Outlook, Teams)
  • Problem solving ability in a fast-paced highly technical manufacturing environment

What We Offer:

• Corporate culture based on integrity, respect, accountability, and excellence
• Comprehensive training with numerous learning and development opportunities
• Competitive salary reflecting skills, competencies, and potential
• A career with a global packaging company where sustainability, safety, and inclusion are foundational to how we operate
• Competitive total rewards package including medical, dental, and vision coverage options starting on your first day
• Health Savings Account (HSA) with company contributions and flexible spending account (FSA) options
• 401(k) retirement plan with company match and automatic contributions to support your long-term financial goals
• Company-paid life insurance and disability coverage for financial protection
• Mental health support and wellness programs designed to promote overall well-being
• Generous paid time off, including company holidays, vacation, and paid parental leave
• Tuition reimbursement and ongoing learning and development opportunities
• Additional voluntary benefits such as legal services, identity protection, pet insurance, and more

Candidates are required to undergo a drug screening after receiving a conditional job offer, but before starting employment.

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by state or federal law.