Maintenance Manager

Smurfit Westrock; Alabama; On-site; USD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive training and learning opportunities

Competitive salary

Benefits package including medical, dental, vision

Job summary

Smurfit Westrock in Cottonton, AL is seeking a Maintenance Manager responsible for overseeing safety, quality, and productivity in maintenance operations. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in industrial maintenance and management, focusing on continuous improvement and strategic leadership.

This position offers a competitive salary and a comprehensive benefits package, including health insurance and 401(k). Join a company that values sustainability and excellence.

Qualifications

• 10-15 years of experience in industrial maintenance required.
• 5+ years of maintenance management experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Create Maintenance Department safety goals and plans.
• Lead planning, scheduling and execution of maintenance work.
• Manage maintenance department KPIs.

Skills

Leadership

Decision-Making

Problem-Solving

Strategic Thinking

Communication

Negotiation

Conflict Resolution

Education

2-year technical degree in Electrical, Mechanical, or Industrial Engineering

Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical and/or Mechanical Engineering

Tools

Microsoft Office – Excel, Outlook, Productivity Suite

JDE, PLC/DCS or similar CMMS

Job description

Description & Requirements

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.

Position

Maintenance Manager

Job Code

MOMNM5 + Sr. Mgr, Maintenance

Location

Cottonton, AL

The Opportunity

The Maintenance Manager at the Mahrt paper mill in Cottonton, AL is responsible for the overall safety, environmental, quality, productivity, and cost management of the maintenance department. The role also drives continuous improvement of mill operations to enable efficient, high‑quality production. Key responsibilities include KPI monitoring & management, management and adherence to the Work Management Process, managing plant outages, maintenance cost analysis & improvement plans, 5‑year major maintenance & capital planning, and overall reliability improvement plans.

Major Job Responsibilities – Business Excellence

• Create Maintenance Department safety goals and plans to ensure a safe work environment
• Support and drive accident prevention and environmental excellence
• Participate in and promote continuous improvement
• Keep maintenance personnel abreast of advancing technology to assure optimum performance at minimum cost
• Provide strategic leadership on maintenance operations to ensure maximum production
• Lead planning, scheduling and execution of routine and outage maintenance work
• Drive development of detailed asset strategies for improved reliability
• Implement short‑term and long‑term maintenance strategies to enable operating efficiency in alignment with Smurfit Westrock’s values
• Ensure adherence to the established work management process
• Create an effective Plant Maintenance Program using industry best practices to maximize equipment reliability and uptime
• Apply Root Cause Failure Analysis and troubleshooting techniques
• Manage and analyze maintenance department KPIs to assess operating efficiency and identify improvement opportunities
• Monitor and communicate departmental performance in Safety, Environmental, Reliability, and Cost effectiveness
• Guide development of the maintenance business plan and forecasts
• Lead staff to excellence and set new uptime and reliability standards
• Serve on the Plant Leadership Team to align on plant goals and collaborate on organizational effectiveness
• Negotiate win‑win strategies with Labor Union representatives on contract issues

Major Job Responsibilities – People and Culture

• Ensure a safe work environment and adherence to all safety, health and environmental policies
• Foster a culture of care that promotes participation and buy‑in for safety and reliability from craftsmen
• Ensure staff is adequately trained and motivated to achieve objectives in a safe, timely, and cost‑effective manner
• Lead a maintenance group of 5 direct reports and about 185 indirect reports

Critical Skills / Capabilities

• Leadership: motivates and leads a team, builds trust, enforces initiatives and drives organizational effectiveness
• Decision‑Making: uses problem‑solving skills and supporting information to arrive at optimal decisions in a timely manner
• Problem‑Solving: frames, simplifies and solves complex issues, identifies root causes, and creates timely solutions
• Strategic Thinking: develops short‑ and long‑term plans, aligns with organizational vision, manages risks, and capitalizes on opportunities
• Communication: delivers engaging presentations and communicates data, insights and critical messages clearly
• Negotiation: leads negotiations, removes barriers and seeks win‑win solutions
• Conflict Resolution: anticipates, prevents and resolves conflicts constructively

Technical Skills

• Microsoft Office – Excel, Outlook, Productivity Suite
• JDE, PLC/DCS or similar CMMS

Other Qualifications

• Occasionally ascending/descending stairs, reaching, grasping, typing, speaking loudly and quickly, and performing data preparation and analysis

Work Environment

• Works indoors in climate‑controlled, non‑controlled, hot or cold environments
• Works outdoors in natural environmental conditions
• Occasionally sedentary, standing, or walking for extended periods
• Industrial noise; strict safety rules must be followed

What You Need To Succeed

• Required: 10‑15 years of experience in industrial maintenance
• Preferred: 5+ years of experience in maintenance management
• Required: 2‑year technical degree in Electrical, Mechanical, or Industrial Engineering
• Preferred: Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical and/or Mechanical Engineering

What We Offer

• Corporate culture based on integrity, respect, accountability, and excellence
• Comprehensive training and learning opportunities
• Competitive salary reflecting skills, competencies, and potential
• Benefits package including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, 401(k) with match, tuition reimbursement, employee discounts, referral bonuses, and more
• Career with a global packaging company that values Sustainability, Safety, and Inclusion as business drivers

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.