Maintenance Supervisor

Little Rapids Corporation; Wisconsin; On-site; USD 75,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Little Rapids Corporation is seeking a Maintenance Supervisor to lead a team in a dynamic paper mill setting. The role focuses on ensuring safe, reliable, and cost-effective maintenance execution to maximize equipment uptime through effective preventive and predictive maintenance.

The ideal candidate should have a Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering or relevant experience, along with at least 5 years in a leadership role within a manufacturing environment. Union experience is strongly preferred.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering or related field, or equivalent industrial experience.
• 5+ years of leadership experience in a manufacturing environment preferred.
• Experience working in a union environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead and supervise maintenance employees in accordance with the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
• Coordinate and oversee daily maintenance activities in a 24/7 operation.
• Ensure compliance with OSHA regulations and mill safety programs.

Skills

Leadership and labor relations

Problem-solving and root cause analysis

Safety leadership and risk management

Communication and collaboration across functions

Planning, organization, and execution

Education

Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering or related field

5+ years of leadership experience in manufacturing

Tools

CMMS (JD Edwards)

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

Position Summary

The Maintenance Supervisor leads a team of union-represented millwrights and Electrical & Instrumentation (E&I) technicians in a continuous paper mill environment. This role is responsible for safe, reliable, and cost-effective maintenance execution, ensuring equipment uptime through effective preventive/predictive maintenance and strong workforce leadership.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership & Workforce Management

• Lead and supervise union-represented maintenance employees in accordance with the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), ensuring fair, consistent application of work practices and policies
• Provide coaching, training, and performance management to develop workforce capability and accountability
• Assign and prioritize work to ensure safe, timely, and high-quality execution
• Promote a culture of teamwork, communication, and continuous improvement

Maintenance Execution & Planning

• Coordinate and oversee daily maintenance activities across mechanical and E&I disciplines in a 24/7 operation
• Ensure efficient utilization of internal craft labor to minimize contractor reliance
• Utilize CMMS to plan, schedule, and track work orders throughout all stages
• Maintain accurate maintenance records, equipment histories, and schedules

Reliability & Continuous Improvement

• Ensure scheduled preventive and predictive maintenance work is completed on time to support equipment reliability
• Monitor maintenance performance metrics and communicate issues or risks to management while adjusting team focus as needed
• Support root cause analysis efforts and implement corrective actions
• Identify and implement improvements in maintenance practices, procedures, and equipment performance

Safety & Compliance

• Champion a strong safety culture by ensuring compliance with OSHA regulations and mill safety programs, including LOTO, confined space entry, and electrical safety
• Conduct job‑specific safety discussions and reinforce safe work practices
• Partner with operations and leadership to promptly address safety concerns
• Participate in and lead incident investigations and corrective action development

Collaboration & Support

• Partner with operations, engineering, and contractors to support production goals, outages, and capital projects
• Provide technical expertise and guidance to maintenance crafts and cross‑functional teams
• Support engineering initiatives for equipment upgrades and installations
• Participate in daily and weekly planning meetings to align priorities and report on performance
• Perform other responsibilities as assigned

Education, Certifications, and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering or related field, or equivalent industrial experience
• 5+ years of leadership experience in a manufacturing environment (paper mill or heavy industry preferred)
• Experience working in a union environment strongly preferred
• Working knowledge of mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, and pneumatic systems, including PLCs, drives, and control systems
• Experience with CMMS (e.g., JD Edwards)
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite
• Paper or pulp mill experience preferred
• Technical apprenticeship or skilled trades background preferred

Key Competencies

• Leadership and labor relations
• Safety leadership and risk management
• Problem‑solving and root cause analysis
• Planning, organization, and execution
• Communication and collaboration across functions
• Results‑oriented with focus on reliability and asset performance

Physical Requirements

Exposure to or working in close proximity to operating machinery. Exposure to fine dust. Ability to wear required personal protection equipment (i.e. hearing, eye and foot protection). Must be able to see objects at a distance with clarity and read printed material within arm’s reach. Perceive colors accurately. Ability to shout to be heard above high noise levels. Stand, twist, bend, turn and kneel for up to 8 hours a day. Walk up to 200 yards at a time, up to 20 times per day. Climb stairs, approximately 15 steps, up to 10 times per day.

EOE including disability/veteran