Operations Manager

Smurfit Westrock; Florence (SC); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Smurfit Westrock is looking for an Operations Manager at the Florence Mill in South Carolina. This role involves leading safety initiatives, managing production performance, and ensuring compliance with quality standards. The ideal candidate will have a Bachelor’s degree in engineering and a minimum of 10 years in Pulp and Paper manufacturing leadership.

Key responsibilities include driving a safety-first environment, troubleshooting operational issues, and developing long-term departmental improvements. Excellent interpersonal, communication, and problem-solving skills are essential for success.

Qualifications

• Minimum 10 years of experience in Pulp and Paper manufacturing leadership roles preferred.
• Strong leader with demonstrated communication skills and attention to detail.
• Must possess excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to interface with employees at all levels.

Responsibilities

• Manage safety, reliability, cost, quality, productivity, and employee engagement.
• Drive safety culture and ensure compliance with standard operating procedures.
• Monitor production performance and troubleshoot operational issues.

Skills

Leadership

Communication skills

Problem-solving

Planning and organization

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering

Tools

MS Office

MS Project

JD Edwards

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.

The Opportunity

The Operations Manager is responsible for managing the safety, reliability, cost, quality, productivity, and employee engagement in a goal-oriented environment. The position is responsible for the operations of the Florence Mill and reports to the General Manager.

How You Will Impact Smurfit Westrock

• Provide leadership to mill personnel to ensure overall safe operations by driving toward a 100% safe work environment by leading safety culture, systems, and processes.
• Facilitates an environment where safety is a value.
• Effectively manage production performance
• Effectively create an environment of teamwork
• Planning and controlling production performance
• Troubleshooting quality and operational issues and developing systems and structures to avoid reoccurrences
• Establish high level of performance by setting key departmental goals and objectives
• Monitoring compliance with standard operating procedures
• Ensuring quality systems are supported, in place, and comply with required customer specifications
• Identifying long term departmental improvement opportunities
• Ensure environmental compliance with federal, state, and local statutes, and WestRock environmental standards
• Operate in a manner that meets customer expectations
• Support Continuous Improvement activities and champion the overall improvement of the mill’s cost position
• Supports the development of operational forecasts and budgets to improve mill profitability
• Drives systematic improvement in mill operations and other mill processes like communications, safety, quality, and employee engagement
• Develop leaders through training, stretch assignments, feedback, the performance management process, etc.
• Build positive relations with employees and union leaders based on the Smurfit Westrock values of Safety, Loyalty, Integrity, and Respect

What You Need To Succeed

• Bachelor’s degree in an engineering discipline is highly preferred
• Minimum 10 years of experience in Pulp and Paper manufacturing leadership roles preferred
• Strong leader with demonstrated communication skills and a high sense of urgency and attention to detail
• Ability to direct continuous improvement in all areas, but with special emphasis on safety, environmental, quality, production, and cost
• Must possess excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to interface with employees at all levels of the organization
• Must have excellent oral and written communications skills
• Excellent problem-solving skills
• Excellent planning, organizational, time management and prioritization skills
• Proficient computer skills (MS Office, MS Project, JD Edwards, Panther, etc.)

Competencies

• Safety
• Ability to Execute
• Champion of & Adaptor to Change
• Customer Focused
• Decision Making/Judgment
• Initiative
• Problem Solving/Analysis
• Influence & Persuasion
• Quality
• Integrity
• Communication

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.