Unit Coach (Pulp Mill & Woodyard)

Georgia Pacific; Brewton (AL); On-site; USD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Georgia-Pacific is seeking a Pulp Mill & Woodyard Unit Coach in Brewton, AL. This role leads ~40 hourly employees, focuses on development, training, qualifications, accountability, and work-system effectiveness, and collaborates with operations, L&D, HR, and subject matter experts to close performance gaps.

The position emphasizes safety, environmental compliance, and Principled Based Management across a large, expanding operation in the Brewton Mill.

Qualifications

• Minimum high school diploma or GED required with coaching experience.
• Experience coaching employees to improve performance and team effectiveness.
• Working knowledge of industrial safety and environmental expectations.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop ~40 hourly employees with clear expectations and feedback.
• Own the training and qualification strategy for >80 Pulp Mill & Woodyard staff.
• Identify gaps and translate learning into improved field performance.
• Coach through troubleshooting, root-cause analysis, and safe decisions.
• Partner with leadership to improve safety, quality, reliability, and productivity.
• Build a talent pipeline via recruiting, onboarding, and retention aligned with Principled Based Management.

Skills

Leadership

Coaching

Safety culture

Performance coaching

Problem solving

Education

High school diploma or GED

Associate or Bachelor’s degree

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Your Job

Georgia-Pacific is seeking a Pulp Mill & Woodyard Unit Coach for the Brewton Mill. Reporting to the Performance Development Leader, this role provides direct leadership for approximately 40 hourly employees, with a focus on development, training, qualifications, accountability, and work-system effectiveness. The Unit Coach partners with operations leaders, Learning & Development, Human Resources, and subject matter experts to address performance and capability gaps while promoting a strong commitment to safety, environmental compliance, and Principle-Based Management.

Our Team

The Brewton mill is in south central Alabama about an hour from Mobile, AL, Pensacola, FL, and the beautiful beaches of the Gulf Coast. The team is made up of 450 employees who produce white top linerboard and solid bleached sulfate (SBS) paperboard. The SBS material is used to make GP's Dixie plates. White top linerboard is used in production of corrugated containers and displays. This position is an opportunity to be part of a rapidly expanding organization with tremendous growth potential. To learn more about our Bleach Board Division, visit www.gppackaging.com

What You Will Do

• Lead a strong safety and environmental culture through field engagement, risk identification and reduction, coaching, and reinforcement of safe and responsible operating practices.
• Lead, coach, and develop approximately 40 hourly employees, creating clear expectations, strengthening accountability, providing meaningful feedback, and supporting individual and team growth.
• Own the training and qualification strategy for more than 80 Pulp Mill and Woodyard employees, ensuring employees develop the knowledge and skills needed to perform safely, reliably, and effectively.
• Strengthen workforce capability by identifying performance and knowledge gaps, developing practical solutions with operations leadership, and ensuring learning translates into improved performance in the field.
• Support operational excellence and problem solving by coaching employees through troubleshooting, root-cause analysis, sound operating decisions, and the effective use of procedures and knowledge resources.
• Partner with hourly employees and department leadership to improve performance across safety, environmental compliance, quality, reliability, productivity, cost, housekeeping, and operator capability.
• Build and strengthen the department's talent pipeline through recruiting, selection, onboarding, development, and retention of employees aligned with Principled Based Management and an ownership-based work environment.
• Develop leadership capability throughout the organization by coaching Shift Leaders, Field Leaders, trainers, subject matter experts, and employees taking on increased responsibility.
• Use workforce, training, and operating insights to set priorities and remove barriers, helping the department effectively manage staffing, employee development, performance, and changing operational needs.
• Provide flexible leadership support across a continuous manufacturing operation, including daily department routines, outages, abnormal operating conditions, emergencies, and after-hours, weekend, or holiday needs when business conditions require.

Who You Are (Basic Qualifications)

• High school diploma or GED
• Experience coaching employees or team members to improve individual performance, team effectiveness, and business results
• Working knowledge of industrial safety and environmental expectations, hazard recognition, and risk-reduction practices
• Experience using Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Teams

What Will Put You Ahead

• Pulp and paper manufacturing experience, especially operating experience in the Pulp Mill or Woodyard
• Experience in a union manufacturing environment, including attendance, performance management, labor scheduling, and difficult conversations
• Experience developing, facilitating, or managing technical training, qualification systems, knowledge checks, practical demonstrations, and operator assessments
• Associate degree or bachelor's degree

Leadership Expectations

The Unit Coach is expected to:

• Lead by example and apply Principled Based Management in daily decisions and interactions
• Set clear expectations, provide direct and timely feedback, and hold employees accountable consistently and respectfully
• Maintain a visible presence in the field and use observations, questions, and coaching to strengthen safe and reliable execution
• Challenge respectfully, communicate directly, and protect the dignity of employees during difficult conversations
• Follow through on commitments, maintain sound documentation, and close performance and capability gaps promptly
• Prioritize work that creates long-term value for employees, the department, and the Brewton Mill
• Support an ownership-based work system by developing frontline leaders and helping employees take greater responsibility for results

At Koch companies, we are entrepreneurs. This means we openly challenge the status quo, find new ways to create value and get rewarded for our individual contributions. Any compensation range provided for a role is an estimate determined by available market data. The actual amount may be higher or lower than the range provided considering each candidate's knowledge, skills, abilities, and geographic location. If you have questions, please speak to your recruiter about the flexibility and detail of our compensation philosophy.

Hiring Philosophy

All Koch companies value diversity of thought, perspectives, aptitudes, experiences, and backgrounds. We are Military Ready and Second Chance employers. Learn more about our hiring philosophy here.

Who We Are

As a Koch company and a leading manufacturer of bath tissue, paper towels, paper-based packaging, cellulose, specialty fibers, building products and much more, Georgia-Pacific works to meet evolving needs of customers worldwide with quality products. In addition to the products we make, we operate one of the largest recycling businesses. Our more than 30,000 employees in over 150 locations are empowered to innovate every day -to make everyday products even better.

At Koch, employees are empowered to do what they do best to make life better. Learn how our business philosophy helps employees unleash their potential while creating value for themselves and the company.

Our Benefits

Our goal is for each employee, and their families, to live fulfilling and healthy lives. We provide essential resources and support to build and maintain physical, financial, and emotional strength - focusing on overall wellbeing so you can focus on what matters most. Our benefits plan includes - medical, dental, vision, flexible spending and health savings accounts, life insurance, ADD, disability, retirement, paid vacation/time off, educational assistance, and may also include infertility assistance, paid parental leave and adoption assistance. Specific eligibility criteria is set by the applicable Summary Plan Description, policy or guideline and benefits may vary by geographic region. If you have questions on what benefits apply to you, please speak to your recruiter.

Additionally, everyone has individual work and personal needs. We seek to enable the best work environment that helps you and the business work together to produce superior results.

Equal Opportunities

Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability and protected veteran status. Except where prohibited by state law, some offers of employment are conditioned upon successfully passing a drug test. This employer uses E-Verify. Please click here for additional information. (For Illinois E-Verify information click here, aqui, or tu).