Mill Manager

The Client

Our client is a specialty solid wood manufacturer with a superior reputation for quality in its products and its relationships with customers, loggers, and employees.  Located in central New York State, the company is owned by private investors who are committed to supporting and growing the business over the very long term.

The Position

The Mill Manager will report directly to the private owners and will manage a team of 25 non-union hourly employees, who report through 4 Area Supervisors. Essential functions and responsibilities include:

• Direct, lead, and manage all phases of the operations.
• Make operating decisions: including staffing, operating hours, shift configuration, production planning, etc.
• Hire, develop, manage, and evaluate direct reports/subordinates.
• Interact with the mill’s small number of nationally-recognized customers.
• Manage relationships with independent loggers selling to the mill.
• Implement enhancements to production processes, facilities, equipment, maintenance, and MRP systems.
• Participate in strategic analysis, planning, and evaluation of growth opportunities.
• Oversee the evaluation of all capital expenditures, such as equipment additions, and manage their implementation.
• Maintain a safety program that ensures a strong safety culture, continuous improvement, and safety excellence. 

The Mill Manager is expected to take initiative, yet coordinate well with and be fully supported by ownership.  This is a “hands-on” position whose primary purposes are to:

• Achieve outstanding product quality and reliability for customers.
• Support the loggers selling to the mill through fair purchasing standards.
• Ensure the growth in the capabilities of the workforce in a safe environment.

• Invest effectively in process improvement.
• Achieve strong financial performance.
• In general pursue a range of objectives geared toward maximizing long-term success of the mill and the customers, loggers, and employees supported by it.

Ideal Professional Background

The successful candidate will have several years of progressive wood products manufacturing management experience. While an undergraduate degree would be desirable, significant and successful solid wood manufacturing experience could offset the need for a degree. The successful candidate must have demonstrated “hands-on” experience in managing an hourly workforce. He/she will have as much as possible of each of the following: strong operational problem-solving skills; a solid understanding of maintenance management and maintenance improvement principles; experience working with loggers as suppliers; experience working directly with customers; process improvement experience; planning, budgeting, and MRP experience; and experience with capital investment projects and project planning.

Ideal Personal Background

The successful candidate must have excellent relationship building skills, a very strong work ethic, and the commitment necessary to excel and lead in a manufacturing environment.  He/she must possess excellent communications skills, and strong practical analytical skills.  He/she must be entrepreneurial, creative, results-oriented, highly organized, and able to efficiently manage several diverse tasks at the same time.   Finally, the successful candidate must have the experience, presence and demeanor as a senior manager to lead this highly successful and growing multi-million dollar manufacturing company.

Interested candidates should apply with a copy of their most current resume.