Supv, Mfg Ops

Smurfit Westrock•West Point, VA

2d•$82,500 - $137,500•Onsite

About The Position

The Smurfit Westrock Mill in West Point, VA is seeking a highly engaged and visible Production Shift Supervisor for Backend Operations. Backend Operations includes Chip Storage & Handling, Three Pulping Lines, Bleach Plant, Wastewater Treatment, Recovery, Power, Evaporators, Kilns, Utilities, and supporting process systems. This position serves as the frontline leader responsible for ensuring safe, environmentally compliant, reliable, and efficient operation of mill assets while developing employees and driving operational excellence. The Production Shift Supervisor leads crews and shift maintenance resources to achieve maximum safety performance, environmental stewardship, product quality, reliability, customer service, and production objectives. This role requires strong field presence, decision making, employee development, and accountability for shift execution across all areas of Backend Operations.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Engineering or related technical discipline preferred; equivalent manufacturing leadership experience considered.
Ability to work rotating 8-hour rotating shifts in a continuous manufacturing operation.
Strong knowledge of manufacturing operations, process control, and equipment reliability principles.
Excellent leadership, communication, coaching, interpersonal, and decision-making skills.
Strong analytical, troubleshooting, planning, prioritization, and problem-solving capabilities.
Ability to effectively lead during abnormal operating conditions, equipment failures, emergencies, and production upsets.

Nice To Haves

Previous supervisory or frontline leadership experience in a unionized manufacturing environment.
Experience within pulp, paper, recovery, power, utilities, wastewater treatment, or chemical processing operations.
Working knowledge of Microsoft Office applications and manufacturing systems including PI, EKHO, EPAM, Wedge, and related operational tools.
Demonstrated understanding of industrial safety systems including lockout/tagout, confined space entry, hot work, contractor safety management, incident investigation, and risk assessment processes.
Ability to balance safety, environmental compliance, quality, reliability, cost control, and production objectives in a complex integrated manufacturing environment.

Responsibilities

Demonstrate visible, engaged safety leadership and accept full accountability for the safety performance of assigned crews.
Establish clear safety expectations and hold employees and contractors accountable to company safety standards.
Maintain safety as the highest priority over production, schedules, and convenience.
Exercise stop-work authority whenever unsafe conditions, behaviors, or work plans are identified and ensure corrective actions are implemented before work resumes.
Conduct field observations and audits of high-risk work activities including lockout/tagout, confined space entry, hot work, line breaking, and contractor activities.
Lead the initial response, escalation, and investigation of safety and environmental incidents occurring during the shift.
Ensure timely communication of incidents and operational risks in accordance with established escalation protocols.
Deliver environmental excellence by ensuring compliance with all permit, regulatory, and company requirements.
Monitor and respond to environmental operating parameters and ensure corrective actions are implemented when operating conditions approach permit limits.
Promote responsible management of water, energy, fuel, chemicals, and waste streams while driving continuous improvement in environmental performance.
Support all mill environmental initiatives, investigations, reporting requirements, and compliance programs.
Lead the safe and efficient operation of Backend Operations assets to achieve production, reliability, quality, cost, and environmental objectives.
Manage crews and equipment to maximize reliability, asset utilization, and operating efficiency.
Maintain understanding of key process, quality, energy, cost, and environmental performance indicators and utilize data to drive decision making.
Understand and effectively manage liquor, steam, utility, and process balances to support overall mill performance.
Identify production limitations, coordinate corrective actions, and communicate impacts to internal customers and stakeholders.
Support continuous improvement initiatives that improve safety, quality, cost, reliability, and production performance.
Provide visible frontline leadership through active field engagement, employee coaching, mentoring, and performance management.
Spend the majority of each shift in operating areas observing work, engaging employees, identifying risks, and removing barriers to success.
Develop employee capability through training, qualification progression, mentoring, and succession planning.
Hold employees accountable for safety, attendance, housekeeping, policies, work practices, production performance, and workplace conduct.
Recognize achievements, reinforce positive behaviors, and foster a culture of teamwork, respect, inclusion, and personal accountability.
Manage staffing requirements and ensure adequate coverage of operational positions across assigned departments.
Address employee relations concerns professionally while maintaining compliance with labor agreements, company policies, and established disciplinary processes.
Communicate effectively across shifts, departments, maintenance organizations, and internal customers to ensure operational alignment.
Lead comprehensive shift turnover processes and ensure accurate communication of production status, operational concerns, equipment issues, staffing challenges, and ongoing work activities.
Escalate significant safety, environmental, quality, reliability, and production issues according to mill communication protocols.
Facilitate timely and accurate reporting of shift activities, incidents, downtime, maintenance work, and operational performance.
Build strong working relationships with operations, maintenance, engineering, technical resources, and paper mill leadership.
Direct shift mechanical and electrical maintenance resources to safely and effectively address equipment issues.
Ensure maintenance activities are properly prioritized, documented, and supported through effective work order management.
Support area outages, equipment shutdowns, start-ups, and major maintenance activities.
Identify chronic reliability issues and coordinate follow-up actions to improve equipment performance and reduce downtime.
Maintain high standards of housekeeping, organization, and workplace appearance throughout Backend Operations.
Drive ownership and accountability for housekeeping standards across all operating areas.