Plant Manager – Paper Mill Operations

• Lead overall plant operations to achieve safety, quality, production, reliability, and financial performance objectives
• Champion a strong safety and accountability culture through visible leadership, employee engagement, and consistent operational discipline
• Improve equipment reliability and paper machine performance through preventive/predictive maintenance, effective planning and scheduling, root cause analysis, and uptime optimization
• Manage plant financial performance by controlling cost per ton, labor, maintenance, fiber, chemical, and energy costs while identifying opportunities to improve productivity
• Drive continuous improvement and operational recovery initiatives using data-driven problem solving, measurable action plans, and performance tracking to improve underperforming operations
• Develop and strengthen leadership, technical, and hourly teams, building organizational capability and accountability to sustain long-term operational improvements

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations, Manufacturing, or a related field preferred, with 15+ years of progressive manufacturing leadership experience in tissue, paper, pulp, or similar process industries
• Proven experience leading paper machine and plant/mill operations, with strong knowledge of papermaking processes, maintenance, reliability systems, and plant financial management
• Strong leadership background with progression from Operations/Production Management into Plant or Mill Leadership, including experience leading large teams, developing talent, and driving organizational change
• Tissue manufacturing experience strongly preferred, along with the ability to improve underperforming operations and deliver measurable, sustainable performance results

ClearBridge Executive Search is a New Jersey based Executive Search Firm specializing in retained searches in multiple sectors, including Manufacturing, Finance, IT, Legal, and Pharmaceutical. We have a nationwide client base and offer services in temporary and direct hire placements