Director Operations, Pine
J.D. Irving, Dixfield, ME, United States
The
Director of Pine Operations , reporting to the General Manager of Pine and Harwood Sawmills, will be responsible for the operation and productivity of the Pine Mills located in Dixfield, Maine, Doaktown, New Brunswick and the value-added plant in Cobleskill, New York. The pine mill managers and value-added mill manager will report directly to the Director of Operations and they will drive strategy, budgeting, profitability, productivity, and continuous improvement for these regional operations. While travel between the US operations, the ideal candidate will be based out of our operation in Dixfield, Maine. Relocation support will be provided to out-of-area candidates.
Responsibilities Safety
Maintain the highest standards of safety, providing strong leadership and ensuring the team follows all policies, procedures and regulations
Become knowledgeable about the high-risk areas of the pine mills and ensure actions plans are in place to mitigate the risk
Chair the bi-annual safety management review meeting at your sites
Ensure resources are deployed to meet improvement goals on Safety Scorecard
Participate in the development of the Pine mills operations strategy
Based on the above, identify resources required to meet the goals (including prioritizing CAPX requests)
Ensure mill manager and value-added manager understand their expectations, roles and responsibilities to deliver on the business strategy. Ensure alignment at the site level to the overall Division goals
Identify talent, both internally and externally, and develop succession plans for key roles. Develop high potential talent for next career step
Operations
Manage and identify opportunities to improve productivity, reduce cost and maximize the quality, value and recovery of wood products produced throughout the pine mills and the value-added facility
Ensure daily management system is in place and mills are delivering results
Engage with mill leadership teams to ensure site exceed budgeted targets
Provide leadership on the maintenance audit, ensure it is implemented and improvement plans are in place to get to a 3.0 on Tier 1 measures – identify resource requirements and synergies where possible
Identify high risk areas (extended production or quality losses) and prioritize resources to address where possible and have contingency plans in place
Provide clear direction and oversight of maintenance projects and prioritization of work
Ensure CI resources are deployed where we get the best ROI
Oversee Environmental Audit understanding all risk areas and ensure sites are adhering to best practices
Quality
Engage mill managers and value-added manager to deliver on recovery and grade targets
Ensure customer delivery expectations are met
Oversee sites to confirm all get minimum of 3.0 on all areas of Quality Audit; review audit parameters to ensure they cover all areas and adjust as required
Partner with Woodlands to ensure link is clear between log quality and lumber value (stain, rot, etc)
Deal with customer complaints in a timely fashion, with corrective actions linked back to the quality audit.
Other Duties
Lead period forecasts and be within +/- 10% of forecast submissions
Ensure controls/processes are in place to manage inventory accuracy (stores, lumber) ensure no gaps exist in internal controls that could expose us to theft or fraud
Utilize JDI systems and data to drive effective business decisions to improve profitability
Qualifications
Postsecondary education in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations Management, Business or equivalent Master's level education and/or the willingness to complete an MBA with the company is required
7-10 years of management experience within forest products
Solid budget and business planning experience
Superior analytical and problem-solving skills
Ability to facilitate and lead change with multiple stakeholders (business leaders and operators)
Must demonstrate ownership, and the ability to handle multiple priorities in a faced-paced environment
Driven, self starter with pragmatic thinking ability
Ability to use data to drive solutions
About the Team Irving Sawmills and Irving Forest Products are committed to delivering quality lumber products, strong customer relationships and service reliability, as well as operating safe and efficient operations. We are focused on delivering quality products through continuous investment in our people, our forest products, our local communities and the most up-to-date technology.
Our employees work in some of the most technologically advanced facilities in North America. In addition to our 12 sawmills and value-added mills, our portfolio contains an industrial-grade pellet plant and our Juniper Farms peat bog production facility. Our team of over 2,000 professionals produce premium products that are sold across North America and through our vertically integrated supply chain. We also supply wood chips for our growing Pulp & Paper Division. Careers at Irving Sawmills are exciting and fast-paced, and there are many opportunities to advance and grow a long-term career with the company in various professions such as production and operations, engineering, maintenance and reliability, technicians, and skilled trades, sales & logistics, and professional services. Employees are encouraged to try new roles to grow their skills as well as gain professional exposure across our many locations in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Maine, and New York.
About Us Founded in 1882, J.D. Irving, Limited (JDI) has operations in Canada and the United States and are a team of 20,000 dedicated employees. At J.D. Irving, Limited, you are part of a dynamic team of professionals who lead with integrity and are passionate about delivering results. With a culture that nurtures talent and creates an inclusive workplace, you can grow your career across our various operating divisions.
We are committed to creating accessible environments for our colleagues, candidates, and customers. Requests for accommodation due to a disability (which may be visible or invisible, temporary, or permanent) can be made at any stage of application and employment. We encourage candidates to make their accommodation needs known so that we can provide equitable opportunities.
Job Info
Job Identification 4181
Job Category Production & Skilled Trades
Posting Date 05/20/2025, 07:42 PM
Job Schedule Full time
Locations 24 Hall Hill Road, Dixfield, ME, 04224, US
#J-18808-Ljbffr
Director of Pine Operations , reporting to the General Manager of Pine and Harwood Sawmills, will be responsible for the operation and productivity of the Pine Mills located in Dixfield, Maine, Doaktown, New Brunswick and the value-added plant in Cobleskill, New York. The pine mill managers and value-added mill manager will report directly to the Director of Operations and they will drive strategy, budgeting, profitability, productivity, and continuous improvement for these regional operations. While travel between the US operations, the ideal candidate will be based out of our operation in Dixfield, Maine. Relocation support will be provided to out-of-area candidates.
Responsibilities Safety
Maintain the highest standards of safety, providing strong leadership and ensuring the team follows all policies, procedures and regulations
Become knowledgeable about the high-risk areas of the pine mills and ensure actions plans are in place to mitigate the risk
Chair the bi-annual safety management review meeting at your sites
Ensure resources are deployed to meet improvement goals on Safety Scorecard
Participate in the development of the Pine mills operations strategy
Based on the above, identify resources required to meet the goals (including prioritizing CAPX requests)
Ensure mill manager and value-added manager understand their expectations, roles and responsibilities to deliver on the business strategy. Ensure alignment at the site level to the overall Division goals
Identify talent, both internally and externally, and develop succession plans for key roles. Develop high potential talent for next career step
Operations
Manage and identify opportunities to improve productivity, reduce cost and maximize the quality, value and recovery of wood products produced throughout the pine mills and the value-added facility
Ensure daily management system is in place and mills are delivering results
Engage with mill leadership teams to ensure site exceed budgeted targets
Provide leadership on the maintenance audit, ensure it is implemented and improvement plans are in place to get to a 3.0 on Tier 1 measures – identify resource requirements and synergies where possible
Identify high risk areas (extended production or quality losses) and prioritize resources to address where possible and have contingency plans in place
Provide clear direction and oversight of maintenance projects and prioritization of work
Ensure CI resources are deployed where we get the best ROI
Oversee Environmental Audit understanding all risk areas and ensure sites are adhering to best practices
Quality
Engage mill managers and value-added manager to deliver on recovery and grade targets
Ensure customer delivery expectations are met
Oversee sites to confirm all get minimum of 3.0 on all areas of Quality Audit; review audit parameters to ensure they cover all areas and adjust as required
Partner with Woodlands to ensure link is clear between log quality and lumber value (stain, rot, etc)
Deal with customer complaints in a timely fashion, with corrective actions linked back to the quality audit.
Other Duties
Lead period forecasts and be within +/- 10% of forecast submissions
Ensure controls/processes are in place to manage inventory accuracy (stores, lumber) ensure no gaps exist in internal controls that could expose us to theft or fraud
Utilize JDI systems and data to drive effective business decisions to improve profitability
Qualifications
Postsecondary education in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations Management, Business or equivalent Master's level education and/or the willingness to complete an MBA with the company is required
7-10 years of management experience within forest products
Solid budget and business planning experience
Superior analytical and problem-solving skills
Ability to facilitate and lead change with multiple stakeholders (business leaders and operators)
Must demonstrate ownership, and the ability to handle multiple priorities in a faced-paced environment
Driven, self starter with pragmatic thinking ability
Ability to use data to drive solutions
About the Team Irving Sawmills and Irving Forest Products are committed to delivering quality lumber products, strong customer relationships and service reliability, as well as operating safe and efficient operations. We are focused on delivering quality products through continuous investment in our people, our forest products, our local communities and the most up-to-date technology.
Our employees work in some of the most technologically advanced facilities in North America. In addition to our 12 sawmills and value-added mills, our portfolio contains an industrial-grade pellet plant and our Juniper Farms peat bog production facility. Our team of over 2,000 professionals produce premium products that are sold across North America and through our vertically integrated supply chain. We also supply wood chips for our growing Pulp & Paper Division. Careers at Irving Sawmills are exciting and fast-paced, and there are many opportunities to advance and grow a long-term career with the company in various professions such as production and operations, engineering, maintenance and reliability, technicians, and skilled trades, sales & logistics, and professional services. Employees are encouraged to try new roles to grow their skills as well as gain professional exposure across our many locations in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Maine, and New York.
About Us Founded in 1882, J.D. Irving, Limited (JDI) has operations in Canada and the United States and are a team of 20,000 dedicated employees. At J.D. Irving, Limited, you are part of a dynamic team of professionals who lead with integrity and are passionate about delivering results. With a culture that nurtures talent and creates an inclusive workplace, you can grow your career across our various operating divisions.
We are committed to creating accessible environments for our colleagues, candidates, and customers. Requests for accommodation due to a disability (which may be visible or invisible, temporary, or permanent) can be made at any stage of application and employment. We encourage candidates to make their accommodation needs known so that we can provide equitable opportunities.
Job Info
Job Identification 4181
Job Category Production & Skilled Trades
Posting Date 05/20/2025, 07:42 PM
Job Schedule Full time
Locations 24 Hall Hill Road, Dixfield, ME, 04224, US
#J-18808-Ljbffr