Forest Resources Operations Manager

The Opportunity:

We have an opportunity for an Operations Manager responsible for leading a team within our Forest Resources Covington Region supporting our Covington mill and associated third-party supply agreements. This position provides overall operational leadership to align to the Region’s objectives to maintain the lowest cost, highest quality fiber sourcing in support of the mill’s forecasted needs while maintaining the highest compliance with safety and environmental requirements.

How you will impact Smurfit Westrock:

The Operations Manager’s role is responsible for achieving production goals, managing performance of direct reports, making sound operational decisions, and troubleshooting mill customer challenges. The position will be relied on to develop specific strategies focused on achieving strategic targets, developing team members, leading, and developing team initiatives, and ensuring the team provides strong customer service to our mill customers.

Job Objectives:

• Lead, promote, enhance, and model WestRock’s safety and environmentally conscious culture.
• Assist the Regional Manager in developing and executing the annual strategic purchase and inventory plan to provide the highest value fiber to our mill customers across the annual cycle. This includes purchase and inventory locations at Covington and at satellite facilities.
• Manage any needed capital projects at satellite facilities.
• Lead the development and execution of the tactical plans supporting the annual strategy to deliver on mill requirements. Preferred candidates will be able to demonstrate leadership related to the team’s understanding of market data including the preparation of business strategy recommendations by proactively capturing pertinent market data, evaluating relevance to region strategy, identifying cost savings opportunities, and providing feedback and options to the Region Manager for decision making.
• Lead members of the regional team in the execution of the fiber supply plan with precision and a high sense of urgency, remaining flexible to adjust strategy and tactics given changes in market conditions and/or mill operations to sustain the highest value fiber to the digester across the annual cycle.
• Communicate effectively with all stakeholders including peers, direct reports, the fiber procurement team, management, freight providers, and suppliers in verbal and written form related to relevant operations, strategies, and status of execution. Ensure direct reports understand current inventory and market positions.
• Assist the Regional Manager in the development and reporting of timely and accurate financial information including budgets, forecasts, and projected spending.
• Develop talent by providing ongoing professional development opportunities for individuals to improve skills, help realize their greatest potential as team members and leaders within WestRock.
• Represent WestRock in the community by participation in Associations, workshops, and civic and government affairs.
• Must demonstrate the ability to analyze data and present data-based decisions and recommendations utilizing reporting tools available in Microsoft Office such as Excel and PowerPoint etc.

What You Need:

• Ten plus (10 ) years of operational experience is preferred, specifically related to leading teams to purchase, handle, haul, and process fiber.

• The successful candidate must also have experience managing relationships with multiple contract / fiber supply operations to maintain targeted and consistent delivered fiber requirements.

• Ability to use analyze data and create reports with Microsoft Office tools including Excel and PowerPoint.

• Bachelor’s degree in forestry or related field.