Operations Superintendent

Position Summary:
The Operations Superintendent leads production team operators at the Prewitt, New Mexico Mill. This position is primarily responsible for creating a strong safety culture and work environment, continuously improving quality, productivity, and efficiency by upskilling each operator. The Superintendent must be a proven leader with strong knowledge of the entire papermaking process—from raw material processing in stock preparation to the paper machine, supporting equipment, and advanced papermaking skills.

This position reports to the Operations Manager, offering an exceptional opportunity to become a key part of succession planning for the Mill.

Responsibilities:

• Safety Leadership: Providing direct leadership to paper machine and stock prep personnel to ensure overall safe operations; leading safety systems and processes that support achieving a safety-first culture.
• Culture & Engagement: Maintaining an environment of integrity, respect, accountability, and excellence; empowering and engaging teammates to improve department performance, chemical blending, pulp processing, and papermaking skills.
• Training & Upskilling: Identifying developmental needs and facilitating the training of personnel across both stock preparation (pulpers, refiners, additive systems) and the paper machine lines.
• Troubleshooting: Teaching and empowering troubleshooting and Root Cause Failure Analysis (RCFA) to each team to resolve machine defects, wet-end chemistry imbalances, and equipment faults.
• Maintenance & Downtime: Planning and controlling maintenance downtime performance; coordinating mechanical repairs and clothing changes for both stock prep and paper machine systems.
• Financial Management: Assisting in the preparation and management of maintenance budgets, operations forecasts, and capital expenditures to improve overall mill profitability.
• Operational Compliance: Monitoring compliance with standard operating procedures (SOPs) and ensuring consistent pulp quality, freeness, and continuous slurry feed to the headbox.
• Cross-Department Collaboration: Coordinating efforts with upstream and downstream operations departments to build productive, collaborative relationships.