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Operations Superintendent

J.D. Irving
April 01, 2026
Full-time
On-site
Utopia, New Brunswick, Canada
Description

As the Operations Superintendent, you will be responsible for providing overall leadership and direction for the Paper Machine, OCC System, and NSSC Pulp Mill to ensure stable, efficient and safe operation across the full fiber-to-paper process.



Responsibilities

Leadership & Team Management

  • Lead and support a team of Operations Team Leaders across all production areas
  • Promote and uphold safety, housekeeping, production, and quality standards
  • Facilitate daily troubleshooting and problem‑solving within operating teams
  • Contribute to employee development, including mentorship and succession planning
  • Foster a positive, team‑oriented culture built on communication, accountability, and continuous improvement
  • Manage employee performance and support resolution of personnel matters while working within collective agreements
  • Hire, train, and develop supervisors and operators to strengthen technical capability and leadership depth

Operations Management – Paper Machine, OCC, NSSC Pulp Mill, and Environmental Treatment Plant

  • Drive day‑to‑day operating performance by maximizing runnability, efficiency, fiber quality, furnish consistency, and environmental compliance to support production and quality requirements.
  • Lead troubleshooting and corrective actions that address system bottlenecks, quality variations, drainage and drying issues, contaminant challenges, digester upsets, or other process disruptions.
  • Support Environmental Treatment Plant (ETP) operations by maintaining strong communication with environmental teams, helping ensure stable system performance, regulatory compliance, and effective response when operational factors influence treatment performance.
  • Optimize key process variables (screening/cleaning performance, OCC contaminant control, digester and cooking conditions, machine centerline parameters, and environmental interfaces) to support quality, strength development, cost, and environmental performance.
  • Champion continuous improvement efforts using structured tools (RCA, PDCA, loss analysis) to reduce waste, improve stability, enhance reliability, and strengthen operating discipline.
  • Coach and support shift teams to elevate operational understanding and execution, ensuring consistent performance across all operating areas.

Collaboration, Reliability & Technical Partnership

  • Collaborate closely with Technical, Maintenance, and Reliability teams to strengthen uptime, process stability, and system capability.
  • Work with Maintenance to plan and execute reliability assessments, scheduled shutdowns, and major planned work.
  • Support long‑term strategies to reduce chronic downtime and extend equipment life.
  • Partner with the Technical group to optimize process conditions, evaluate new operating strategies, and analyze variability.
  • Implement technical and process improvements that enhance quality, runnability, and performance across all operating areas.

Safety, Environmental & Quality Compliance

  • Drive a zero‑incident safety culture through leadership, hazard assessments, and best‑practice implementation
  • Ensure compliance with all environmental permits and corporate standards, taking immediate action on any issues
  • Maintain product quality standards and support ISO‑aligned auditing, training, and corrective actions


Qualifications
  • Bachelor’s degree or a minimum two‑year post‑secondary program in a related technical discipline
  • 5+ years in people leadership
  • Strong problem‑solving abilities and a proactive approach to operational challenges
  • A passion for leading and developing people
  • Commitment to both leadership growth and building technical capability
  • Ability to thrive in a fast‑paced, team‑oriented environment