Company Overview
Stella-Jones is North America's leading producer of industrial pressure-treated wood products. Responding to the vital infrastructure needs of our economy, we manufacture and distribute railway ties, utility poles, residential lumber and industrial wood products across the continent. Stella-Jones is headquartered in Montreal, employs 3,000 people across 50 locations in Canada and the United States, and is publicly traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange. To learn more about the company, visit us at:
Position Overview:
The Regional Director of Operations is responsible for leading manufacturing operations across six Stella-Jones utility pole plants within a four-state region, including Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia. This strategic leadership role focuses on driving operational excellence, optimizing plant performance, and aligning production processes with the company's broader business objectives. The Director ensures that manufacturing strategies are executed efficiently, fostering a culture of safety, environmental compliance, and continuous improvement. This position plays a key role in long-term operational planning, resource allocation, capital investment strategies, and talent development across the region.
This Director-level career opportunity is opening due to an upcoming retirement combined with the expansion of our Utility Pole manufacturing leadership team across the Southern United States. The position will be home-based/remote in either GA, SC, NC, or VA, and will include significant travel (expected to be up to 60%) to our facilities throughout this 4-state region, as well as occasional travel to other parts of the US and Canada.
Principal Responsibilities:
- Formulates and implements manufacturing policies and programs to maintain and improve the competitive position and profitability of the operations.
- Drives a strong and health safety culture that is compliant with regulations and engages employees to effectively decrease injury rate.
- Ensure all locations comply with environmental, health and safety regulations.
- Develop, monitor, and report on operating costs relative to budget. Communicate circumstances that may cause significant budget overruns and identify ways to lesson impact on overall budget.
- Develop and execute annual capital plan.
- Partner with Plant Managers and Human Resources to continually evaluate opportunities to enhance and improve teamwork, especially within the plant leadership teams at each location.
- Communicate clear expectations to direct reports and hold them accountable to those expectations.
- Contribute to and help build a culture where Stella-Jones employees are engaged and excited to come to work.
- Identify and develop leaders at all levels within span of control.
- Develop and maintain vendor relationships where there are opportunities to leverage multi-plant agreements/partnerships.
- Ensure optimal utilization of the network of treating plants.
- Identify, monitor, and improve key performance indicators within span of control.
- Partner with plant managers and leaders from other functional departments to identify site specific opportunities and translate those into action plans and goals.
- Promote best in class housekeeping at all locations.
- Rapidly communicate to Vice President of Operations any significant challenges or failures that may pose a risk to the business.
- Participate in the development, modification, and execution of company policies.
- Ensure that the business is operated to the highest standards in line with the mission statement and values.
- Frequent travel is required.
- Performs other related duties as assigned.
- Management duties include supervision of exempt and/or non-exempt staff. This includes but is not limited to, conducting performance evaluations and improvement plans, approving paid time-off (PTO), assigning or delegating work, providing on-the-job training, giving guidance to staff, taking disciplinary action, and interviewing candidates for open positions.
- Note: Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position.
Qualifications
- 15+ years of overall experience in the manufacturing industry required
- 5+ years of Plant Manager experience in an industrial manufacturing environment required
- 2+ years of experience in the wood products manufacturing industry required
- Multi-plant (regional) management experience preferred
- Bachelor's degree preferred
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
- Knowledge of industry's rules and guidelines
- Knowledgeable in cost reduction and implementing best practices.
- Experience with developing budgets and writing business plans.
- Working knowledge of data analysis and operation metrics.
- Exceptional leadership and communication skills, with experience identifying and developing leaders.
- Analytical ability with experience performing data analysis and developing operation metrics
- Manage multiple and competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.