Mechanical Maintenance Manager

Location: Southeastern United States

Position Title: Mechanical Maintenance Manager

The Opportunity:
This is a high-impact leadership opportunity within a newly started, fast-growing tissue and paper manufacturing operation operating in a 24/7 continuous environment. The Mechanical Maintenance Manager will play a critical role at a defining stage of the facility’s lifecycle, directly influencing equipment reliability, maintenance discipline, and long-term operational performance.

The individual in this role will take ownership of the mechanical maintenance function, immediately relieving senior site leadership from hands-on mechanical oversight and allowing greater focus on overall mill operations. This position will be responsible for building structure where it is still being established, developing preventive maintenance programs, improving outage planning, and driving reductions in unplanned downtime.

Success in this role will be highly visible and measurable. The Mechanical Maintenance Manager will have the opportunity to build systems, develop people, and create a sustainable mechanical reliability culture that supports continued growth and operational excellence. For the right leader, this is a chance to make a lasting impact and help shape the future of a modern manufacturing operation from the ground up.

The Company:
This organization is a sustainability-focused tissue and paper manufacturer producing high-quality paper products made from 100% recycled materials. The operation includes both a tissue manufacturing process and a fiber recycling plant, reinforcing a commitment to responsible manufacturing and participation in the circular economy.

The facility operates in a 24/7 continuous manufacturing environment and has recently completed its startup phase. Production is ramped and performing well, with the operation producing quality tissue and meeting strong market demand. The business is operating at capacity, reflecting both the strength of its products and the momentum of the operation as the plant continues to mature.

The company combines the resources and backing of a larger organization with a small-company mindset. Leadership emphasizes strong employee relationships, open communication, and a family-first culture, while maintaining high expectations around safety, reliability, and operational discipline. The organization is in a critical growth phase, focused on building foundational systems, strengthening preventive maintenance practices, and establishing long-term operational excellence.

The Boss:
The Mechanical Maintenance Manager reports directly to the senior site leader, who brings a strong background in maintenance and operations. This leader is currently carrying a significant portion of mechanical maintenance responsibilities personally and is seeking a trusted, capable leader to fully own the mechanical maintenance function.

The leadership style emphasizes communication, transparency, and training, with a strong belief in developing people so they are capable of stepping into higher levels of responsibility. The culture values accountability, teamwork, and balancing operational demands with a family-first approach.

The Position:
The Mechanical Maintenance Manager is responsible for leading all mechanical maintenance activities across the facility. This role oversees a small team of hourly mechanical technicians along with contractors and works closely with Operations and Electrical & Instrumentation leadership.

The position owns mechanical maintenance strategy, planning, scheduling, and execution, with a hands-on component as needed. This is a salaried leadership role that includes rotating on-call responsibilities in support of a 24/7 continuous manufacturing operation.

Essential Functions (Other duties may be assigned):

• Lead, coach, and develop mechanical maintenance technicians and contractors
• Establish, implement, and continuously improve preventive and predictive maintenance programs
• Reduce unplanned downtime through improved mechanical reliability practices
• Troubleshoot complex mechanical issues involving rotating equipment and heavy industrial systems
• Plan and lead scheduled maintenance outages occurring approximately every 6–7 weeks
• Partner closely with Operations and Electrical & Instrumentation teams
• Own mechanical maintenance planning, scheduling, and execution
• Manage mechanical maintenance budgets, spare parts, inventory, and capital projects
• Champion safety, reliability, and continuous improvement initiatives
• Perform hands-on mechanical work, including welding and fabrication, when required
• Order parts and maintain an organized mechanical inventory system
• Participate in rotating on-call coverage and support holidays, weekends, and overtime as needed
• Operate powered industrial trucks as required
• Support startup-related initiatives and special projects

Qualifications:

• Minimum of 5 years of leadership experience in manufacturing maintenance
• Strong leadership, communication, and organizational skills
• Experience with rotating equipment and heavy industrial mechanical systems
• Experience establishing preventive maintenance programs
• CMMS experience (eMaint, SAP, or similar systems)
• Ability to read and interpret blueprints, P&IDs, and schematics
• Computer proficiency including Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook
• Valid and unrestricted driver’s license

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree or Associate degree with 10+ years of industrial maintenance experience
• Mechanical Engineering degree preferred
• Experience in paper, tissue, pulp & paper, or similar heavy industrial manufacturing environments preferred
• Experience in 24/7 continuous operations and startup or ramp-up facilities preferred

Competencies:

• Mechanical reliability and maintenance excellence
• Team leadership and development
• Preventive maintenance discipline
• Maintenance outage planning and execution
• Problem-solving in fast-paced environments
• Cross-functional collaboration
• Clear and consistent communication
• Safety-first mindset

Work Environment:
This role operates within an industrial manufacturing environment with exposure to hazardous machinery, electrical hazards, hot and humid conditions, dust, fumes, wet areas, and working at heights. The position includes both office and plant-floor responsibilities and requires physical activity such as climbing, lifting, bending, and using hand tools. The facility operates continuously, requiring flexibility to support outages and rotating on-call coverage.