Plant Startup & Technical Operations Manager

Plant Startup & Technical Operations Manager

The Plant Startup & Technical Operations Manager is responsible for leading the launch, technical readiness, and ongoing performance of a new print and mail production facility. This role combines project management, facilities engineering, equipment installation oversight, maintenance leadership, and production operations support to ensure the successful commissioning and long-term reliability of high-speed printing and inserting systems. The ideal candidate has strong hands-on mechanical and electrical troubleshooting skills, experience with print-to-mail workflows, and the ability to coordinate vendors, contractors, and production teams in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

This position reports to the Vice President of Output Solutions.

Facility Startup & Equipment Implementation:

• Lead all facility startup activities, including equipment installation, rigging, commissioning, and acceptance testing.
• Coordinate with equipment manufacturers, integrators, contractors, and internal stakeholders throughout the buildout.
• Manage project timelines related to production equipment, utilities, workflow integration, and go-live readiness.
• Support facility layout and material flow planning, covering press placement, finishing lines, and inserting equipment.
• Ensure facility infrastructure (electrical, HVAC, compressed air, humidity control, and network) meets production requirements.

Production Equipment & Technical Operations

• Oversee technical operations, uptime, and reliability of equipment including high-speed inkjet printers, continuous-feed systems, cut-sheet printers, high-speed inserters, bindery/finishing equipment, MICR devices, and material handling systems.

Responsibilities include:

• Troubleshoot mechanical, electrical, and controls-related issues.
• Coordinate OEM and third-party service support.
• Maintain equipment documentation, service records, and performance history.
• Support implementation of print/mail workflow and production control systems.

Maintenance & Facilities Management

• Develop and lead preventive and predictive maintenance programs for all production and facility systems.
• Troubleshoot and maintain facility infrastructure including electrical distribution, HVAC and humidity control, compressed air, and plumbing systems.
• Establish and manage spare parts inventory and maintenance procedures.
• Implement and maintain a CMMS or maintenance tracking system.
• Lead or supervise maintenance technicians as applicable.

Production Operations Support

• Partner with production leadership to maximize equipment uptime and throughput.
• Support scheduling, capacity planning, and workflow optimization.
• Analyze recurring failures, identify root causes, and implement corrective actions.
• Assist in developing SOPs and documentation for equipment and systems.
• Provide technical leadership during downtime events, shift transitions, and production escalations.

Safety & Compliance

• Ensure compliance with OSHA and applicable environmental and safety regulations.
• Support security and compliance requirements related to sensitive document production.
• Ensure facility installations meet building, electrical, mechanical, and fire safety codes.

Skills/Abilities /Experience :

• 7+ years of experience in printing, mail production, document manufacturing, or high-speed production environments.
• Strong knowledge of high-speed print and mail equipment.
• Experience leading facility startups or major equipment installations.
• Hands-on mechanical, electrical, and controls troubleshooting skills.
• Experience managing vendors, contractors, and technical service providers

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with production inkjet systems (continuous-feed or cut-sheet).
• Familiarity with inserting systems (Blue Crest, Bell & Howell, Kern, etc.).
• Experience with MICR and check printing.
• Knowledge of workflow and document composition systems.
• Technical degree or certification in industrial maintenance, electrical systems, or related fields

Key Competencies

• Project management and facility startup leadership.
• Mechanical and electrical troubleshooting expertise.
• Print/mail workflow knowledge.
• Preventive and…