Senior Operations Manager

The Senior Operations Manager is a key leadership position within a manufacturing operation, responsible for driving safe, reliable, and cost-effective performance at a lumber production facility. Serving as the second-in-command to the Mill Manager, this role provides day-to-day leadership across production, maintenance, and operational support teams while ensuring alignment with organizational values, business goals, and continuous improvement initiatives.

This leader plays a vital role in fostering a safety-first culture, strengthening employee engagement, and delivering sustainable operational results through strong leadership and execution.

• Champion an uncompromising commitment to workplace safety.
• Model and reinforce safe behaviors while ensuring compliance with all safety policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements.
• Drive incident prevention through proactive hazard identification, employee involvement, and root cause analysis.
• Partner with teams to continuously improve safety performance and create an environment where employees feel empowered to raise concerns and suggest improvements.

• Lead daily manufacturing operations to meet or exceed production, recovery, quality, and cost objectives.
• Partner with the Mill Manager to execute business and operational strategies.
• Utilize data, metrics, and key performance indicators (KPIs) to drive accountability, performance, and informed decision-making.
• Ensure effective coordination across log yard, sawmill, planer, kiln, and shipping operations.
• Promote operational discipline through leader standard work, daily management routines, continuous improvement efforts, and clear performance expectations.

• Build and sustain an engaged, high-performing workforce grounded in principles of safety, integrity, respect, inclusion, accountability, and sustainability.
• Coach and develop department managers, supervisors, and frontline leaders to strengthen leadership capability and succession planning.
• Foster a culture of trust, collaboration, and accountability through visible leadership and effective communication.
• Enhance onboarding, training, and qualification programs to accelerate employee readiness and improve performance consistency.
• Partner with Human Resources on employee relations, talent development, workforce planning, and engagement initiatives.
• Champion Lean manufacturing principles and continuous improvement practices to reduce waste and improve process stability.
• Collaborate with maintenance and reliability teams to maximize equipment uptime and asset performance.
• Lead structured problem-solving efforts utilizing root cause analysis (RCA) to address recurring operational challenges and strengthen a culture of continuous improvement.

• Drive operational efficiency and cost discipline to achieve financial objectives.
• Identify opportunities to improve profitability through productivity enhancements, yield improvements, and cost reduction initiatives.
• Support capital planning efforts and lead execution of projects that enhance safety, reliability, and production capability.
• Build financial acumen within the organization by coaching leaders on budgeting, cost management, and business fundamentals.

• Maintain strong alignment with facility leadership, regional teams, and corporate partners.
• Communicate performance results, priorities, and improvement initiatives clearly and consistently.
• Represent the facility in a professional manner that reflects a commitment to operational excellence and community engagement.
• Strengthen workforce engagement through visible leadership, open communication, and consistent follow-through on commitments.

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Forestry, Manufacturing, Business, or a related field; equivalent experience will be considered.
• 10+ years of progressive leadership experience in manufacturing or industrial operations.
• Proven success leading teams in a safety-critical, fast-paced production environment.
• Experience managing supervisors and a large hourly workforce.
• Strong interpersonal and team-building skills with the ability to engage diverse stakeholders and achieve business objectives.
• Demonstrated business and financial acumen.
• Proven ability to improve performance through coaching, employee development, and fostering a continuous improvement mindset.
• Excellent written, verbal, electronic, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Strong planning, organizational, and problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to work flexible hours as needed in a manufacturing environment.

• Experience in lumber, wood products, forestry products, or related manufacturing industries.
• Lean Manufacturing and Continuous Improvement experience.
• Experience with reliability-centered maintenance programs.
• Experience leading capital projects and operational improvement initiatives.

• Base salary range of…