Saw Mill Manager

Treeline’s sawmill division is an important and growing business. We currently run two band saws and a crew of 5 to 8 people. We are looking for a sawmill manager to lead and grow this division over the next few years by adding debarking, dry kilns, thermal wood ovens, planers, and molders. Please review the attached job description and let us know if you feel that this challenging and rewarding opportunity may be right for you.

The Sawmill Manager's role is to ensure a smooth and efficient operation of Treeline Inc.'s sawmill. This position requires not only technical and mechanical experience in sawmill processes but also strong leadership skills to drive safety, quality, and financial performance. The manager will oversee daily operations, guide the team in meeting production targets, ensure all safety protocols are followed, manage resources to keep costs in line and hold team members accountable and help recruit team members when needed. This position requires a leader who challenges the status quo, motivates the team, and upholds the high standards of excellence and integrity that define Treeline Inc.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Safety Leadership:

• Sets the tone for always improving upon a safe working environment
• Understands and adheres to Treeline’s Employment Handbook
• Consistently maintains a positive, problem-solving attitude
• Lead regular safety meetings and be proactive about addressing safety concerns across the board. When something's off, you don't just fix it, you ensure it doesn't happen again.
• Accepts and appreciates fellow team member’s watching out for their safety and receives offered suggestions or advice
• Complies with all OSHA safety guidelines
• Contribute to safety meetings and risk assessment discussions
• Operates all vehicles and equipment in a safe and effective manner to minimize risk of injury, property damage, and/or loss of life
• Performs daily safety and maintenance checks in accordance with the Operators Manual and standard safety practices
• Participates in routine maintenance
• Schedules any needed maintenance or repairs
• Maintains an appropriate inventory of supplies and spare parts in a clean and orderly fashion to facilitate timely repairs and maintenance
• Acknowledge and report all safety and defect issues to supervisor immediately
• Correct and repair them as soon as safely possible
• Maintains good housekeeping practices in all work areas
• Uses appropriate Lock Out Tag Out procedures

Operational & Leadership:

• Communicates with team members, customers and vendors in a positive and collaborative manner
• Communicates effectively and tactfully with a variety of individuals in person, on the telephone, via two-way radio, and in writing
• Develop strategies to minimize waste and maximize production efficiency. Be hands-on as needed, fine-tuning processes to keep everything running at its peak.
• Foster collaboration and ensure smooth communication between the sawmill team and other departments like sales, inventory, and shipping.
• Recognize, address, and resolve personnel issues within the team
• Supervise and appoint job leaders
• Work closely with senior management to ensure that financial goals are met, adjusting operational strategies as needed to improve profitability.

Maintenance & Equipment Management:

• Oversee regular maintenance schedules, ensuring machinery and equipment are running at optimal levels and downtime is minimized.
• Identify potential issues before they become costly problems. Ensure parts are available and maintenance is planned, so your team can stay productive.
• Work with your team to keep the sawmill clean and organized to ensure that all equipment is handled with care and respect.

Production & Quality Control:

• Ensures both old and new sawmills produce a consistently high-quality lumber product and minimize waste throughout the current, transition, and new process
• Develops and works with sawmill team to:
• Coordinate overall strategy for job standards as well as deviations for specialty jobs
• Accurately read Cut Sheets to determine ensure accurate lumber measurements and consistent grade of product
• Properly adjust and tune machine to ensure accuracy of each cut made
• Immediately identify improperly cut lumber and make accurate, appropriate corrections
• Efficiently, effectively, and safely stack, sort, and store lumber
• Accurately maintain inventory records and par levels
• Consistently meet daily, weekly, and annual team-related production goals
• Consistently meet or exceed customer order specifications

Collaboration with Sales:

• Ensure production timelines align with customer needs. Collaborate with sales when it comes to realistic production estimates and ensuring customer orders are met on time.
• Maintains achievable production timeline goals
• Ensures proper marketing of materials
• Communicates accurate inventory and order information
• Minimizes wasted product
• Maximizes profit and productivity

Education & Experience Requirements

• High School Diploma
• Post-secondary education or 3 or more years of equivalent experience in project start-up, sawmill technology, or manufacturing and production is preferred

General Requirements

• Applied knowledge of general safety rules, regulation, policy, and procedures as applied to sawmill job sites
• Excellent time management and organizational skills
• Self-motivation to identify both production and personnel problems as well as to take steps to implement appropriate changes while communicating team needs
• An initiative-taking approach to daily, weekly, monthly, and annual goals
• Clear verbal and written communication skills
• Listening skills to utilize feedback from the Sawmill Team, customers, and other Treeline leaders to develop and improve both the Sawmill’s product and its team
• Knowledge of the mechanical functions of all components of the sawmill and related equipment in order to manage repairs before and after problems occur
• Leadership and managerial experience to organize, delegate, coach, bolster, and grow the sawmill team’s skills and quality of their work
• Oversee all sawmill operations, ensuring that the team meets production goals while delivering top-quality lumber that exceeds customer expectations.
• Lead your team by example, empower others to perform at their best
• Hold team members accountable and help recruit team members as needed

Physical Requirements

• Regular use of hands and fingers to handle, feel, or operate objects, tools, or controls
• Bending, sitting, standing, stooping, reaching with hands and arms for extended periods
• Remain seated for prolonged periods of time
• Manual dexterity to perform both repetitious and intricate work
• Demonstrated visual and auditory acuity to safely operate equipment and vehicles
• Climbing in and out; crawling over and under machinery
• Outdoor work in all seasons and weather conditions
• Exposure to periodic, moderate to loud noise, below 85db
• Wear OSHA required PPE

Work Environment

• Workday is spent both indoors and outside and is subject to inclement weather conditions
• The Sawmill Manager is subjected to exposure of slippery surfaces including, but not limited to, icy and muddy conditions
• The noise level is within acceptable ranges
• The Sawmill Manager must wear including, but not limited to, hardhat, safety glasses/goggles, hearing protection, ice tracks, safety vest, and/or gloves, as appropriate for work conditions

Expectations

Foster Teamwork: Work cooperatively and effectively with others to set goals, resolve problems, and make decisions that enhance organizational effectiveness

Behave Ethically: Understand ethical behavior and business practices and ensure own behavior and the behavior of others are consistent with these standards and align with the values of the organization

Build Relationships: Establish and maintain positive working relationships with others both internally and externally to achieve the goals of the organization

Communicate Effectively: Speak, listen, and write in a clear, thorough, and timely manner using appropriate and effective communication tools and techniques

Focus on Client Needs: Anticipate, understand, and respond to the needs of internal and external clients to meet or exceed their expectations within the organizational parameters

Make Decisions: Assess situations to determine the importance, urgency, and risks, and make clear decisions which are timely and in the best interests of the organization

Organize: Set priorities, develop a work schedule, monitor progress towards goals, and track details, data, information, and activities

Plan: Determine strategies to move the organization forward, set goals, create and implement actions plans, and evaluate the process and results

Solve Problems: Assess problem situations to identify causes, gather and process relevant information, generate practical solutions, and make recommendations and/or solve the problem