Maintenance and Engineering Manager

Company Name: Confidential (Paper & Packaging Manufacturer)

Location: Oxnard, California

Position Title: Maintenance & Engineering Manager

The Opportunity:
This is a high-impact leadership opportunity within a paper mill undergoing significant operational and cultural transformation. The organization is intentionally evolving from a reactive, "firefighting" maintenance culture into a structured, predictive, reliability-driven environment.

The Maintenance & Engineering Manager will play a critical role in leading that transformation. This is not a steady-state maintenance position, it is an opportunity to build systems, develop people, and create sustainable processes that allow the mill to run more efficiently, consistently, and independently. The incoming leader will have immediate visibility into organizational gaps and the authority to implement meaningful change across maintenance practices, workforce capability, and operational discipline.

The role also carries meaningful complexity due to ongoing organizational changes, including restructuring of engineering resources, reliance on external contractors for capital execution, and workforce adjustments within a union environment. The successful candidate will step into a department that has experienced turnover, capability gaps, and evolving expectations, providing an opportunity to stabilize, lead, and elevate performance across the team.

From a career perspective, this position offers clear upward mobility. The organization is developing its next generation of plant leadership, and this role is viewed as a stepping stone toward broader operational leadership responsibilities, including potential advancement into production or mill leadership roles. For candidates seeking a platform to demonstrate impact and accelerate their career growth, this role offers both the challenge and visibility to do so.

The Company:
The company operates a smaller, strategically important recycled paper mill producing approximately 600 tons per day with a workforce of just over 100 employees. Compared to larger facilities, this environment is less complex, but highly impactful, allowing leaders to influence outcomes directly and see the results of their decisions quickly.

The organization is in the midst of a broader evolution, moving away from siloed departments and dependency on individual knowledge toward a more structured, process-driven model built on accountability, training, and consistency. Leadership is actively investing in upgrading systems, improving reliability, and building a stronger operational foundation.

This is a business that recognizes the need for change and is committed to executing it. There is strong involvement from corporate leadership, particularly on the maintenance and reliability side, providing support while also setting expectations for modernization and continuous improvement.

Located in Oxnard, California, the mill offers an exceptional quality of life. The area provides access to coastal living, mild climate conditions year-round, and proximity to destinations such as Malibu and Santa Barbara, making it an attractive relocation opportunity for candidates seeking both professional growth and lifestyle benefits.

The Boss:
The Maintenance & Engineering Manager reports directly to the Mill Manager, a hands-on leader who is actively driving transformation within the facility. He brings a strong operational mindset and is focused on building a sustainable organization that relies on processes, systems, and team development rather than individual heroics.

He is transparent, practical, and focused on outcomes. His leadership approach emphasizes accountability, continuous improvement, and building a team capable of operating independently without constant oversight. He values leaders who can develop people, challenge inefficiencies, and bring structure to evolving environments.

He works closely with corporate maintenance leadership, ensuring alignment with broader company strategies while maintaining a strong presence within the mill. For the right candidate, this creates an environment of both support and high visibility, offering exposure to key decision-makers and the opportunity to influence the direction of the business.

The Position:
The Maintenance & Engineering Manager is responsible for leading all maintenance and engineering functions within the mill, including mechanical, electrical/instrumentation, reliability, and capital project coordination.

The role oversees a team of approximately 30+ employees across both union and non-union staff, including supervisors, engineers, planners, and technicians. The position also involves managing external contractors for capital projects as the organization shifts away from a large internal engineering team.

This leader will be responsible for improving equipment reliability, reducing downtime, controlling costs, and building structured maintenance systems. In addition, they will play a key role in developing technical talent, strengthening leadership within the department, and driving alignment with corporate reliability initiatives.

Essential Functions (Other duties may be assigned):

• Lead all maintenance and engineering operations to improve reliability, uptime, and cost efficiency
• Transition the organization from reactive maintenance to preventive and predictive maintenance systems
• Develop and track key performance indicators related to reliability, cost, and operational performance
• Manage capital projects through planning, contractor coordination, and execution oversight
• Oversee maintenance budgets and ensure financial discipline
• Lead root cause analysis and continuous improvement initiatives
• Develop and mentor supervisors, engineers, and technical staff
• Partner with corporate maintenance leadership to implement best practices
• Improve workforce capability through training, structure, and accountability
• Support labor relations in a unionized environment, including upcoming structural changes
• Ensure compliance with safety, environmental, and regulatory standards

Qualifications:

• Proven leadership experience in maintenance and/or engineering within heavy industrial environments
• Demonstrated success implementing reliability-focused maintenance programs
• Experience managing teams, budgets, and operational systems in dynamic environments
• Strong ability to lead through change and organizational transformation
• Effective communication, coaching, and problem-solving skills

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or equivalent experience
• 10+ years of experience in heavy manufacturing (paper, pulp, chemicals, refining, or similar industries)
• Experience working in a unionized environment
• Background in maintenance systems and reliability practices

Competencies:

• Operational leadership and execution
• Reliability and systems thinking
• Team development and coaching
• Financial and cost management
• Continuous improvement mindset
• Adaptability in evolving environments
• Accountability and decision-making

Work Environment:

• Combination of office-based work and time spent in a manufacturing environment
• Exposure to typical industrial conditions including noise, heat, and heavy equipment
• Standard weekday schedule with flexibility as needed to support operations