Director of Operations

Director of Operations

The Director of Operations, reporting to the General Manager of Pine and Harwood Sawmills, will be responsible for the operation and productivity of the Pine Mills located in Dixfield, Maine, Doaktown, New Brunswick and the value-added plant in Cobleskill, New York. The pine mill managers and value-added mill manager will report directly to the Director of Operations and they will drive strategy, budgeting, profitability, productivity, and continuous improvement for these regional operations. The ideal candidate will be based out of our operation in Dixfield, Maine. Relocation support will be provided to out-of-area candidates.

Responsibilities

Safety

• Maintain the highest standards of safety, providing strong leadership and ensuring the team follows all policies, procedures and regulations
• Become knowledgeable about the high-risk areas of the pine mills and ensure action plans are in place to mitigate risk
• Chair the bi-annual safety management review meetings at your sites
• Ensure resources are deployed to meet improvement goals on your Safety Scorecard

Strategy

• Participate in the development of the pine mills operations strategy
• Based on the above, identify resources required to meet the goals (including prioritizing CAPX requests)
• Ensure mill manager and value-added managers understand their expectations, roles and responsibilities to deliver on the business strategy. Ensure alignment at the site levels to the overall division goals
• Identify talent, both internally and externally and develop succession plans for key roles. Develop high potential talent for the next steps in their career

Operations

• Manage and identify opportunities to improve productivity, reduce cost and maximize the quality, value and recovery of wood products produced throughout the pine mills and the value-added facility
• Ensure daily management system is in place and mills are delivering results
• Engage with mill leadership teams to ensure sites exceed budgeted targets
• Provide leadership on the maintenance audit, ensure it is implemented and improvement plans are in place to get to a 3.0 on Tier 1 measures – identify resource requirements and synergies where possible
• Identify high risk areas (extended production or quality losses) and prioritize resources to address where possible and have contingency plans in place
• Provide clear direction and oversight of maintenance projects and prioritization of work
• Ensure CI resources are deployed where we get the best ROI
• Oversee environmental audit understanding all risk areas and ensure sites are adhering to best practices

Quality

• Engage mill managers and value-added managers to deliver on recovery and grade targets
• Ensure customer delivery expectations are met
• Oversee sites to confirm all achieve a minimum of 3.0 on all areas of the quality audit; review audit parameters to ensure they cover all areas and adjust as required
• Partner with Woodlands to ensure the link is clear between log quality and lumber value (stain, rot, etc.)
• Deal with customer complaints in a timely fashion, with corrective actions linked back to the quality audit.

Other Duties

• Lead budgeting for sites
• Lead period forecasts and be within +/- 10% of forecast submissions
• Ensure controls/processes are in place to manage inventory accuracy (stores, lumber) ensure no gaps exist in internal controls that could expose us to theft or fraud
• Utilize JDI systems and data to drive effective business decisions to improve profitability

Qualifications

• Postsecondary education in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations Management, Business or equivalent Master's level education and/or the willingness to complete an MBA with the company is required
• 7-10 years of management experience within forest products
• Solid budget and business planning experience
• Superior analytical and problem-solving skills
• Ability to facilitate and lead change with multiple stakeholders (business leaders and operators)
• Must demonstrate ownership, and the ability to handle multiple priorities in a faced-paced environment
• Driven, self-starter with pragmatic thinking ability
• Ability to use data to drive solutions

About the Team

Irving Sawmills and Irving Forest Products are committed to delivering quality lumber products, strong customer relationships and service reliability, as well as operating safe and efficient operations. We are focused on delivering quality products through continuous investment in our people, our forest products, our local communities and the most up-to-date technology.

Our employees work in some of the most technologically advanced facilities in North America. In addition to our 12 sawmills and value-added mills, our portfolio contains an industrial-grade pellet plant and our Juniper Farms peat bog production facility. Our team of over 2,000 professionals produce premium products that are sold across North America and through our vertically integrated supply chain. We also supply wood chips for our growing Pulp & Paper Division. Careers at Irving Sawmills are exciting and fast-paced, and there are many opportunities to advance and grow a long-term career with the company in various professions such as production and operations, engineering, maintenance and reliability, technicians, and skilled trades, sales & logistics, and professional services. Employees are encouraged to try new roles to grow their skills as well as gain professional exposure across our many locations in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Maine, and New York.

About Us

Founded in 1882, J.D. Irving, Limited (JDI) operates in Eastern Canada (New-Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Québec, Ontario, Newfoundland and Labrador), as well as in USA. We are a team of 20,000 dedicated employees. At J.D. Irving, Limited, you are part of a dynamic team of professionals who lead with integrity and are passionate about delivering results. With a culture that nurtures talent and creates an inclusive workplace, you can grow your career across our various operating divisions.

We are committed to creating accessible environments for our colleagues, candidates, and customers. Requests for accommodation due to a disability (which may be visible or invisible, temporary, or permanent) can be made at any stage of application and employment. We encourage candidates to make their accommodation needs known so that we can provide equitable opportunities.

Worried you do not meet all the requirements? Studies have shown that many applicants apply only to job opportunities when they feel they meet 100% of the criteria. We promote an inclusive environment where everyone is appreciated, recognized, and empowered to contribute fully. If you are interested in this position but are worried you did not meet all the requirements, we would encourage you to still apply.

Our recruitment advisors and hiring teams will utilize human screening combined with AI technology to help identify the skills and qualities that matter most to our business, while safeguarding your privacy and using AI responsibly.

We appreciate your interest in our company however only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

Job Info

• Job Identification 10582
• Job Category Production & Skilled Trades
• Posting Date 06/18/2026, 12:47 PM
• Job Schedule Full time
• Locations 24 Hall Hill Road, Dixfield, ME, 04224, US