Engineering And Maintenance Manager

Mercury Paper is a tissue converting company (manufactuer and distribution of Paper Towels and Toilet Paper) with affiliated plant and warehouses in Virginia. Since 2010, we have steadily grown in the away from home (AFH), retail private label (PL) and retail branded (FIORA) sales channels.

The Maintenance & Engineering Department is responsible for ensuring all production equipment, utilities, and facilities operate safely, reliably, and at optimal efficiency. This includes maintenance execution, engineering support, automation, reliability, capital project implementation, and continuous improvement to achieve plant safety, quality, and production objectives.

JOB PURPOSE:

The Maintenance & Engineering Manager provides overall leadership and accountability for maintenance, engineering, reliability, and automation across plant operations. This role has direct responsibility for all maintenance personnel, engineering spares, reliability systems, and technical standards. The position leads project engineering for new and upgraded assets, oversees facilities compliance, manages departmental budgets, and serves as the technical authority for electrical systems, automation, and industrial controls to support 24/7 converting operations.

KEY RESPONSIBLITES:

Maintenance & Reliability Leadership

• Provide direct line leadership of all maintenance personnel, including supervision, hiring, training, performance management, and professional development.
• Plan and supervise preventive, predictive, and corrective maintenance activities to minimize downtime and maximize equipment reliability.
• Lead and implement Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM), Total Productive Maintenance (TPM), and Asset Management (ISO 55000) principles.
• Develop and improve maintenance systems and processes, ensuring robust corrective and preventive actions.
• Monitor plant equipment performance and analyze technical data to identify trends, risks, and improvement opportunities.
• Manage spare parts inventory, engineering spares, and maintenance supplies to ensure availability while controlling costs.

Engineering, Automation & Technical Authority

• Serve as the technical authority on electrical systems, automation, PLCs, HMIs, motion control, and industrial controls.
• Standardize electrical and automation design principles across the in-house engineering team to improve efficiency, reliability, and maintainability.
• Review and approve engineering designs, drawings, and specifications to ensure compliance with project requirements and industry standards.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to integrate new technologies and improve products, services, and manufacturing capability.
• Support product development and capability enhancement projects through engineering expertise.

Project Engineering & Implementation

• Oversee and manage all engineering projects from initiation through completion, including new installations, upgrades, and capital projects.
• Develop and execute project plans, defining scope, budget, schedule, and resource requirements.
• Coordinate with production, quality, safety, and external vendors to ensure project objectives are met.
• Monitor project progress, identify risks or issues, and implement mitigation actions as needed.
• Lead project status reviews and communicate progress clearly to stakeholders.
• Ensure all project activities comply with safety, environmental, and quality standards.

EDUCATION AND KNOWLEDGE:

• Engineering degree in Electrical, Mechanical, Industrial, or related technical discipline, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Minimum of 7 years of maintenance and/or engineering experience in a manufacturing environment.
• Prior leadership or management experience required.
• Strong knowledge of industrial automation, PLCs, HMIs, motion control, and electrical systems.
• Experience in reliability programs, TPM, RCM, and asset management systems.
• Excellent root cause analysis skills, troubleshooting and training these techniques