About this role
<p>We’re looking for an Area Maintenance Systems Leader to join our paper machine team at the Cloquet Mill. This position plays a key role in ensuring safety, reliability, and performance across Paper Manufacturing. As a core member of the team, you’ll lead maintenance strategies, support production goals, and drive continuous improvement in a high-impact environment.</p> <p><strong><br>Key Responsibilities:</strong></p> <ul type="disc"> <li>Champion a Safety First culture by leading through example and engaging the team in safety initiatives.</li> <li>Serve as the primary liaison between paper machine operations, Maintenance, and Contractors, owning the asset care strategy and maintenance coordination for the equipment and infrastructure of the utilities department.</li> <li>Prioritize daily work, taking into consideration risk, budget and operational needs. Collaborate with maintenance stakeholders to ensure the mill work management system processes are followed.</li> <li>Lead the coordination of minor maintenance outages. Support major outage activities.</li> <li>Oversee the department’s maintenance budget, including forecasting, tracking, and cost control.</li> <li>Lead reliability improvement initiatives aimed at increasing uptime, reducing variability, and lowering costs.</li> <li>Troubleshoot and resolve equipment, process, and quality issues.</li> <li>Implement and optimize preventive and reliability-based maintenance practices.</li> <li>Support capital projects, process improvements, and team development activities.</li> <li>Provide leadership and coaching to maintenance and operational teams to build technical and leadership capability.</li> </ul> <p><strong><br>Qualifications:</strong></p> <ul type="disc"> <li>Strong experience with and knowledge of paper machine operations and maintenance.</li> <li>Experience managing contractors, from scope development through execution and final invoicing.</li> <li>Familiarity with maintenance systems—planning, scheduling, lockout/tagout, and backlog management.</li> <li>Supervisory or team leadership experience preferred.</li> <li>Proficiency with Microsoft Office (especially Excel), PI systems, and CMMS platforms (SAP preferred).</li> <li>Background in preventive and predictive maintenance strategies to enhance equipment reliability.</li> <li>Budgeting, cost forecasting, and project management experience.</li> <li>Excellent communication, organizational, and team-building skills.</li> </ul>