Maintenance Manager - Gouverneur, NY
Join the team behind our paper-making excellence as a
Mechanical Maintenance Manager at our Natural Dam paper mill in Gouverneur, NY! We're looking for an experienced maintenance leader who is ready to roll up their sleeves and play a critical role in keeping our mill operating safely, reliably, and efficiently. This is an opportunity to lead a skilled mechanical maintenance team in a 24/7 manufacturing environment while driving equipment reliability, continuous improvement, cost control, and operational excellence.
The
Mechanical Maintenance Manager, reporting directly to the Mill Manager, is responsible for leading the mill's mechanical maintenance and reliability activities. This position ensures the safe, reliable, and efficient performance of manufacturing equipment, including paper machines, rewinders, stock preparation interfaces, finishing equipment, and supporting utility systems. The Mechanical Maintenance Manager works closely with the Electrical Team Manager, Operations, Engineering, and other technical teams to maximize asset availability, improve equipment performance, and support the mill's production and business objectives.
What we need from you:- Provide leadership and direction for all mechanical maintenance and reliability activities supporting paper machines, rewinders, stock preparation interfaces, finishing equipment, and mill utilities.
- Lead and develop the mechanical maintenance team, ensuring appropriate training, skill development, certifications, performance expectations, and accountability.
- Foster a culture of teamwork, safety, respect, accountability, and continuous improvement.
- Ensure high availability, reliability, and performance of critical mill assets.
- Oversee preventive, predictive, and corrective maintenance programs within a 24/7 operating environment.
- Utilize the mill's CMMS to effectively plan, schedule, prioritize, and track maintenance activities in alignment with production requirements.
- Lead Root Cause Failure Analysis (RCFA) and other reliability improvement initiatives to eliminate recurring equipment failures.
- Manage mechanical maintenance trades and ensure effective utilization of manpower, time, and resources.
- Coordinate job assignments, overtime utilization, and shift coverage in accordance with applicable labor agreements.
- Partner with Human Resources on employee relations, grievance resolution, performance management, and disciplinary processes.
- Lead mechanical aspects of capital projects from planning and design through installation, commissioning, and completion.
- Provide technical leadership and troubleshooting support for mechanical and automation systems.
- Review and approve engineering drawings, specifications, equipment selections, and contractor work.
- Plan and coordinate outages, shutdowns, and major maintenance events to ensure safe and efficient execution.
- Collaborate with Operations, Engineering, and Technical teams to support process optimization, quality improvements, capacity initiatives, and cost-reduction opportunities.
- Ensure employees receive the training and development necessary to maintain and expand their mechanical trade skills.
- Establish clear performance expectations and hold team members accountable for results.
- Enforce mill safety programs and procedures, including Lockout/Tagout (LOTO), confined space, hot work, and contractor safety requirements.
- Lead or participate in incident investigations and ensure corrective actions are identified, implemented, and sustained.
- Support the mill's environmental, energy, sustainability, and operational excellence initiatives.
- Develop and manage mechanical maintenance and engineering budgets while identifying opportunities to control costs without compromising safety or reliability.
- Work closely with Purchasing to manage critical spare parts, maintenance materials, and consumables.
- Develop and support long-term asset lifecycle planning, reliability strategies, and capital forecasting.
- Manage OEMs, service vendors, and contractors during outages, maintenance activities, and capital projects.
- Ensure contractors meet all applicable mill safety, quality, environmental, and operational standards.
- Evaluate vendor performance and support the negotiation and management of service agreements.
- Participate in the mill's on-call manager rotation and provide support during outages, emergencies, and other critical operating events.
Qualifications:- Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Electrical, or Industrial Engineering preferred.
- 8-12+ years of maintenance, reliability, or engineering experience in paper manufacturing, heavy industrial manufacturing, or a similar environment.
- Demonstrated leadership experience, preferably within a unionized manufacturing environment.
- Strong technical knowledge of paper machine systems, mechanical equipment, and industrial maintenance practices.
- Proven experience leading plant outages, shutdowns, major maintenance events, and capital projects.
- Experience with Reliability-Centered Maintenance (RCM), Total Productive Maintenance (TPM), or similar reliability methodologies.
- Experience using CMMS systems for maintenance planning, scheduling, and work management.
- Strong problem-solving and troubleshooting skills, with the ability to identify root causes and implement sustainable corrective actions.
- Strong communication, organizational, time management, and prioritization skills.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite.
- Lean Manufacturing or Green Belt experience is a plus.
- Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, 24/7 manufacturing environment.
- Demonstrated commitment to safety, employee development, reliability, and continuous improvement.
Working Conditions:- Unionized, 24/7 paper mill environment
- On-call availability and support during outages and emergencies
- Exposure to industrial conditions including noise, heat, and moving equipment
What you get from us:- Medical insurance
- Dental and Vision insurance
- Prescription Drug Benefit
- Disability insurance
- Life insurance
- 401(k) with company match
- Health Savings account
- Paid time off and Paid Holidays
- Student Loan Reimbursement
- Tuition Reimbursement
This job description outlines the general scope of the role and may be adjusted based on mill requirements and labor agreements.
