The Mechanical Maintenance Manager leads and develops the mechanical maintenance organization for IFG's state-of-the-art sawmill located in Lumberton, MS. This role builds on the existing foundation of maintenance systems and practices, oversees mill reliability, trains and develops the maintenance team, and ensures safe, efficient operation of all mechanical assets. There is a significant focus on data-driven maintenance approaches and overseeing business processes through a computerized maintenance management system (CMMS). This role involves collaborating with other departments to meet production targets, improve overall operational efficiency, and ensure alignment with financial goals.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES Responsibilities include but are not limited to the following:
- Create a high-performance culture focused on safety, reliability, accountability, and continuous improvement.
- Provide daily leadership, coaching, and performance management for all maintenance personnel.
- Partner with Operations to drive proactive communication, coordinated downtime, and shared production goals.
- Safety & Compliance
- Ensure all maintenance activities comply with OSHA, NFPA-70E, LOTO, fall protection, and IFG safety systems.
- Reliability & Preventive Maintenance Systems
- Build the mill's reliability and preventive/predictive maintenance program.
- Continue to Develop PMs, PdM routes (vibration, thermography, ultrasound), lubrication standards, and equipment criticality analysis.
- Lead RCA, failure-mode analysis, and downtime investigations.
- Implement asset care standards and maintenance best practices across the mill.
- CMMS & Work Management
- Drive a data-driven maintenance culture.
- Help optimize IFG CMMS system. This will include developing AI as a tool in improving systems & methods.
- Develop and optimize work order workflows, KPIs, coding standards, and asset hierarchy.
- Planning & Scheduling
- Establish the planning and scheduling process for all maintenance work (PM, PdM, improvements).
- Ensure the planner/scheduler has accurate priorities, job plans, and material requirements.
- Build the weekly maintenance schedule and lead the weekly "Maintenance-Operations Planning Meeting."
- Manage downtime planning for both scheduled and unscheduled outages.
- Lead troubleshooting to meet production and reliability targets.
- Budgeting & Cost Control
- Develop and manage the annual maintenance budget, including labor, contractors, materials, and spare parts.
- Major Maintenance budgeting
- Control maintenance costs while minimizing downtime and maximizing equipment life.
- Continuous Improvement
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS - Education & Experience
- 5 years of industrial maintenance leadership experience (sawmill preferred).
- Associate or bachelor's degree in reliability, manufacturing, maintenance, mechanical engineering or related field.
- Demonstrated success in building or improving maintenance systems and reliability programs.
- Experienced with precision maintenance on industrial equipment.
- Experience with modern, technology-enabled sawmill equipment strongly preferred.
- Technical Skills
- Strong mechanical and hydraulics, pneumatics, conveyors, sawline equipment.
- Competent electrical & automation knowledge of PLCs, VFDs, scanner requirements and functions.
- Working knowledge of CMMS systems, predictive maintenance tools, and asset management strategies.
- Ability to read mechanical drawings, electrical schematics, and OEM documentation.
- Leadership & Soft Skills
- Strong communicator who can work closely with superintendents, supervisors, and operators.
- Ability to lead change, set clear expectations, and hold teams accountable.
- Strategic thinker who also excels in hands-on troubleshooting during startup and breakdowns.
- Highly organized, disciplined, and calm under pressure.
- Performance Metrics
- Safe execution of all maintenance work (zero serious incidents).
- Reliability performance of major assets.
- PM completion rate, scheduled vs. unscheduled downtime.
- Cost performance against maintenance budget.
- Team capability development and retention.
PHYSICAL DEMANDSAbility to sit and/or stand for shift, reach with hands and arms, stoop, squat, bend at the waist, kneel, walk varying distance, and climb stairs.
- Bend at waist - occasional
- Twist upper body - occasional
- Stoop - occasional
- Lift above waist height - occasional
- Lift over 50 lbs. - rare
- Repetitive use of hands - constant for clerical duties
- Stand/walk - occasional
- Sit - frequent
- Vision - near and far correctable; depth perception
- Hearing - preferred for awareness of surrounding machinery, mobile equipment, emergencies
WORK ENVIRONMENTMust be able to tolerate all weather elements, loud conditions, airborne particles (sawdust).
