Production Manager — Paper Mill 

Location: Austell, GA
Relocation Assistance: May be considered 

Build What Matters. Lead What’s Next. 

Greif is seeking a Production Manager to lead manufacturing and shipping operations at our Sweetwater pulp & paper mill. This is a critical leadership role responsible for driving safe, reliable, and efficient mill performance while developing teams, improving processes, and supporting long-term operational excellence. This role is ideal for a hands-on manufacturing leader who understands paper mill or process manufacturing operations, knows how to lead both salaried and hourly teams, and can turn operational challenges into practical improvements. 

What You’ll Do 

As Production Manager, you will provide leadership and direction for the mill’s production and shipping teams, including the Superintendent, Process Engineer, Shift Supervisors, Shipping team, and shift production crews. You will play a key role in improving mill performance by partnering closely with Maintenance, Technical, Safety, and other cross-functional leaders to strengthen processes, reduce variability, improve runnability, and support a culture of safety and accountability. 

Key Responsibilities 

• Lead daily production and shipping operations to support safe, efficient, and reliable mill performance. 

• Provide leadership, technical guidance, and training to improve plant processes, procedures, operating efficiency, product performance, and manufacturing cost. 

• Partner closely with the Maintenance Manager and Technical Manager to address operational and equipment issues, training needs, and process standardization. 

• Manage machine runnability on a daily basis with support from direct reports and cross-functional teams. 

• Lead, coach, and develop salaried and hourly production teams. 

• Support and drive the mill safety program, helping create and sustain an incident-free workplace. 

• Facilitate continuous improvement by identifying, defining, prioritizing, and implementing projects and process improvements. 

• Evaluate recommendations, facilitate meetings, track project activity, and report progress. 

• Identify opportunities to improve procedures, tools, and workflows as operational needs evolve. 

• Prioritize planned outage needs and direct resources effectively during outage execution. 

• Perform required duties in accordance with company accounting policies and financial control procedures. 

What We’re Looking For 

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Pulp & Paper, or a related technical field; equivalent paper manufacturing leadership experience may also be considered. 

• Minimum of 5 years of experience in paper manufacturing, industrial manufacturing, or process engineering. 

• Demonstrated leadership experience managing salaried and hourly production teams in a paper mill, packaging, or similar manufacturing environment. 

• Experience driving operational excellence through Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, or similar process improvement systems. 

• Knowledge of pulp and paper mill operations. 

• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment. 

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills. 

• Ability to communicate effectively across cross-functional and matrixed teams. 

• Working knowledge of ERP systems and technical manufacturing systems. 

• Knowledge of health and safety practices in an industrial environment. 

Why This Role Matters 

This role has direct impact on mill performance, team engagement, safety, operational reliability, and customer outcomes. As Production Manager, you will help shape how the mill operates today while building the processes, standards, and team capability needed for the future. 

Why Greif 

At Greif, your work supports essential products and customers around the world. We are a global leader in industrial packaging products and services, with a strong focus on safety, operational excellence, and developing our people. If you are looking for a leadership role where you can make a visible impact in a complex manufacturing environment, this is an opportunity to lead meaningful work every day.