Dry End Superintendent

Job Description

The Dry End Superintendent is responsible for the overall leadership, performance and strategic direction of dry end sawmill operations. This includes planer mill, dry kiln, inventory yards, and shipping department.

This role provides direct oversight of Dry End Supervisors and ensures that safely, quality, productivity, and financial objectives are consistently achieved. The Superintendent serves as the key operational leader between the General Manager and frontline supervision, ensuring alignment of daily execution with broader mill goals.

Major Responsibilities and Duties:

1. Operations Management

Provide direction, coaching, and accountability to the Dry End Supervisors in executing daily operation to meet targeted goals and alignment to established company culture.

Ensure Supervisor effectiveness in:

Workforce management (attendance, scheduling, discipline)

Employee development, training, and performance management

Maintaining a productive and engaged workforce

Conduct regular check-ins, performance reviews, and leadership development for supervisors

Step in to resolve escalated employee relation issues or complex operational challenges

2.Operational Excellence & Production Management

Oversee all dry end operations including kiln drying, planing, grading and shipping

Ensure production schedules, throughput, recovery rates, and quality standards are met or exceeded

Validate that Supervisors are effectively managing daily activities to meet KPIs

Optimize workflow between kiln, planer, and shipping to avoid bottlenecks

3. Safety Leadership & Compliance

Champion a safety-first culture across all levels of the operation

Hold Supervisors accountable for enforcing safety procedures, PPE usage, and regulatory compliance

Lead incident investigations, root cause analysis, and corrective actions

Ensure compliance with OSHA, environmental permits, and company policies

Partner with maintenance teams to ensure equipment uptime

Schedule preventative maintenance and minimize disruptions

Identify and address mechanical inefficiencies

Analyze production data and identify opportunities for improvement

4. Performance Management & Workforce Strategy

Oversee performance management systems executed by Supervisors

Ensure consistent and fair application of:

Attendance policies

Discipline processes

Performance evaluations

Drive workforce planning, staffing levels, and succession development \

Promote a high-performance, accountable, and team-oriented culture

5. Financial & Budget Accountability

Partner with Production Manager to develop and manage departmental budgets

Monitor labor costs, production efficiency, and cost per unit

Ensure Supervisors operate within budget expectations while maximizing output

Identify cost-saving opportunities and efficiency improvements

6. Continuous Improvement & Process Optimization

Lead continuous improvement initiatives across drying, plaining and finishing processes

Use production data, downtime reports, and KPIs (tracked by Supervisors) to:

Improve kiln cycle efficiency

Reduce waste and product degrade

Increase throughput and recovery

Implement best practices, new technologies, and process enhancements

7. Maintenance & Equipment

Coordinate with Maintenance to ensure uptime of kilns, planers, and finishing equipment

Ensure Supervisors are properly reporting equipment issues and downtime

Prioritize and support preventative maintenance programs

Drive accountability for proper equipment use and care

8. Reporting & Communication

Review and validate reports prepared by Supervisors (production, safety, downtime, KPIs)

Provide consolidated performance updates to senior leadership

Communicate strategic priorities and operational expectations to Supervisors

Serve as a key liaison between frontline operations and executive leadership

9. Quality & Customer Alignment

· Ensure finished lumber meets grading standards, moisture targets and customer specifications

· Collaborate with quality control and sales teams to meet market requirements

· Collaborate cross-functionally with Green End, Maintenance, Logistics and Sales

Work Experience

Qualifications:

Education:

High School diploma or GED required; associate or bachelor’s degree in forestry, wood science, engineering, or related field preferred

Experience:

5-10+ years of sawmill experience with leadership responsibility in kiln and planer mill operations

Working knowledge of OSHA regulations and safety best practices

Strong communication and problem-solving skills

Ability to work both independently and collaboratively

Skills & Competencies:

Strong knowledge of sawmill equipment and processes

Leadership and management skills

Problem-solving and decision-making ability

Familiarity with production metrics and process improvement methodologies

Working Conditions/Physical Requirements:

· Must be able to stand 100% of scheduled shift. Lifting, pushing, prying and dragging heavy materials.

· Must be capable of bending, stooping, crawling under or over and occasionally climbing stairs/ladders heights up to 6 or 7 feet.

· Abnormal levels of noise due to grinding, chipping, hammering require hearing protection (ear plus) to be always worn.

· Must be able to work in a fast-paced environment

· Must be able to lift 50 pounds and work in physically demanding environment

· Position requires manual dexterity, arm-hand steadiness and a safety-minded individual.

· Must be able to work in an open environment exposed to extreme temperatures.

· Regular presence in industrial and production environments.

Safety Sensitive Position:

This position is designated as a safety sensitive position because it includes as part of the job duties the operating or monitoring of heavy equipment or machinery, as well as working with and around hazardous materials. This position is one in which a lapse of attention could result in injury, illness, or death. For the safety of the incumbent and others, the incumbent must be able to work in a constant state of alertness and concentrate for long periods of time while operating or monitoring heavy equipment or machinery, as well as while working with and around hazardous materials.

Teal Jones Plain Dealing, LLC reserves the right to revise this Job Description at any time according to business needs. This document does not represent a contract of employment and is not meant to alter the at-will status of the employee's employment in any way.

Teal Jones Plain Dealing, LLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer: M/F/Vets/Disabled/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity

Full-time