Stock Approach Supervisor

Job Details: Job Location: Vonore (VFP) - Vonore, TN, Salary Range: Undisclosed, Job Shift: Any, Position Summary

The Stock Approach Supervisor is responsible for the safe, reliable, and efficient operation of the Stock Approach area within the Pulp Mill. This position provides direct leadership to Stock Approach operators and is accountable for maintaining consistent pulp stock preparation and delivery to downstream manufacturing processes.

The Supervisor ensures the Stock Approach system operates within established operating parameters for consistency, flow, temperature, chemistry, cleanliness, and quality. The position works closely with Pulp Mill Operations, Production, Maintenance, Quality, Engineering, and Process Control to identify and resolve issues that could impact production, product quality, equipment reliability, or safety.

The successful candidate will be a hands-on leader who understands pulp processing, develops operator capability, establishes consistent operating standards, and drives continuous improvement.

Essential Responsibilities

Safety & Environmental Leadership

Make safety the first priority in all Stock Approach activities.
Ensure employees follow all safety procedures, PPE requirements, LOTO requirements, and established operating standards.
Conduct routine safety observations and correct unsafe conditions immediately.
Ensure proper handling of chemicals and other process materials.
Support environmental compliance and proper management of process waste and wastewater.
Lead incident, near-miss, and hazard reporting and participate in investigations and corrective actions.
Maintain a clean, organized, and safe operating area.

Stock Approach Operations

Supervise the daily operation of the Stock Approach system, including pulp preparation, dilution, mixing, screening, cleaning, pumping, and delivery to downstream processes as applicable.
Maintain stable and consistent stock flow to the production process.
Monitor and control critical operating parameters such as:

Stock consistency
Flow
Temperature
pH and/or chemistry
Pressure
Tank levels
Pump performance
Screening/cleaning performance
Fiber quality and concentration

Ensure operators understand normal operating conditions and recognize deviations early.
Establish and maintain standardized operating procedures and operating windows.
Respond quickly to process upsets, equipment issues, plugging, foaming, consistency changes, or other abnormal conditions.
Coordinate with downstream operations to minimize production interruptions.

Equipment & Reliability

Work closely with Maintenance to maintain reliability of pumps, agitators, screens, cleaners, valves, instrumentation, piping, and other Stock Approach equipment.
Identify recurring equipment problems and develop corrective actions.
Communicate equipment concerns clearly during shift handoffs and daily production meetings.
Support preventive and predictive maintenance activities.
Ensure equipment is operated within established limits to prevent damage and premature failure.
Participate in troubleshooting and root-cause analysis of equipment and process problems.

Quality & Process Control

Maintain Stock Approach conditions necessary to consistently meet product specifications.
Monitor process data and identify trends before they result in quality problems.
Partner with Quality and Process Engineering to investigate deviations.
Ensure operators understand how Stock Approach conditions affect final product quality.
Maintain accurate process records and production documentation.
Support process trials, testing, and implementation of process improvements.

People Leadership

Lead, coach, and develop Stock Approach operators.
Establish clear expectations for safety, quality, productivity, housekeeping, and attendance.
Conduct daily shift meetings and communicate production priorities.
Assign work based on production requirements, employee qualifications, and operational needs.
Ensure employees are trained and qualified on equipment and standard operating procedures.
Provide coaching and feedback to employees and address performance issues appropriately.
Develop cross-training and skill development within the Stock Approach team.
Build a culture of accountability, teamwork, and continuous improvement.

Troubleshooting & Problem Solving

Serve as the first level of leadership for Stock Approach process problems.
Lead structured troubleshooting when process conditions move outside normal operating ranges.
Use process data, operator observations, and equipment information to identify root causes.
Partner with Maintenance, Engineering, Quality, and Production to resolve recurring problems.
Document significant process issues and corrective actions.
Develop and implement standard responses for common process upsets.

Continuous Improvement

Identify opportunities to improve Stock Approach stability, throughput, quality, energy usage, chemical usage, and equipment reliability.
Lead or participate in Lean, 5S, and continuous-improvement initiatives.
Reduce process variation and unnecessary downtime.
Establish visual management and standardized work where appropriate.
Encourage operators to identify improvement opportunities.
Use data and performance metrics to drive improvements.

Daily Leadership Expectations

The Stock Approach Supervisor should:

Review production requirements and current Stock Approach conditions at the beginning of the shift.
Conduct a shift-start meeting with operators.
Review previous-shift issues and outstanding maintenance concerns.
Verify critical process parameters are within operating limits.
Walk the process area and inspect equipment and housekeeping.
Monitor stock consistency, flow, levels, pressure, chemistry, and other critical parameters.
Respond to process deviations before they affect downstream production.
Communicate with Production, Maintenance, Quality, and Engineering as needed.
Ensure operators complete required checks and documentation.
Provide a thorough shift handoff covering process conditions, equipment issues, quality concerns, and outstanding actions.
Regular and Predictable Attendance.
Other duties as assigned.

Key Performance Indicators

The Stock Approach Supervisor will be measured on:

Safety performance
Stock Approach uptime
Consistency stability
Production interruptions caused by Stock Approach
Process variation
Product quality
Equipment reliability
Unplanned downtime
Chemical and energy usage
Fiber loss/waste
Preventive maintenance completion
Operator training and qualification
5S/housekeeping performance
Standard work compliance
Continuous-improvement results

Qualifications: Qualifications

Required

· High school diploma or equivalent.

· Manufacturing or industrial process experience.

· Supervisory or team-leadership experience.

· Ability to understand and interpret process operating data.

· Strong troubleshooting and problem-solving skills.

· Ability to work effectively with Maintenance, Engineering, Quality, and Production.

Preferred

· Pulp and paper, fiber processing, paperboard, packaging, or similar process-industry experience.

· Experience with stock preparation or stock approach systems.

· Experience with pumps, agitators, screens, cleaners, tanks, valves, piping, and process instrumentation.

· Experience with PLC/DCS/process-control systems.

· Lean Manufacturing or continuous-improvement experience.

· Experience in a food-contact or SQF-regulated manufacturing environment.

Core Competencies

Process Knowledge – Understands how Stock Approach conditions affect downstream production and product quality.

Safety Leadership – Leads by example and maintains safety as a non-negotiable expectation.

Troubleshooting – Quickly identifies process and equipment problems and develops practical solutions.

People Leadership – Develops operators and creates accountability for performance.

Communication – Maintains clear communication across shifts and departments.

Operational Discipline – Establishes and follows consistent operating standards.

Continuous Improvement – Uses data and employee knowledge to reduce variation and improve performance.

Teamwork – Works effectively with Production, Maintenance, Quality, Engineering, and Process Control.

Physical & Working Conditions

This position requires frequent walking and standing throughout the pulp mill and Stock Approach areas. The employee may be required to climb stairs and platforms, bend, reach, and work around operating industrial equipment.

The work environment may include exposure to noise, heat, moisture, dust, chemicals, moving equipment, elevated work areas, and other conditions associated with a pulp mill. Appropriate PPE is required.

The Stock Approach Supervisor is expected to be a hands-on process leader, not simply an administrative supervisor. The Supervisor should spend significant time in the process area, understand the equipment and process, develop operator capability, identify abnormal conditions early, and work with the team to prevent problems from reaching downstream production.