Manager, Residual Fibre Utilization

THE OPPORTUNITY

Western Forest Products is hiring for a Manager, Residual Fibre Utilization to join our Fibre Supply team based in Nanaimo, BC.

What You’ll Do: The Manager, Residual Fibre Utilization is responsible for managing Western’s residual supply including sawmill chips, sawdust and hog, timberlands roadside residual materials and pulpwood. You’ll be responsible for managing key contractual arrangements, optimizing trade and logistics opportunities to reduce costs and implementing strategies that mitigate customer and product risks. You will be challenged to develop new products to generate additional revenue streams with a focus on de-risking our residuals exposure and developing new revenue-generating opportunities for this under-valued fiber.

Who You Are: With over 7 years of experience in sales, sawmill residuals, and pulp and paper, you’ll bring valuable industry insights and knowledge to the team. You’re a strong business leader who can create and fostering mutually beneficial connections and navigating high-paced and complex environments to ultimately deliver positive financial outcomes.

What We Offer:

• Salary range of $125,000 - $140,000 based on skill level, qualifications, and experience
• Annual incentive plan
• Pension plan contributions - Western contributes 7% towards a pension plan, no matching required
• Extended health and dental benefits – Western pays for 100% of the employee monthly premiums
• 4 weeks’ vacation to start
• Employee family assistance program
• Financial support for learning and development opportunities

Work Environment: This role is to be performed in person at our office in downtown Nanaimo, with regular local travel, and occasional further travel depending on business needs.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Operations

• Implement strategic partnerships with select customers to drive maximum values and efficiencies;
• Create additional revenue stream from sawmill hog through developing partnerships to create value added products;
• Improve margins and reduce operational and environmental liability in residual handling at Western mills;
• Work with Western Mill Managers to improve forecasting of residual production;
• Evaluate and recommend options for capital investment in log and residual handling;
• Assess viability of alternative uses for roadside and dryland material including bioenergy;
• Work with operations and forestry department to reduce carbon footprint through residuals handling;
• Manage contractual commitments with existing contract purchasers;
• Successfully mitigate risk while growing margin through new product and customer development;
• Optimizing sales and ensuring fair and equitable trades with selected customers – contributing positively to the financial performance of Western;
• Leverages our product offerings and scale to surpass benchmark pricing when it is advantageous to do so;
• Eliminate business risk caused by customer operational disruptions;
• Provide cost effective procurement of chips from alternative sources when required; and,
• Build positive working relationships with all other company’s Log Buyers and Traders, Timber Operators and Pulp Company Managers to promote Western as the customer of choice.

Leadership

• Provide leadership and direction to drive efficiency and accuracy within the Company’s Fibre Supply team;
• Creates and sustains a culture of accountability and continuous improvement;
• Drive strategic alignment with Logistics to deliver world class transportation efficiencies and costs;
• Drive strategic alignment with Timberlands and Manufacturing to identify and pursue highest margin opportunities for residual and pulp log sales;
• Protect Western’s reputation by delivering on commitments, managing issues, engaging support from senior leadership and legal as required

Financial Performance

• Work with the Finance team to ensure all operational decisions are based on sound financial analytics;
• Work with the Credit department to ensure accounts stay within approved credit limits;
• Work with the senior management and executives to develop effective and innovative strategies that reduce costs of meeting our contractual obligations and developing new target products; and,
• Work with Planning and Logistics to utilize appropriate delivery methods that meet customer requirements at the lowest possible cost.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Forestry, Engineering or related discipline;
• Minimum 7 years’ experience in sales, preferably in the forest products industry;
• RPF or other professional designation an asset.

Skills, Knowledge and Required Competencies

• Proven track record in building positive, respectful and mutually beneficial relationships;
• Demonstrated aptitude and ability to create structure and transparency in complex situations;
• Ability to negotiate in a high paced environment and demonstrate positive financial returns on balance of trades; and,
• Knowledge of the pulp and paper business and sawmill residual production.

YOUR CAREER

At Western Forest Products, we believe our most significant asset is our people. Investing in our people brings value and success to our business, ensuring a safe, engaged, productive and continuously improving workplace. We offer challenging opportunities working alongside the best in the industry to meet your career and professional development goals while providing competitive total rewards and recognition.

We provide a variety of on-the-job training and continuing education in many areas at Western to ensure you have the skills you need to succeed. Our promote-from-within culture recognizes high performance and we offer diverse career paths across the organization for those with the talent and will to advance.

Our total rewards offering including competitive pay, performance bonus, pension plan, benefits and other programs designed to support our employees.

WESTERN OVERVIEW

Western Forest Products is a leading forest products company that sustainably manages forests and manufactures high-quality wood products. Headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia with operations in the coastal region of BC and Washington State, Western meets the needs of customers worldwide with a specialty wood products focus and diverse product offering.

Our commitment to health and safety, environmental stewardship and community engagement is core to how we do business at Western Forest Products.

Our approach to responsible business practices in all aspects of our business is multi-faceted. We adhere to and employ the most stringent environmental practices in the world. The steps we take to ensure the forests in which we operate are renewed and remain healthy and viable for future generations are mirrored in the care we take to make certain our communities continue to grow and prosper. This includes investing in communities where we operate and continuing to forge mutually beneficial relationships with First Nations in respect of their local and cultural interests.