General Manager

Description & Requirements

Smurfit Westrock (NYSE:SW) is the go-to leader and partner of choice in sustainable packaging. We are dedicated to creating efficient and scalable paper and packaging solutions to help solve complex packaging challenges. Guided by our values of safety, loyalty, integrity and respect, we are committed to delivering meaningful value for shareholders, customers, employees and the communities where we operate.

Job Purpose As General Manager, you will be responsible for fostering a high-performance culture that drives employee engagement and operational excellence across the site. You will lead initiatives that promote open communication, recognition, and collaboration, ensuring all team members feel valued, heard, and empowered. By actively engaging with employees at all levels, you will champion a positive work environment, support professional development, and implement strategies that enhance morale, retention, and productivity. Your leadership will be instrumental in creating a workplace where people thrive and contribute meaningfully to the success of the business. Job Responsibilities/Key accountabilities: · Lead the management team and take responsibility for all operational activity · Define the optimum organization structure and recruit, develop, motivate and manage a manufacturing team that maximizes its performance potential and meets current and future business needs · Clearly define and communicate the manufacturing strategy for the site and a framework of operating standards to satisfy business plan objectives and achieve site and regional objectives · Manage effective short term business planning and forecasting in line with site and regional goals, to achieve current year profit targets whilst ensuring longer term profitability · Assist in defining medium-long term plans to ensure that products and service offerings match existing and emerging market needs and the achievement of business returns in line with the company’s strategic goals · Control operations to optimize throughput and efficiency to achieve maximum unit margin whilst minimizing waste and ensuring customer expectations for quality and delivery are met on time and in full · Manage the manufacturing and site management processes to ensure best practice techniques are employed to achieve maximum operational efficiency and sustained improvements in quality, service and operating costs · Ensure financial controls and reporting practices within the business meet compliance expectations · Liaise with senior leadership and corporate functions such as purchasing, quality and sales to align site business objectives and operations to wider business objectives · Develop and implement capital projects which improve/maintain the operational performance of the business on time and within budget · Liaise with finance to develop and monitor operational forecasts and budgets to improve plant profitability · Manage P&L to control manufacturing and conversion cost within budgetary limits to ensure profitable long-term growth · Chair and attend meetings as required, produce data and present reports for a range of audiences · Ensure alignment within the wider region · Take on other projects and responsibilities as required · Work with customers on specific projects to ensure their expectations are met within an approved framework · The facilitation of customer facing activities and communications including customer visits and preparation of information to establish and develop professional working relationships with customers · To provide governance on quality and ensure strategies in place concerning site compliance activities relating to safety, health and environmental requirements and audit activity to support the company’s products and reputation as an employer of choice and a quality supplier · Formulate solutions to minimize lead times, as well as maximize product quality · Develop a working relationship with