Director of Maintenance

Korn Ferry has partnered with our client on their search for the role, Director of Maintenance.

The Company

Thunder Bay Pulp and Paper

Thunder Bay Pulp and Paper (“TBPP”) is a leading northern bleached softwood kraft and northern bleached hardwood kraft pulp, paper, newsprint, and directory producer. Located in Thunder Bay, Ontario, TBPP has been a landmark in the region for over a century and is a major employer, significantly contributing to the local economy. The mill also benefits from a robust and cost-effective fiber supply, among the lowest cost in North America.

The TBPP is an exceptional asset, employing 450 full-time union employees and 150 contractors. It is a $600 million CAD business, with an EBITDA of approximately $80 million. The facility includes a 65-megawatt co-generation plant, producing 320,000 tons of kraft pulp and 200,000 tons of newsprint annually.

TBPP, a key part of Atlas Holdings, was acquired when predecessor owner Resolute was acquired by Paper Excellence.

Under Atlas Holdings' ownership, TBPP has benefited from substantial operational improvements, strategic investments in technology, and a strengthened commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship.

Atlas Holdings

Atlas Holdings (“Atlas”) is a private investment firm headquartered in Greenwich, Connecticut, founded in 2002. Atlas and its affiliates own and operate 27 companies, employing over 50,000 associates across 300 facilities worldwide. Atlas operates in sectors such as automotive, building materials, capital equipment, construction services, food manufacturing and distribution, metals processing, packaging, paper, power generation, printing, pulp, supply chain management and wood products.

Atlas has a proven track record of acquiring, transforming, and growing under-managed, underperforming or distressed assets and often adopts a long-term investment approach. The firm excels in operational improvements and strategic guidance, leveraging its deep expertise to address complex challenges within these sectors. By providing hands-on management and fostering innovation, Atlas creates significant value for its portfolio companies.

Relative to other private investment firms, Atlas is a committed investor, generally takes a longer-term investment horizon, placing a particular emphasis on talent, hiring strong leaders and developing the leadership teams of their investee organizations.

Location

Thunder Bay is the regional capital and primary service hub of Northwestern Ontario. Located on the north shore of Lake Superior at the head of the Great Lakes, it sits in the centre of Canada with close proximity to the United States and serves as a natural gateway by seaway, road, rail and air to Western Canada and beyond. Thunder Bay today is a vibrant, mid sized city with a population of approximately 110,000 and more than 125,000 in the broader region.

As the largest urban centre in Northwestern Ontario, Thunder Bay is the commercial, administrative and medical hub for a vast surrounding area. Key sectors include health care, education, transportation, manufacturing, mining and forestry, with growing strength in research, biotechnology and life sciences. The city is home to Lakehead University, Confederation College and the Northern Ontario School of Medicine University, as well as Lakehead University’s Bora Laskin Faculty of Law, anchoring a strong post secondary and research presence. Residents benefit from a comprehensive network of primary and secondary schools that offer French immersion, special education services, outdoor education and International Baccalaureate programming.

The community combines small city ease with big city amenities. Thunder Bay features a revitalized waterfront, modern downtown districts, a wide range of retail and services, and a growing culinary scene highlighted by local restaurants, cafés and breweries. Residents enjoy a strong arts and culture presence that includes a symphony orchestra, theatre companies, museums and galleries, as well as year-round festivals and events that reflect the city’s multicultural character.

The Opportunity

• Position: Director of Maintenance
• Reporting Relationship: Chief Executive Offer
• Location: Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada
• Website: https://www.tbpulpandpaper.com/ | https://www.atlasholdingsllc.com/

Purpose of the Position

The Director of Maintenance is responsible for driving strategic reliability, asset performance and cost efficiency across all maintenance disciplines at TBPP’s integrated pulp and paper facility. This leader oversees mechanical, electrical, instrumentation, planning and reliability functions to ensure safe operations, maximum uptime, and sustainable asset health. The successful candidate will define what a best-in-class maintenance organization looks like, build systems and processes to support reliability, and mentor a team of superintendents, supervisors, and skilled trades. The Director must combine hands-on technical credibility with strategic leadership and the gravitas to mentor junior leaders.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and implement a comprehensive maintenance strategy aligned with mill production and business goals.
• Lead the maintenance team in delivering safe, efficient, and cost-effective execution of all planned and unplanned work.
• Implement and oversee reliability-centered maintenance (RCM), predictive maintenance technologies, and asset lifecycle planning.
• Ensure regulatory compliance in all maintenance activities, including pressure vessels, electrical safety, and lockout/tagout procedures.
• Champion a culture of continuous improvement by using lean tools and KPIs to drive performance.
• Develop and institutionalize a shutdown management framework, including scope development, critical path scheduling, resource loading, and contractor integration.
• Build a long-range asset management plan that balances CAPEX constraints with risk and obsolescence.
• Integrate predictive diagnostics and condition-based monitoring to extend asset life and prevent failures.
• Shift the organization from reactive maintenance to proactive, systems-based reliability practices.
• Develop and mentor maintenance leaders and skilled trades, fostering technical growth and strong frontline leadership.
• Ensure effective utilization of CMMS and accurate maintenance planning and reporting systems.

The Candidate

Experience and Professional Qualifications

• 10+ years of progressive maintenance leadership experience in industrial manufacturing; pulp and paper strongly preferred.
• Proven record of delivering asset reliability improvements, cost savings, and uptime gains.
• Strong knowledge of maintenance systems, predictive technologies, and CMMS utilization.
• Experience managing in a unionized environment, with deep understanding of collective agreements.
• Demonstrated leadership in continuous improvement, lean maintenance, or Six Sigma programs.
• Experience leading shutdowns/outages and major capital projects to time and budget.
• Hands-on technical background—has grown through maintenance roles and can credibly lead on the floor while driving strategic improvements.
• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical, Electrical, or Industrial Engineering, or equivalent technical background preferred.

Skills and Competencies

• Transformational leadership with gravitas; able to guide and mentor a young leadership team.
• Strong character; decisive, resilient, and willing to challenge the status quo.
• Analytical thinker with strong problem-solving and turnaround planning skills.
• Collaborative and clear communicator; able to partner with operations, engineering, and union leaders.
• People-oriented leader who develops and empowers teams while fostering accountability.
• Results-focused with strong business acumen, balancing reliability, cost, and long-term asset sustainability.

Compensation

TBPP offers a competitive compensation package that includes base salary, annual performance bonus, relocation support, comprehensive health benefits along with vacation and defined benefit pension plan with CAAT.

Actively recruiting. This posting is for an existing vacancy.

Artificial Intelligence tools may be used in connection with the recruitment process for this position.

SE: 510754478