Stave Mill Manager

Sazerac Company Overview

Build your career at Sazerac! With almost 400 years of rich history, Sazerac Company has thrived as an independent, American family-owned company with operations in the United States and around the world. Since the 2000s, Sazerac has averaged double digit growth every year! Sazerac Company produces and markets the most award-winning bourbons and whiskeys in the world, including Buffalo Trace, Pappy Van Winkle, Eagle Rare, Blanton’s, and Sazerac Rye. Additionally, Sazerac owns many popular brands across a range of spirits, including Fireball, Southern Comfort, Seagram’s V.O., Myers’s, Goldschläger, Parrot Bay, 99 Brand, and Platinum Vodka. 

We’re proud of our award-winning culture and distilleries. Our Louisville office has been named one of the “Best Places to Work in Kentucky” four times, and our Buffalo Trace Distillery has earned the title of “world’s most award-winning distillery” through the dedication of our craftsmen for well over 200 years. Whether you’re a recent graduate or an experienced professional, Sazerac provides extraordinary opportunities for growth with competitive salaries and benefits in an exciting, entrepreneurial industry.

Job Description/Responsibilities

The Stave Mill Manager is the senior on-site leader for our Medon, TN stave mill, with full P&L accountability for safety, quality, production, cost and people. This is a hands-on leadership role that owns every function at the location—production, maintenance, HR and safety—and offers real ownership over the culture and results of the site. It's a great fit for a leader who enjoys balancing long-term planning with daily, on-the-floor decision-making.

What You’ll Do:

• Own the site’s complete financial performance, including the annual operating plan, labor, wood cost, maintenance spend, and capital needs
• Serve as the senior accountable safety leader, building a strong safety culture through visible leadership, training, and incident prevention
• Deliver consistent quality, output, yield, and cost performance while driving continuous improvement using lean manufacturing principles
• Lead and develop supervisors and production teams across production, maintenance, HR, and safety functions
• Maintain reliable equipment and site infrastructure through preventive maintenance and successful capital project execution

Qualifications/Requirements

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in business, engineering, operations, forestry, manufacturing or a related field, or equivalent relevant leadership experience
• Minimum of 5 years of progressive manufacturing leadership experience, including leading supervisors and a sizable hourly workforce
• Strong financial acumen with experience managing budgets, operating costs, and forecasts
• Demonstrated knowledge of lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, and structured problem solving

Preferred:

• Wood products, sawmill, stave mill, or other primary manufacturing experience with full P&L ownership for a manufacturing location
• Experience as a Plant Manager, Mill Manager, Operations Manager, or comparable senior site leader
• Knowledge of federal and state OSHA and environmental regulations, with experience leading site safety systems

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to work in and around moving mechanical equipment, in a loud industrial environment, and outdoors in varying weather conditions
• Ability to walk the mill, log yard, and stave yard frequently, including uneven surfaces and stairs
• Ability to lift and/or move objects up to 50 pounds without assistance

Culture and Benefits

Sazerac offers a comprehensive compensation and benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision, 401K, paid time off, and more. These benefits may vary depending on location and work type. Learn more about how we support our employees here.

Sazerac is committed to equality of opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, veteran status, age, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, genetic information, physical or mental disability or any other legally protected status.

What’s Next:

After you apply, a recruiter will review your application and reach out to qualified candidates. Selected candidates will follow our interview process, which may include a phone screen, hiring manager interview, and panel interviews with business leaders. There may be additional steps or assessments throughout the process dependent on the position. Applicants who are not selected to move through the process, at any stage, will be notified via email.

Need assistance throughout your application or interview process? Email talentacquisition@sazerac.com.

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