Division Reliability Director

The opportunity:

The Divisional Reliability Director is responsible for leading and executing reliability and asset performance strategies across multiple sites within the division. This role drives improvements in equipment availability, maintenance effectiveness, lifecycle cost, and operational uptime through standardized reliability practices, data-driven decision making, and cross-functional collaboration.

The position acts as the primary reliability leader for the division, partnering closely with the local Reliability manager, Operations, Maintenance, Engineering, and Capital Project teams to ensure assets are designed, maintained, and operated for long-term reliability and safety.

How you will impact Smurfit Westrock:

Reliability Strategy & Standards

• Develop and deploy a divisional reliability strategy aligned with operational and business objectives
• Establish and standardize best practices for:
  • Preventive and predictive maintenance
  • Asset criticality analysis
  • Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA)
  • Reliability-Centered Maintenance (RCM)
• Ensure consistent application of reliability standards across all sites
• Work closely with OEM's on uptime performance, parts availability, warranties, and inspections/rebuild programs.

Asset Performance & Metrics

• Own and monitor divisional reliability KPIs, including:
  • Equipment availability and uptime
  • OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness)
  • Unplanned downtime
  • Maintenance cost performance
• Leverage CMMS/EAM data to identify trends, risks, and improvement opportunities
• Lead action plans to address chronic equipment and system failures

Continuous Improvement & Problem Solving

• Facilitate and lead root cause failure analysis (RCFA) for significant downtime or safety events
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to reduce maintenance cost and increase asset reliability
• Champion predictive maintenance technologies and condition monitoring programs

Site Leadership & Capability Building

• Provide technical leadership and coaching to:
  • Site Reliability Engineers
  • Maintenance Managers
  • Engineering teams
• Share best practices and lessons learned across sites
• Support development of reliability competencies and talent pipeline

Capital Projects & Lifecycle Management

• Partner with Project Engineering and Operations to ensure:
  • Reliability and maintainability are embedded in capital project design
  • Proper commissioning and startup reliability practices are followed
• Support asset lifecycle decisions, including repair vs. replace strategies
• Influence long-term capital planning through reliability data and risk assessments

Safety & Compliance

• Promote a strong safety culture through reliable equipment performance
• Ensure reliability practices support regulatory, environmental, and safety requirements

What you need to succeed:

Experience

• 15+ years of experience in maintenance, reliability, or engineering roles
• Proven experience supporting multiple sites or a regional/divisional scope
• Demonstrated success driving reliability improvements in an industrial or manufacturing environment

Technical Skills

• Reliability engineering principles and methodologies
• Preventive, predictive, and condition-based maintenance
• CMMS/EAM systems and data analysis
• RCFA, FMEA, RCM
• Strong understanding of mechanical and electrical systems

Leadership & Behavioral Skills

• Ability to influence without direct authority
• Strong communication skills across all organizational levels
• Data-driven, structured problem-solving approach
• Change management and continuous improvement mindset

Reporting Relationship

• Reports to: Sr. Dir. Project Engineering
• Works closely with: Plant Managers, Maintenance Managers, Reliability Engineers, Project Engineering, and Operations Leadership

Success Measures

• Reduction in unplanned downtime and reliability-related losses
• Improved equipment availability and OEE
• Consistent adoption of reliability standards across sites
• Measurable reduction in maintenance costs and failure recurrence
• Improved safety and operational performance tied to asset reliability