Area Aggregate Manager

Primary Function:

The Area Aggregate Manager is responsible for supervising and supporting Aggregate Superintendents through coaching and developing a team focused on the safe, reliable and efficient operation of their respective facilities. The incumbent will support NESL under the direction of the Regional Aggregate Manager, focusing on the safety of coworkers; cost control; product quality; inventory management; asset reliability; capital and project planning; operating budget development and execution; and customer service.

Essential Functions:

• Leads Quarry Superintendents to ensure safe and efficient Aggregate operations.
• Provides coaching and guidance to Superintendents to assist in the management of facility personnel, cultivating a strong culture of safety, teamwork and best practices.
• Establishes clear performance goals, objectives and expectations for direct reports; conducts regular performance reviews, provides timely feedback and coaching, and holds leaders accountable for results and leadership behaviors.
• Outlines NESL Strategic Initiatives, providing support to Superintendents assisting them in establishing action plans to obtain the Strategic Initiatives.
• Identifies operating deficiencies through the use of KPIs, developing and communicating an action plan to address these deficiencies.
• Provides coaching, guidance and escalation support to Superintendents on significant operating, personnel and business decisions while maintaining clear facility-level accountability with the Superintendent.
• Works with Superintendents to assist them with understanding and managing their production, labor, product quality and equipment costs.
• Works with Superintendents, Maintenance and Purchasing to establish reliability-centered maintenance practices, maintain critical spares, reduce unplanned downtime, improve equipment availability, extend useful asset life and secure quality parts and equipment at a competitive price point.
• Develops long-range mining, operating, maintenance, equipment replacement and capital plans to keep NESL operations safe, reliable, productive and current with industry standards.
• Works with NESL Engineering staff and consultants to ensure all facilities are compliant with local, state and federal environmental regulations.
• Maintains an open line of communication with the Sales team, ensuring industry best customer service.
• Supports Superintendents in workforce planning and participates in the selection of key supervisory, technical and critical operating positions as appropriate.
• Provides leadership and coaching to Superintendents on labor relations and employee-management practices, while day-to-day labor and personnel matters remain the responsibility of the facility Superintendent.
• Where applicable, actively participates with NESL management and Human Resources in Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiations and provides guidance to Superintendents on consistent contract administration, significant grievances and arbitration matters.
• Coaches Superintendents in addressing personnel performance, employee relations and organizational issues; becomes directly involved when matters are significant, cross-facility, escalated or require higher-level management support.
• Leads the development and management of facility operating budgets with Superintendents, establishing clear assumptions for production, labor, maintenance, stripping, drilling and blasting, mobile equipment, utilities, outside services and other major cost drivers.
• Supports the Regional Manager in developing the area operating plan and budget, ensuring that sales projections are supported by executable production plans, inventories are effectively managed, production cost controls are in place and financial objectives are achieved.
• Works closely with the Regional Manager and NESL Accounting staff to monitor monthly costs, inventories and operating performance; identifies material variances, determines root causes and develops corrective action plans.
• Develops and maintains a multi-year capital and project plan for the assigned area; identifies, prioritizes, justifies and executes investments based on safety, reliability, production capacity, cost reduction, product needs and return on invested capital.
• Drives disciplined capital project execution, including scope development, cost estimates, schedules, coordination with Engineering and Operations, commissioning and post-project performance review.
• Leads inventory planning with Superintendents and Sales to align production with forecasted demand, reduce the creation of slow-moving products, develop plans to consume or reduce existing slow-moving inventory and improve overall inventory efficiency without compromising customer service.
• Uses area and facility KPIs to improve cost per ton, labor productivity, plant throughput, equipment utilization, maintenance performance, downtime, yield and inventory turns.
• Translates Regional Aggregate strategic priorities into measurable facility-level objectives and holds Superintendents accountable for execution and sustained results.

Key Success Factors:

• Safety Leadership: Builds a culture in which Superintendents and employees actively own safety performance, hazard identification, corrective actions and regulatory compliance.
• Leadership & Organizational Development: Develops strong, accountable Superintendents capable of independently managing their facilities and builds bench strength and succession plans for critical operating and maintenance positions.
• Operational Performance: Consistently achieves production requirements while improving plant throughput, labor productivity, equipment utilization, yield and overall cost per ton.
• Asset Reliability: Establishes disciplined reliability-centered maintenance practices that reduce unplanned downtime, improve fixed and mobile equipment availability, extend useful asset life and improve the effectiveness of maintenance spending.
• Financial Performance: Builds credible operating budgets, understands the underlying drivers of operating variances and takes timely corrective action to achieve cost and EBITDA objectives.
• Capital Stewardship: Prioritizes capital investments based on safety, reliability, capacity, cost reduction and return on invested capital, and delivers approved projects safely, on schedule and within budget.
• Inventory Management: Aligns production with market demand, reduces unnecessary and slow-moving inventory creation and establishes executable plans to reduce excessive existing inventories.
• Planning & Execution: Translates regional strategy into actionable facility-level plans, balances near-term operating requirements with long-range mine, equipment and capital needs, and holds the organization accountable for execution.
• Continuous Improvement: Uses KPIs and operating data to identify root causes, establish measurable corrective actions and sustain improvements.
• Cross-Functional Leadership: Works effectively with Sales, Quality, Engineering, Environmental, Purchasing, Accounting and other support functions while maintaining clear accountability for aggregate operations.

Qualifications:

• Minimum of seven (7) years of relevant experience, including, but not limited to surface aggregate mining, processing and maintenance.
• Associates Degree in Engineering, Construction Management or relevant discipline preferred. Relevant experience may be considered in lieu of degree.
• Proven ability to build professional relationships with leaders and external networks.
• Excellent customer service orientation.
• Must have strong interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills.
• Must be able to work in a fast-paced environment and handle multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Must possess strong attention to detail, good organizational skills with the ability to ensure accurate work.
• Demonstrated skills and ability to be persuasive and collaborate across multiple levels of the organization.
• Ability to work independently but as part of a team concept.
• Flexibility and the ability to operate under stressful, time-sensitive deadlines.
• Proficiency in using Microsoft Office (Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Valid driver''''s license and meets NESL''''s driving standards.