Alberta Newsprint Company (ANC), a joint venture of the Stern Group and West Fraser Timber Company Ltd., is a leading manufacturer of premium paper products. Located in Whitecourt, and operating with a non-unionized workforce, the firm’s paper mill—the first in Alberta—produces paper of such high quality that it has become the standard by which other paper products manufactured in North America are measured. The company is a successful, well-financed, progressive organization that is regarded as one of the best companies in the paper industry.

ANC is seeking a Director, Environment to lead the mill’s environmental strategy, regulatory positioning, and external environmental engagement. Reporting to the General Manager and serving on the Senior Leadership Team, this role ensures the organization maintains strong environmental performance while anticipating emerging regulatory and policy developments affecting the forest products industry.

The Director acts as both an internal catalyst for environmental improvement and the organization’s primary representative in environmental discussions with regulators, government, and industry stakeholders.

###The Role

The Director, Environment leads the mill’s environmental function and works across departments to strengthen environmental performance, ensure regulatory readiness, and anticipate environmental developments affecting the industry.

This role combines:

• strong technical environmental knowledge
• operational understanding of industrial processes
• strategic and systems thinking
• the ability to build trusted relationships with regulators, government, and industry stakeholders

The position offers significant autonomy to shape environmental systems, introduce improvements, and represent the organization externally.

###Key Responsibilities

####Environmental Performance

• Drive measurable improvements in water intensity, emissions, and waste streams
• Partner with operations, engineering, and maintenance to identify environmental improvement opportunities
• Strengthen environmental monitoring and management systems
• Integrate environmental considerations into operational planning and decision-making

####Environmental Risk & Compliance

• Maintain and oversee robust environmental compliance systems, reporting, regulatory requirements, and certification audit readiness, including PEFC, SFI, and others
• Ensure environmental plans and programs remain current
• Identify emerging environmental risks and implement mitigation strategies, including those affecting certification compliance

####Regulatory Intelligence

• Monitor environmental regulatory developments affecting the organization
• Interpret legislation and regulatory changes impacting operations
• Advise leadership on regulatory implications and upcoming policy developments
• Support internal discussions regarding environmental strategy and regulatory positioning

####Government & Industry Engagement

• Develop and maintain constructive relationships with regulators, government agencies, and industry associations
• Represent the organization in environmental discussions affecting the forest products industry
• Participate in industry working groups and consultations
• Ensure operational realities are understood in policy discussions

External engagement is expected to represent approximately 25–30% of the role.

####Environmental Systems & Strategy

• Strengthen environmental data systems and performance tracking
• Develop environmental improvement plans and recommend environmental capital investments
• Build environmental processes that support long-term operational success
• Work closely with internal partners including the Energy Manager, Woodlands leadership, and operational departments to integrate environmental strategy across the organization

###What Success Looks Like

• Optimize environmental performance across the mill
• Strong, trusted relationships with regulators and industry stakeholders
• Environmental considerations integrated into operational and capital planning decisions
• Proactive awareness of regulatory and policy developments affecting the organization
• Environmental systems that strengthen the mill’s long-term operational effectiveness

###What You Bring

• Post-secondary education in environmental science, engineering, forestry, or a related discipline

• Significant experience in environmental leadership within industrial or resource-based operations. Experience in pulp and paper, forestry, or similar industrial environments is considered an asset

• Strong understanding of environmental regulatory frameworks and compliance systems

• Ability to translate environmental information into operational insight

• An established network and willingness to build relationships with regulators, government, and industry stakeholders

• Systems thinking and the ability to identify improvement opportunities across complex operations

Alberta Newsprint Company will only consider those eligible to work in Canada either by citizenship, permanent residency, or valid Canadian work permit.

We thank all those who apply, but only applicants being actively considered for employment will be contacted.