Assistant Yard Manager

The Franklin Investment Corporation dba Franklin Industries•Franklin, PA

About The Position

The Assistant Yard Manager leads, coordinates, and oversees the performance of the Yard Department. The role directs daily operations for the safe receipt, preparation, storage, inventory, and movement of raw rail material, ensuring a continuous supply of properly prepared material to the Mill. The Assistant Yard Manager leads the Breaker Operator, Logistics Coordinator, Inside Loader Operator, and Locomotive Crane Operator and coordinates with the Yard/Mill Manager, Mill Department, Production Shears, Maintenance, Shipping, Sales, and other support departments. The position is accountable for departmental safety, inventory accuracy, material flow, equipment reliability, workforce development, and continuous improvement. The position’s duties include safety leadership; directing Yard operations and allocating people and resources; managing raw materials, logistics, and internal material movement; coordinating equipment maintenance and reliability; recruiting, training, coaching, and developing employees; managing schedules, documentation, and departmental reports; supporting cost reduction and budget planning; and leading continuous improvement. The Assistant Yard Manager also coordinates cross-functional priorities, participates in management meetings and strategic planning, and may fill operational positions during emergencies or staffing shortages. This safety-sensitive position is performed in a combination office and outdoor heavy industrial manufacturing environment. Conditions include exposure to rail traffic, heavy equipment, suspended loads, weather, heat, noise, dust, and vibration. PPE is required in production areas. The role involves routinely walking Yard and production areas, climbing on and around equipment and railcars, standing and walking for extended periods, and occasionally lifting and carrying up to 50 pounds. Within 90 days of placement, leaders are expected to demonstrate proficiency directing Yard operations, use Franklin Industries’ decision-making standards, implement the Franklin Associate Development Program (FADP), maintain succession plans, coach and develop associates, use departmental data and KPIs to improve performance, coordinate effectively across departments, lead continuous improvement initiatives, and perform independently with minimal guidance. All job offerees undergo a criminal background check, physical (vitals, vision, and hearing), and drug screen; employment is contingent on passing the physical and drug screen. Criminal records are reviewed case by case and do not automatically prevent employment.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
At least five years of progressive manufacturing, logistics, or material-handling experience.
Demonstrated leadership experience in an industrial manufacturing environment.
Thorough understanding of rail receiving, inventory control, and material flow.
Strong communication, organizational, and decision-making skills.
Ability to analyze production and inventory data.
Ability to develop employees and build high-performing teams.
Ability to routinely walk Yard and production areas, climb on and around heavy equipment and railcars, stand and walk for extended periods, and occasionally lift and carry up to 50 pounds.
Ability to work safely in office and outdoor industrial environments and use required PPE in production areas.
Must pass the required physical and drug screen; employment is contingent on passing.

Nice To Haves

Associate’s or bachelor’s degree in Manufacturing, Business, Logistics, Supply Chain, Engineering, or a related field.
Previous supervisory or management experience.
Experience with Sage 100 ERP or comparable inventory management systems.
Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement experience.
Root Cause Analysis and problem-solving experience.
Working knowledge of a front-end loader, locomotive crane, and rail breaker.

Responsibilities

Promote the company’s safety culture; enforce safety policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements; conduct safety observations; investigate incidents and near misses; ensure required safety training; and promote safe rail, equipment, and material-handling practices.
Direct daily Yard operations, supervise the Breaker Operator, Logistics Coordinator, Inside Loader Operator, and Locomotive Crane Operator, set priorities, allocate personnel and resources, monitor performance, and foster accountability, teamwork, and continuous improvement.
Ensure timely receipt, inspection, and preparation of raw material; maintain adequate inventory; monitor material availability; and coordinate material priorities with Yard/Mill and Mill leadership.
Coordinate inbound rail, outbound scrap shipments, and internal material movement; oversee scale operations, shipping documentation, and Bills of Lading; coordinate railcar movement and transportation providers; and address material-flow bottlenecks.
Coordinate maintenance with the Maintenance Department, monitor equipment condition, prioritize repair requests, support preventive maintenance, and assist with equipment improvement projects.
Recruit, interview, onboard, train, coach, and mentor associates; conduct performance evaluations; implement FADP; identify future leaders; develop succession plans; and promote employee engagement and accountability.
Review production, inventory, and logistics reports; monitor attendance, overtime, and staffing; approve employee schedules and PTO; review shipping documents and inventory records; and maintain accurate documentation and compliance.
Monitor productivity and efficiency, support cost reduction, minimize waste and unnecessary handling, promote responsible use of company assets, and assist with budget planning and resource utilization.
Coordinate operational priorities with the Yard/Mill Manager, Mill Adjuster, Assistant Production Shears Manager, Farm Manager, Highway Manager, Maintenance Manager, Shipping, Sales, and Human Resources; participate in management meetings and strategic planning.
Lead Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement initiatives using structured problem-solving to improve safety, inventory accuracy, logistics, and operational performance; encourage employee participation and support approved improvements.
Participate in special projects, fill operational positions during emergencies or staffing shortages as needed, and perform other duties as assigned.
Within 90 days, demonstrate independent proficiency in directing Yard operations, applying company decision standards, implementing FADP, maintaining succession plans, developing associates, using KPIs and operational data, coordinating across departments, and leading improvement initiatives.