Manufacturing Manager

Carfair • Winnipeg, MB

24d • Onsite

About The Position

Carfair Composites is seeking a Manufacturing Manager to provide strategic leadership for manufacturing and plant initiatives across production operations. This role involves developing long-term manufacturing strategies, implementing production systems, and translating business objectives into production plans that support safety, quality, cost, delivery, capacity, and productivity requirements. The Manufacturing Manager will evaluate manufacturing systems and processes, identify performance gaps, and establish priorities for improvement. They will develop standardized methods, scorecards, and operating metrics to assess manufacturing performance and guide decision-making. This position will apply Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen, and other structured improvement methods to enhance throughput, reduce variation, eliminate waste, and lower production costs. The role also provides manufacturing expertise for new product development, production readiness, process validation, and operational scale-up. Key responsibilities include determining optimal manufacturing methods, material usage, staffing models, production schedules, and workflow requirements, as well as leading the development of plant layouts, process flows, standard work, and time studies. The Manufacturing Manager will partner with various departments to resolve complex production and quality issues, evaluate manufacturing quality performance, and lead capital-equipment planning. They will assess production capacity, resource requirements, operational risks, and cost impacts, and lead and develop manufacturing employees. Additionally, this role ensures manufacturing activities comply with applicable quality standards, legislation, and regulatory requirements.

Requirements

• A university degree in engineering, process management, manufacturing, or a related field is preferred, along with 5+ years of direct leadership experience working with manufacturing production systems, standards, regulations, and operating requirements.
• Demonstrated knowledge of manufacturing methodologies, production planning, inventory control, resource management, and process improvement.
• Experience leading manufacturing teams, including staffing, scheduling, coaching, and performance management.
• Experience with risk management, product testing, capability studies, control plans, and manufacturing quality systems.
• Demonstrated ability to identify production issues, conduct root-cause analysis, and implement corrective actions.
• Experience developing, reviewing, and maintaining manufacturing metrics, audits, procedures, project plans, test procedures, design documents, and other technical documentation.
• Strong communication and relationship-management skills, with the ability to work effectively with plant leadership, employees, vendors, customers, and cross-functional teams.
• High proficiency with Microsoft Office applications.
• Ability to travel approximately 5% within the United States, with valid authorization to do so.

Nice To Haves

• Training or practical experience with Six Sigma, Lean Manufacturing, Kaizen, waste reduction, or related continuous improvement methods is considered an asset, along with working knowledge of QS-9000, ISO 9000, or comparable quality-management systems.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership for manufacturing and plant initiatives across production operations.
• Develop long-term manufacturing strategies and lead the implementation of production systems, operating plans, and process standards.
• Translate business and plant objectives into production plans that support safety, quality, cost, delivery, capacity, and productivity requirements.
• Evaluate manufacturing systems and processes, identify performance gaps, and establish priorities for improvement.
• Develop standardized methods, scorecards, and operating metrics to assess manufacturing performance and guide decision-making.
• Apply Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen, and other structured improvement methods to improve throughput, reduce variation, eliminate waste, and lower production costs.
• Provide manufacturing expertise in support of new product development, production readiness, process validation, and operational scale-up.
• Determine optimal manufacturing methods, material usage, staffing models, production schedules, and workflow requirements.
• Lead the development of plant layouts, process flows, standard work, time studies, and other production standards.
• Partner with Quality Assurance, Manufacturing Engineering, Tooling, Maintenance, Supply Chain, and other functions to resolve complex production and quality issues.
• Evaluate manufacturing quality performance and support root-cause analysis, corrective actions, control plans, capability studies, and process controls.
• Lead capital-equipment planning, including equipment selection, business-case development, purchase, installation, commissioning, and start-up.
• Assess production capacity, resource requirements, operational risks, and cost impacts, and provide recommendations to plant and operations leadership.
• Lead and develop manufacturing employees, including workforce planning, staffing, scheduling, coaching, training, and performance management.
• Build problem-solving capability within production teams and support effective response to real-time manufacturing issues.
• Ensure manufacturing activities comply with applicable quality standards, legislation, and regulatory requirements.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Competitive Wages
• comprehensive benefit package with Immediate benefit eligibility
• Paid holidays and vacation
• Registered pension plan with generous company match
• On-the-job training in a continuous learning environment (we invested $15.9 million in 2024)
• Advancement opportunities within our family of companies

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager