Manufacturing Operations Manager
About The Position
IronLeaf Designs is seeking a hands-on Manufacturing Operations Manager to lead its fabrication team and own daily shop-floor operations. This is a working leadership position responsible for directing jobs from release through production, inspection, and shipment while coordinating people, equipment, materials, and deadlines. The manager is expected to delegate effectively, hold the team accountable, solve real-time problems, maintain a safe and organized operation, and perform manufacturing work when needed. The position reports to the Chief Operating Officer (COO). The role oversees end-to-end job execution, including job readiness, material preparation, fabrication, quality inspection, protective packaging, labeling, and shipping handoff. It also covers shop-floor inventory and equipment control, production documentation and traceability in support of ISO 9001:2015 quality-management efforts, preventive maintenance coordination, and safe work practices. This is an active, on-site industrial manufacturing role involving extended standing and walking, bending, reaching, lifting, and hands-on work around machinery, metal, plastics, noise, and fabrication equipment. Required protective equipment and safety procedures must be followed.
Requirements
- At least 5 years of hands-on experience in an industrial manufacturing or fabrication shop.
- Demonstrated hands-on CNC experience, including practical knowledge of machine setup, operation, production troubleshooting, and shop-floor workflows.
- Direct, hands-on experience manufacturing or fabricating products using both metal and plastic materials.
- At least 2 years of managerial or supervisory experience in a similar manufacturing or fabrication environment, with demonstrated success leading teams, delegating work, and holding employees accountable.
- Proven ability to manage multiple fabrication jobs from start to finish while meeting quality standards and deadlines.
- Ability to read technical drawings, understand dimensions and tolerances, and use precision measuring and inspection tools.
- Working knowledge of inventory control, material planning, quality inspection, production documentation, and workplace safety.
- Strong organizational, communication, problem-solving, and mechanical troubleshooting skills.
- Willingness to work on the shop floor daily.
- Ability to meet the physical demands of extended standing and walking, bending, reaching, lifting, and hands-on work around machinery, metal, plastics, noise, and fabrication equipment.
- Ability to use required protective equipment and follow safety procedures.
Nice To Haves
- Experience with CNC routers, CNC plasma tables, press brakes, saws, and related fabrication equipment.
- Experience with fiber laser cutting systems, including 6kW equipment, nesting, or programming software.
- Experience with CMM inspection equipment and structured quality-management systems, including ISO 9001:2015.
- Experience improving production flow, shop procedures, material control, and employee training.
Responsibilities
- Own daily manufacturing-floor operations, including staffing, work assignments, priorities, machine utilization, and job readiness.
- Lead, coach, train, and manage CNC router, 6kW fiber laser, plasma, press brake, fabrication, and general production personnel; set expectations and address performance concerns.
- Delegate work based on employee skills, machine capacity, material availability, and delivery commitments, and follow up on completion.
- Run daily production reviews, remove bottlenecks, respond to changing priorities, and communicate risks and resource needs to the COO.
- Work hands-on with the team to support setups, troubleshoot equipment or processes, and keep production moving when necessary.
- Oversee assigned jobs from initial review and planning through material preparation, fabrication, in-process and final quality inspection, protective packaging, labeling, and shipping handoff.
- Confirm job packets, drawings, specifications, tooling, materials, and quality requirements are complete and accessible before work begins.
- Track job status, labor progress, due dates, rework, and production issues; coordinate handoffs between processes and departments.
- Own final quality inspection and packaging readiness by verifying conformance to customer drawings, specifications, tolerances, and workmanship requirements, completing inspection records, and ensuring finished parts are protected, labeled, and packaged before shipment.
- Maintain accurate production documentation and traceability in support of ISO 9001:2015 quality-management efforts.
- Oversee shop-floor inventory control, including receiving coordination, material identification, storage, stock accuracy, and usage tracking.
- Monitor material levels and job-specific requirements and communicate replenishment needs before shortages interrupt production.
- Promote proper material handling and minimize scrap, waste, misplaced stock, and unauthorized material use.
- Ensure tools, consumables, equipment, and work areas are maintained, organized, and ready for production.
- Coordinate preventive maintenance, equipment repairs, safe work practices, and required PPE.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Manager
Education Level
No Education Listed
