Paint Work Lead

Strong Hold•Louisville, KY

9h•Onsite

About The Position

Strong Hold is looking for an experienced Paint Work Lead to oversee our daily paint department operations, specifically managing both our high-volume powder coat and precision wet paint lines. This person will drive production activities by monitoring efficiency, ensuring top-tier finish quality, and enforcing strict safety protocols. The primary focus of this role is to manage the paint department workflow, supervise a dedicated team, and actively troubleshoot equipment and finish issues. The ideal candidate will seamlessly collaborate with fabrication, assembly, and management to ensure finished products meet our lifetime durability standards.

Requirements

3+ years of leadership experience in a manufacturing environment
Fluent in Microsoft Office (Teams, Outlook, Excel, etc.)
Organization, material flow, process improvement
Lead Kaizen events in your area with team members
Solid understanding of lean principles – improving material flow and continuous improvement
Strong attention to detail and ability to follow instructions accurately
Familiarity with basic math and measurements
Ability to lift heavy objects and stand for long periods of time

Responsibilities

Responsible for overall department output, strategic workflow planning, and personnel development, coordinating closely with the Paint Team Lead who handles direct daily job distribution to team of production associates.
Possess or rapidly obtain the technical skills required to be fully qualified for all positions on the paint team (including surface preparation, blasting, wet paint spraying, powder application, and oven operation) and be able to effectively communicate, train, and demonstrate these skills to team members.
Maintain comprehensive, up-to-date knowledge of environmental and safety procedures for all chemical handling, grounding, ventilation, and spray operations within the department; proactively train and audit team members on all safety and PPE rules.
Identify, troubleshoot, and correct paint finish defects (such as runs, sags, orange peel, light coverage, or adhesion issues) using tools like mil thickness gauges to guarantee a durable, high-quality coat.
Manage line speeds, racking configurations, and oven curing cycles to maximize throughput across both the wet paint and powder coat lines without compromising quality.
Ensure preventative maintenance is performed on spray guns, booths, wash systems, and curing ovens to minimize downtime.
Partner with the Paint Team Lead to foster an inclusive, productive environment, providing performance feedback, resolving conflicts, and supporting a multilingual workforce.