The Production Lead is a critical business partner to the Founder and will have full oversight of the microfactory process from material inputs, through production and remanufacture to the fulfillment of finished goods. This person will be a collaborative team leader with direct responsibility for a small, growing team of Production Assistants. The successful candidate will be a strong operations leader and experienced woodworker, able to manage multiple workstreams, forsee issues, creatively solve problems, and manage others to consistently meet production and quality targets. Prior experience producing and installing commercial quality products is a plus.

Responsibilities

Production Planning and Woodworking:

• Supervise the ins/outs of manufacturing and production flow, including deep knowledge of each process: recycling operation, tile production, woodworking, order fulfillment
• Create and maintain production plans 3-6 months in advance; adjust as needed based on sales and demand
• Set/adjust daily production goals and track team productivity
• Ensure best shop practices are being met, including safety in accordance with OSHA and internal guidelines, cleanliness, organization
• Maintain machinery and equipment
• Act as Lead Woodworker, ensuring the high quality of standard and custom projects
• Read product specifications and translate this into daily tasks for the woodworking team
• Plan and assign daily tasks to ensure that custom orders are completed on time
• Adapt and execute lean manufacturing methodologies with a focus on eliminating waste; improve process and boost operational excellence

Leadership and Management:

• Communicate and collaborate with the Founder regularly, with full ownership of microfactory metrics, capacity, headcount, inventory counts, and scheduling
• Ensure compliance to Corporate manufacturing processes (e.g. SOS and SOPs) to ensure quality, consistency, and safe practices are sustained
• Build, maintain, and manage team performance including: hiring, training, development, feedback, etc. to ensure consistent attendance, performance and work quality
• Drive team retention by creating and maintaining a shop culture that encourages growth and development, listens to feedback, and maintains accountability

Qualifications

• Minimum 3 years supervisory experience, ideally in manufacturing/production environment
• Minimum 3 years experience as a skilled woodworker
• Demonstrated leadership experience in driving team performance and on-time delivery of commitments
• Collaborative and supportive leadership style with strong listening skills and demonstrated track record of coaching/mentoring of others
• Strong track record for attention to detail and data-driven decision-making
• Experience translating strategy into tactics and driving team performance
• Previous experience in startup, or lean manufacturing a plus

ChopValue’s pioneering manufacturing process gives bamboo chopsticks a second life by transforming this under utilized urban waste into beautiful, functional design products. Just as there is diversity in the types of chopsticks we collect, there is diversity in our design, production, and engineering teams. Our commonality lies in our authenticity, curiosity, and dedication to what we feel is a worthwhile endeavor, not just personally but also environmentally and socially. We are looking for enthusiastic people who share those qualities and can overcome whatever challenges they may encounter using reason, problem-solving skills, and teamwork. We might be small in size but, with the right people on our team, our impact can be massive.