Performance Leader - Manufacturing

Company Overview:

Royal Oak Enterprises, LLC is a leading manufacturer and marketer of branded and private label charcoal, manufactured fire logs, fire building products, matches and toothpicks.  In addition, the Company also manufactures railroad cross ties, which strengthens our relationship with our suppliers in the charcoal business.  We offer a full suite of grilling products including charcoal briquettes, all-natural lump charcoal, fire starters along with the Pine Mountain fire building brand, the Diamond brand, and the Specialty Wood Products brand.   

Position Summary:

The Performance Leader - Manufacturing serves as a key people developer and operational leader, focusing on building high-performing teams through comprehensive employee development programs. This role is responsible for creating and implementing training pathways that take employees from initial onboarding through advanced cross-functional expertise, while maintaining optimal operations. The Performance Leader - Manufacturing serves as a key people developer and operational leader, focusing on building high-performing teams through comprehensive employee development programs. This role is responsible for creating and implementing training pathways that take employees from initial onboarding through advanced cross-functional expertise, while maintaining optimal operations.

Job Responsibilities:

• Onboarding & Initial Training.
• Design and implement structured onboarding programs for new operation team members.
• Create individualized training plans based on skill assessments and position requirements.
• Provide hands-on guidance during initial training periods.
• Monitor new employee progress and adjust training approaches as needed.
• Ensure proper safety and operational procedure training from day one.
• Skill Development & Cross-Training.
• Develop comprehensive cross-training matrices for all operation positions.
• Identify high-potential employees for advanced skill development.
• Create and maintain skill progression pathways for each role.
• Implement mentorship programs pairing experienced operators with developing team members.
• Track and document employee certifications and capabilities.
• Coordinate with other departments to facilitate cross-functional training opportunities.
• Performance Management & Career Development.
• Conduct regular one-on-one development discussions with team members.
• Set clear performance expectations and development goals.
• Provide ongoing feedback and coaching for continuous improvement.
• Lead formal performance reviews and development planning sessions.
• Create improvement plans for underperforming employees.
• Identify and develop future leaders within the operations team.
• Operational Leadership Responsibilities:
• Team Management.
• Maintain optimal staffing levels through strategic scheduling.
• Monitor and improve attendance patterns.
• Foster a culture of continuous learning and improvement.
• Lead daily shift meetings and team communications.
• Manage conflict resolution and team dynamics.
• Assist with continuous improvement efforts by embracing Lean and Six Sigma tools that will ultimately provide control plans that will have to be written and communicated via S.O.P. documents.

Essential Skills:

• Strong mentoring and coaching abilities.
• Excellent organizational and documentation skills.
• Ability to develop and deliver training content.
• Strong problem-solving capabilities.
• Effective conflict resolution skills.

Work Schedule:

• Regular shift schedule with flexibility for training needs.
• Available for all shifts during training periods.
• Occasional weekend availability for development programs.

Physical Requirements:

• Active presence on production floor for hands-on training.
• Ability to demonstrate operations tasks.
• Capable of working in various environmental conditions.

Success Metrics:

• Employee retention rates.
• Cross-training completion percentages.
• Performance improvement statistics.
• Training program effectiveness.
• Production efficiency metrics.
• Team member advancement rates. 

Position Requirements/Qualifications:

• Preferred Bachelor's degree in Business, Engineering, Operations or a related field.
• 5 years of direct management experience in a manufacturing environment.
• Must be a result driven leader within a time-sensitive environment.
• Must be a strategic thinker, planner, able to drive continuous improvement and achieve results.
• Must have strong leadership, interpersonal, organizational, motivational, and communication skills which can be demonstrated in an everyday work environment.
• Firm understanding of KPI’s and delivering results.
• Experience in developing and planning forecast and executing operating budgets.
• Proficiency in the use of personal computers including MS Outlook, Excel (i.e. pivot tables, formula, conditional formatting etc.), and Word.
• Six Sigma or Lean manufacturing experience.
• Possess high professional ethics, dependability, good judgment and ability to take decisive action.
• Adhere to company safety and quality standards.
• Experience with learning management systems.
• Background in adult education or training.
• Knowledge of skill matrix development.
• Experience in charcoal or similar manufacturing environment.

Safety:

• Promote 5S excellent housekeeping.
• Monitor equipment integrity and compliance to design specs.
• Foresight awareness for at risk behavior and conditions.
• Perform observations and monitor daily work practices.
• Encourage participation in Human Organization Performance Participation.
• Safety stewards; promote good mfg. standards.
• Maintain environmental requirements/ permit compliance.
• Supports safety related initiatives. 

Physical Requirements and Work Environment:

• Active presence on production floor for hands-on training.
• Ability to demonstrate operations tasks.
• Capable of working in various environmental conditions.

Royal Oak Enterprises, LLC is an equal opportunity employer.  We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an all-inclusive environment.

We are interested in every qualified candidate who is eligible to work in the United States.  However, we are not able to sponsor visas.