Precision Sheet Metal Fabrication Manager

Job Description: Precision Sheet Metal Fabrication Manager
Job Title: Precision Sheet Metal Fabrication Manager
Department: Manufacturing / Production
Reports To: Director of Manufacturing
FLSA Status: Exempt
Employment Type: Full-Time
Pay Range:  $90,000- $120,000. Annually
Location: Hathaway Facility
Position Summary
The Precision Sheet Metal Fabrication Manager is responsible for overseeing all aspects of sheet metal fabrication operations, including safety, employee training and supervisor, production planning, quality control, workflow optimization, equipment utilization, and on-time delivery. This position ensures that the precision components and assemblies meet customer specifications, engineering requirements, quality standards, and production schedules while maintaining a safe, efficient, and cost-effective manufacturing environment.
The ideal candidate combines strong technical knowledge of precision sheet metal fabrication with proven leadership, problem-solving, and production management skills. This individual will drive continuous improvement, develop employees, and collaborate with engineering, quality, purchasing, and other departments to achieve operational excellence.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
1. Production and Fabrication Management

• Oversee 1st and 2nd shift operations
• Manage daily fabrication operations to meet production schedules, customer requirements, and delivery commitments.
• Oversee laser cutting, punching, shearing, press brake forming, deburring, hardware insertion, welding, and related fabrication processes.
• Oversee CNC programming and nesting priorities, including material yield and remnant management.
• Coordinate job priorities, labor assignments, machine capacity, and material availability.
• Review production work orders, drawings, and specifications to ensure manufacturing requirements are understood and followed.
• Monitor work-in-process, production bottlenecks, and equipment utilization to maximize throughput.
• Ensure efficient material handling, setup procedures, changeovers, and production flow.
• Coordinate with scheduling and planning teams to respond to changing priorities and expedite critical orders.

2. Quality Assurance and Process Control

• Ensure fabricated parts meet dimensional tolerances, drawing requirements, workmanship standards, and specifications.
• Work closely with Quality Assurance to address nonconforming material, corrective actions, and root-cause investigations.
• Ensure proper use of measuring equipment, inspection documentation, and quality records.
• Support compliance with applicable quality management systems, including ISO 9001.
• Ensure work follows the company’s traveler, CAPA and DCN processes.
• Reduce scrap, rework, defects, and variation through improved processes and employee training.

3. Leadership and Employee Development

• Supervise, coach, and develop fabrication supervisors, leads, machine operators, and other production personnel.
• Establish clear performance expectations and hold team members accountable for safety, quality, productivity, and attendance.
• Identify training needs and develop employee cross-training and skills-development programs.
• Conduct performance reviews and provide constructive feedback.
• Foster a culture of teamwork, accountability, continuous improvement, and employee engagement.
• Support workforce planning, staffing, and succession development.
• Interview, hire, discipline and terminate in coordination with HR.

4. Continuous Improvement and Operational Efficiency

• Identify and implement improvements in production methods, workflow, machine setup, and material utilization.
• Apply Lean Manufacturing, standard work, and other continuous improvement practices.
• Analyze production data to identify trends, recurring issues, and opportunities for improvement.
• Develop and implement standard operating procedures and best practices.
• Reduce setup times, cycle times, and unnecessary material movement.
• Participate in capital equipment evaluations and process improvement projects.

5. Equipment, Maintenance, and Safety

• Ensure fabrication equipment is properly operated, maintained, and available for production.
• Coordinate preventive maintenance and equipment repairs with maintenance personnel.
• Identify equipment limitations, recurring downtime, and opportunities for upgrades.
• Enforce workplace safety procedures, machine guarding requirements, PPE use, and safe material handling practices.
• Maintain an organized, clean, and safe production environment.
• Lockout/tagout, press break point-of-operation guarding, laser safety and forklift operation safety is all part of production requirements.
• Investigate safety incidents and implement corrective measures in accordance with company procedures.

6. Cross-Functional Coordination

• Collaborate with Engineering on manufacturability, drawing revisions, tolerances, tooling, and process improvements.
• Coordinate with Planning and Purchasing to ensure material availability and realistic production schedules.
• Partner with Quality to resolve defects and maintain consistent process control.
• Ensure accurate shop-floor labor reporting at all times
• Work with Customer Service and Operations leadership to communicate production status, delivery risks, and recovery plans.
• Participate in new product introduction, prototype development, and production process validation.
• Provide technical input on fabrication methods, labor estimates, equipment capabilities, and production costs.
• Coordinate handoff to finishing, final assembly and shipping.

7. Cost and Performance Management

• Monitor departmental performance against established production and financial goals.
• Manage labor costs, overtime, consumable usage, scrap, and rework.
• Identify opportunities to improve profitability and manufacturing efficiency.
• Ensure accurate shop-floor labor reporting.
• Track and report key performance indicators (KPIs), including:
  • On-time delivery
  • Production output and schedule attainment
  • Labor productivity
  • Machine utilization and downtime
  • First-pass yield