Melt Shop Manager

Melt Shop Manager

Location: Zanesville, OH

Direct-Hire Full-Time

Growth Potential, Great Benefits & 401K

We are seeking a Melt Shop Manager to lead one of the plant's most critical production departments. This is a high-impact leadership opportunity for an experienced manufacturing operations leader who has successfully managed a department within a metals manufacturing environment and is passionate about driving safety, operational excellence, and continuous improvement.

Reporting directly to the Plant Manager, the Melt Shop Manager will provide leadership to supervisors and production teams while improving throughput, yields, productivity, and overall operational performance. While prior melt shop experience is valued, the organization is willing to train the right operations leader who has demonstrated success leading departments within the metals industry.

Qualifications:

• 5 years of leadership experience in a manufacturing environment.
• Experience managing a department within a metals manufacturing operation (steel, foundry, aluminum, copper, iron, or other metals processing environments preferred).
• Proven success leading supervisors and managing departmental operations.
• Demonstrated ability to improve operational metrics including throughput, yields, productivity, efficiency, quality, and other key performance indicators.
• Strong operations management background with experience driving accountability and continuous improvement.
• Experience utilizing Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, or other operational excellence methodologies.
• Strong leadership, communication, coaching, and relationship-building skills.
• Mechanical aptitude with strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Comfortable leading teams through change while maintaining employee engagement.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to prioritize in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
• Willingness to work flexible hours as needed to support a 24/7 operation.

Essential Duties:

Safety & Environmental Leadership

• Champion a culture centered on safety, accountability, and environmental stewardship.
• Partner with Safety and Environmental teams to ensure compliance with OSHA, EPA, and company standards.
• Promote safe work practices while driving continuous improvement in safety performance.

Operations Leadership

• Lead all day-to-day departmental operations to achieve production, quality, cost, and delivery objectives.
• Monitor and improve key operational metrics including throughput, yields, productivity, efficiency, downtime, scrap, and labor utilization.
• Analyze production data and implement corrective actions to improve department performance.
• Identify bottlenecks and develop sustainable process improvements that increase operational effectiveness.
• Partner with Maintenance, Engineering, Quality, and Production Planning to maximize equipment reliability and production output.

Leadership & Team Development

• Directly lead four department supervisors while providing indirect leadership to approximately 30 production employees.
• Establish clear expectations, accountability, and performance goals throughout the department.
• Coach, mentor, and develop supervisors to strengthen leadership capabilities and employee engagement.
• Foster a culture built on teamwork, communication, and continuous improvement.

Continuous Improvement

• Drive Lean Manufacturing and operational excellence initiatives throughout the department.
• Lead problem-solving efforts focused on improving productivity, reducing waste, increasing yields, and optimizing processes.
• Support capital improvement projects and operational initiatives that improve long-term plant performance.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with Plant Leadership, HR, Maintenance, Engineering, and Quality to achieve business objectives.
• Communicate departmental performance, priorities, and improvement opportunities with key stakeholders.
• Build strong working relationships across the organization to support plant-wide success.

Education:

• Bachelor's degree required.
• Degree in Engineering, Business, Operations Management, Industrial Technology, or another related field is preferred, but not required.
• Equivalent leadership experience within a metals manufacturing environment will be strongly considered.