Senior Manufacturing Manager

About the role

The Senior Manufacturing Manager in Heavy Industrial Manufacturing directs all large-scale plant operations and maintenance functions. This leadership role focuses on maximizing heavy equipment utilization, driving high-volume throughput, and enforcing rigorous industrial safety & quality standards. The ideal candidate optimizes complex, capital-intensive manufacturing lines while leading multi-layered teams of supervisors and skilled labor. This position reports to the Plant Manager.

Responsibilities

• Direct large-scale assembly, machining, fabrication, welding, or heavy component casting operations.
• Works with Plant Manager to develop long-term business plans, operational budgets, capital expenditure (CapEx) proposals, and technical strategies.
• Coordinate production schedules with logistics, procurement, and supply chain teams to hit delivery windows.
• Analyze operational data to eliminate bottlenecks, reduce scrap rates, and lower overall cost per unit.
• Enforce zero-harm safety cultures, upholding OSHA, environmental, and specialized heavy industry regulations.
• Implement robust Quality Management Systems (QMS) to guarantee zero-defect heavy engineering outputs.
• Lead root-cause investigations for major machinery failures, safety incidents, or structural quality deviations.
• Drive Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, and 5S initiatives tailored to heavy industrial footprints.
• Oversee preventative maintenance plans for massive capital assets, heavy machinery, and PLC control infrastructure.
• Optimize floor layouts to enhance safety, material handling efficiency, and physical ergonomics.
• Manage first-line supervisors & shift leaders.
• Mentor high-potential employees to build a reliable talent pipeline for multi-shift operations.

Requirements

• 7+ years of experience in heavy industrial manufacturing (e.g., aerospace, automotive, steel, mining, defense, or heavy equipment).
• 5+ years of direct managerial experience overseeing multi-shift operations or entire plant departments.
• 3+ years of experience working with equipment that is for forming, punching, press operations with steel or comparable metal.
• 3+ years of experience working or overseeing MIG welding operations.

Skills

• Deep knowledge of heavy processes like industrial CNC machining, complex electrical infrastructure, welding, or assembly.
• Expertise in industrial software, including Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES).
• Strong change management skills to lead teams through structural and technological changes.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or Master’s degree strongly preferred.