Weld Shop Supervisor

About the role

The Weld Shop Supervisor leads the day-to-day execution and people performance of ENC's Weld Shop, where complete heavy-duty transit bus structures are fabricated in carbon steel and 304L stainless steel in an engineered-to-order, mixed-model production environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead daily Weld Shop operations, including fit-up, welding, and completion of carbon steel and 304L stainless steel bus frame structures, to meet safety, quality, delivery, cost, and productivity commitments.
• Translate the production schedule into daily priorities, staffing plans, work assignments, and recovery actions; adjust in real time for mixed models, engineered-to-order content, employee skills, material availability, equipment status, and engineering constraints.
• Set clear expectations at the start of each shift, conduct daily huddles, verify work in process, and communicate safety, quality, schedule, and staffing priorities throughout the day.
• Maintain a consistent shop-floor presence; listen to employee concerns, assess the facts, address issues promptly and fairly, close the loop, and escalate matters when additional support or authority is required.
• Apply Company policies and work rules fairly and consistently. Manage attendance, conduct, and performance through timely coaching, recognition, documentation, and corrective action in partnership with the Production Manager and Human Resources.
• Build constructive employee and labor relations through respectful communication, conflict resolution, de-escalation, and reliable follow-through while maintaining clear work direction and accountability.
• Supervise Weld Leads and Welders with accountability for schedule and takt attainment, labor hours and efficiency, first-pass quality, rework, safety performance, attendance, and housekeeping.
• Assign work based on qualifications, demonstrated skills, and capacity; maintain skill coverage, coordinate hands-on training and cross-training, complete performance reviews, and develop future leaders.
• Ensure work is performed to released drawings, specifications, work instructions, Welding Procedure Specifications (WPS), and quality requirements, including proper identification, handling, and segregation of carbon steel and stainless steel materials.
• Partner with Quality and welding inspection personnel to verify workmanship, support required inspections, contain nonconforming work, perform root-cause analysis, implement corrective actions, and prevent recurrence.
• Enforce all environmental, health, and safety requirements, including required personal protective equipment, hot-work controls, ventilation and fume extraction, equipment guarding, lockout/tagout, and safe material handling; stop and correct unsafe work.
• Coordinate with Planning, Materials, Manufacturing Engineering, Quality, Maintenance, EH&S, and downstream production areas to resolve shortages, design questions, quality issues, and workflow constraints.
• Monitor and communicate key performance indicators and maintain accurate records for labor, attendance, output, schedule status, quality, training, downtime, and corrective actions.
• Drive continuous improvement through standardized work, 5S, visual management, problem solving, and workflow or layout improvements that reduce waste and improve safety, quality, and throughput.
• Support staffing and overtime plans, employee selection and onboarding, and other production priorities as assigned by the Production Manager.
• Other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• 3-5 years of front-line supervisory or leadership experience in manufacturing, fabrication, assembly, or another skilled-trades production environment.
• A high school diploma or GED required.
• Demonstrated employee and labor relations experience, including listening to and resolving workplace concerns, conflict de-escalation, performance documentation, and consistent administration of policies and corrective action.
• Proven ability to set expectations and hold skilled production teams accountable for safety, quality, delivery, attendance, labor efficiency, and workplace conduct.
• Strong judgment, sense of urgency, problem-solving ability, and attention to detail.
• Excellent verbal and written communication, active listening, coaching, and conflict-resolution skills.
• Ability to interpret production schedules, staffing requirements, labor plans, performance metrics, and manufacturing documentation.
• Working knowledge of manufacturing safety, quality systems, lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, and workflow optimization.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and the ability to learn ERP and production-reporting systems.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior leadership or hands-on experience in structural welding or metal fabrication, particularly with carbon steel and 304L stainless steel.
• Ability to read and interpret engineering blueprints, weld symbols, dimensional requirements, and Welding Procedure Specifications (WPS).
• Familiarity with welder qualifications, weld traceability, inspection practices, nonconformance control, and repair documentation.
• Experience with heavy-duty vehicles, commercial vehicles, engineered-to-order products, or other large structural assemblies.
• An associate or bachelor's degree in manufacturing, operations, engineering, welding technology, or a related field.