Mold Shop Manager

Title: Mold Shop Manager
Location: St. Francis, WI
Hire Type: Direct-Hire
Compensation: 100-130K
Benefits: Health, Dental, Vision, 401K, PTO
Must have Skill Set: 

• Mold manufacturing leadership experience
• CNC machining knowledge
• Tooling and mold shop management
• Production scheduling and resource planning
• Engineering drawing interpretation
• Manufacturing project management
• Team leadership and continuous improvement 

Overview:
We are seeking an experienced Mold Shop Manager to lead daily operations within a custom tooling and mold manufacturing environment. This leadership role is responsible for managing mold manufacturing projects from start to finish while ensuring tooling is completed on schedule, within budget, and to quality standards. The Mold Shop Manager will oversee production scheduling, coordinate machining and assembly resources, develop team members, drive continuous improvement initiatives, and maintain a safe, organized manufacturing environment. The ideal candidate combines strong technical knowledge of CNC machining, tooling, and mold manufacturing with proven leadership, project management, and problem-solving skills in a fast-paced manufacturing setting. 

Job Duties: 

• Lead and manage daily operations of the mold shop and tooling department.
• Create and maintain a strong culture of workplace safety.
• Promote continuous improvement initiatives throughout the manufacturing operation.
• Oversee mold manufacturing projects to ensure on-time and cost-effective completion.
• Monitor production schedules and maintain real-time project status for all active tooling projects.
• Coordinate workload across CNC machining, EDM, grinding, polishing, mold assembly, and finishing operations.
• Identify production bottlenecks and implement solutions to improve efficiency.
• Train, mentor, and develop mold makers and shop personnel.
• Evaluate employee performance and provide coaching and support.
• Assist with production coverage during employee absences, breaks, or vacations as needed.
• Maintain high standards of housekeeping and organization throughout the shop.
• Investigate tooling issues and implement corrective actions to prevent recurring nonconformities.
• Optimize labor, equipment, and manufacturing resources for maximum productivity.
• Review mold designs, engineering changes, and customer revisions.
• Lead mold design reviews and collaborate with engineering teams.
• Develop and maintain relationships with suppliers and outside vendors.
• Evaluate current equipment and recommend future capital equipment investments.
• Enforce company policies, operating procedures, and safety standards.
• Support cross-functional teams to ensure successful project execution and customer satisfaction.

Qualifications: 

• Minimum of 3 years of leadership or supervisory experience in a manufacturing environment.
• Experience managing multiple tooling or manufacturing projects simultaneously.
• Strong knowledge of CNC machining, tooling, and mold manufacturing processes.
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings and 3D CAD models.
• Strong organizational, communication, leadership, and problem-solving skills.
• Experience using Microsoft Office and ERP or manufacturing project tracking systems.

• Experience with Liquid Silicone Rubber (LSR) or silicone mold manufacturing.
• Experience with plastic injection mold design and mold construction.
• Experience with SolidWorks or similar CAD software.
• CAM programming experience.
• Hands-on CNC machining experience.
• Experience with mold assembly, mold qualification, and tooling troubleshooting.

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or genetic information.