Our client, a growing custom metal fabrication company in Madison Heights, is seeking an experienced Shop Manager to oversee daily manufacturing operations and lead a high-performing production team. This is a hands-on leadership opportunity for a proven manufacturing professional who thrives in a fast-paced custom job shop environment and has a strong background in fabrication, welding, machining, and production management.

The successful candidate will be responsible for ensuring customer projects are completed safely, efficiently, on schedule, and within labor and production budgets while maintaining exceptional quality standards.

What You'll Do

Production Planning & Shop Operations

• Direct and oversee day-to-day fabrication shop operations.
• Manage multiple active work orders from production launch through shipment.
• Develop and maintain production schedules based on customer commitments, labor availability, equipment capacity, and material readiness.
• Monitor workflow across fabrication, laser cutting, welding, machining, assembly, finishing, and shipping departments.
• Identify and resolve production bottlenecks, scheduling conflicts, and workflow disruptions.
• Ensure all projects move efficiently through each stage of production.

Labor Cost & Job Performance Management

• Monitor actual labor hours against estimated job budgets.
• Track production progress daily to identify potential labor overruns before they impact profitability.
• Implement corrective actions to improve efficiency and maintain project budgets.
• Review employee time reporting and labor allocations for accuracy.
• Partner with Operations and Sales teams to improve estimating accuracy and job profitability.

Team Leadership & Employee Development

• Lead, coach, and develop production personnel and department leads.
• Assign work based on skill level, production priorities, and deadlines.
• Establish clear expectations regarding productivity, quality, attendance, and safety.
• Address performance concerns and create opportunities for employee growth.
• Foster a culture of accountability, teamwork, and continuous improvement.

Cross-Department Communication

• Act as the primary liaison between Production, Sales, Purchasing, and Operations.
• Provide accurate updates on job status, production capacity, completion timelines, and potential delays.
• Support customer satisfaction by maintaining realistic scheduling and delivery commitments.
• Participate in production meetings and operational planning discussions.

Material & Inventory Coordination

• Ensure job-specific materials are available before production begins.
• Coordinate closely with Purchasing to prevent material shortages and production delays.
• Monitor incoming material deliveries and resolve supplier-related issues.
• Maintain effective control of job-related inventory and material usage.

Quality & Continuous Improvement

• Ensure all work meets customer drawings, specifications, and quality standards.
• Monitor rework, scrap, and quality issues and implement corrective actions.
• Identify opportunities to improve processes, productivity, communication, and workflow efficiency.
• Promote safe work practices and operational excellence throughout the facility.

Qualifications

Required:

• Minimum 5 years of progressive management or supervisory experience within a fabrication, welding, manufacturing, or custom job shop environment.
• Experience managing production schedules, multiple concurrent work orders, and changing customer priorities.
• Strong knowledge of fabrication processes, production workflow, labor allocation, and job costing.
• Proven ability to manage labor budgets and production efficiency.
• Experience coordinating multiple departments and balancing competing deadlines.
• Strong leadership, coaching, and employee development skills.
• Excellent organizational, communication, and problem-solving abilities.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, spreadsheets, production tracking systems, and work order management.

Preferred:

• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings and manufacturing specifications.
• Background in laser cutting, welding, machining, or custom metal fabrication operations.
• Experience in lean manufacturing and continuous improvement initiatives.

What Success Looks Like

The ideal Shop Manager will:

• Keep projects on schedule and within allocated labor hours.
• Improve labor productivity and shop profitability.
• Maintain visibility of every active work order and production milestone.
• Ensure accurate communication between Production, Sales, Purchasing, and Operations.
• Minimize delays through proactive material planning and scheduling.
• Build a safe, organized, accountable, and high-performing production environment.

Why Apply?

• Direct Hire Opportunity
• Stable Day Shift Schedule
• Leadership Position with Growth Potential
• Opportunity to Make a Significant Impact on Shop Performance
• Collaborative Team Environment
• Competitive Compensation Based on Experience

Ready to take the next step in your manufacturing leadership career? Apply today to learn more about this exciting Shop Manager opportunity in Madison Heights, MI.