Manufacturing Manager

Gwynedd Manufacturing, a growing defense contractor located in North Wales, PA, is a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility dedicated to producing quality products for the U.S. Department of Defense and various U.S. Federal Law Enforcement Agencies. As an innovative company offering a wide array of products, we strive to continuously develop new technology and drive process improvement.

Position Summary

Gwynedd Manufacturing is seeking a hands-on Manufacturing Manager to oversee a designated production area within our high-precision manufacturing facility. This role is responsible for leading daily operations, supervising production personnel, and ensuring safety, quality, delivery, and productivity goals are consistently achieved.

The ideal candidate brings strong manufacturing leadership experience and a solid understanding of CNC machining processes. This position requires a highly visible leader who is actively engaged on the shop floor, coaching employees, solving problems, and driving continuous improvement initiatives within their assigned department.

Key Responsibilities

Production Leadership

• Lead daily operations within an assigned manufacturing area, ensuring production goals, quality standards, and delivery commitments are achieved.
• Maintain a strong presence on the shop floor, providing direction, support, and accountability to team members.
• Monitor workflow and production performance, identifying and resolving issues that impact productivity.
• Coordinate staffing, labor allocation, and departmental priorities to maximize efficiency.

Team Management

• Directly supervise Team Leads, CNC Machinists, Operators, and other production personnel within the assigned area.
• Conduct performance evaluations, coaching sessions, and disciplinary actions as needed.
• Train, mentor, and develop employees to support career growth and succession planning.
• Foster a culture of accountability, teamwork, and continuous improvement.

Operational Excellence

• Drive continuous improvement efforts focused on safety, quality, efficiency, and waste reduction.
• Identify opportunities to improve manufacturing processes, machine utilization, and workflow.
• Support implementation of standardized work practices and process improvements.
• Monitor and report departmental KPIs including productivity, scrap, quality, attendance, and on-time completion.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with Engineering, Quality, Production Planning, and Maintenance teams to support operational objectives.
• Assist in troubleshooting manufacturing issues and implementing corrective actions.
• Support new product introductions, process validations, and production readiness activities.
• Ensure production schedules are executed effectively within the assigned area.

• Safety & Compliance

• Promote and enforce all company safety policies and procedures.
• Maintain a clean, organized, and compliant work environment.
• Ensure employees follow all quality, safety, and operational requirements.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of manufacturing leadership experience in a production environment.
• Strong understanding of CNC machining operations, including mills, lathes, and related manufacturing processes.
• Prior experience as a Production Supervisor, Manufacturing Supervisor, Area Manager, Cell Manager, or similar leadership role.
• Experience leading teams in a high-volume, high-precision manufacturing environment.
• Strong problem-solving, organizational, and communication skills.
• Ability to effectively manage employee performance and departmental priorities.
• Experience utilizing ERP/MRP systems and manufacturing metrics preferred.
• Lean Manufacturing or continuous improvement experience preferred.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in firearms manufacturing, defense, aerospace, metal fabrication, or precision machining environments.
• Hands-on machining, setup, or programming experience strongly preferred.
• Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations, or a related field preferred.

Physical and Work Environment Requirements:

This position is based in a manufacturing environment and may require the following over extended periods of time up to a full 8-hour work shift (excluding lunch and breaks): stand, walk, sit, squat or bend, kneel and rise, lift, carry, push, or pull materials and equipment weighing up to — and occasionally exceeding — 50 pounds, view a computer or other digital screen, work on a computer, workstation or comparable system, and make accurate entries in such systems. Manual dexterity and fine motor skills are required for detailed assembly and precision work. Work may take place in areas with varying temperatures or no climate control, varying noise levels, and production equipment in motion. Proper personal protective equipment (PPE) must be worn in designated areas at all times as required by company policy. Reasonable accommodations may be available to enable individuals with disabilities but are always subject to safety concerns for the employee and all team members.  Employer may require a physical assessment of the candidate’s ability to perform these tasks as a condition of an offer letter.  Any assessment will be performed by a third party vendor and will be reported on a pass/fail basis with no other medical information conveyed to employer.

Equal Opportunity Employer:
Gwynedd Manufacturing is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

Note: This job description reflects general duties and responsibilities and is not intended to be an exhaustive list. Management may modify or assign other responsibilities as needed.