The Role
Coordinates and delivers hands-on training for manufacturing employees across two facilities and multiple shifts. Develops onboarding, job qualification, cross-training, refresher, and remedial programs; creates work instructions and skill assessments; maintains training, qualification, and skills matrices; and ensures competency, safety, quality, and production standards. Partners with supervisors, Quality, EHS, Engineering, Maintenance, HR, and subject matter experts to address skill gaps, support new equipment and processes, prepare for audits, and improve training effectiveness through Lean and continuous improvement initiatives.
Summary Generated by Built In
Job Summary:
Reporting to the Senior Director of Corporate Compliance, the Manufacturing Training Manager coordinates, delivers, and documents training for the company’s manufacturing employees to ensure they have the knowledge, skills, and qualifications needed to perform their jobs safely, efficiently, and in accordance with quality and production standards. This hands-on position serves as the primary training resource on the manufacturing floor, partnering with Production Supervisors, Team Leaders, Quality, EHS, Engineering, Maintenance, and Human Resources to support new-hire onboarding, job-specific qualification, cross-training, refresher training, and continuous improvement. The Manufacturing Training Manager translates procedures and technical requirements into clear, practical instruction at employees’ workstations.
This position supports manufacturing facilities in Hampton and Griffin, GA, and requires regular on-site presence at both locations. Flexibility in scheduling is required to support training across multiple shifts, including early morning, evening, or off-shift hours as needed.Essential Responsibilities:
Reporting to the Senior Director of Corporate Compliance, the Manufacturing Training Manager coordinates, delivers, and documents training for the company’s manufacturing employees to ensure they have the knowledge, skills, and qualifications needed to perform their jobs safely, efficiently, and in accordance with quality and production standards. This hands-on position serves as the primary training resource on the manufacturing floor, partnering with Production Supervisors, Team Leaders, Quality, EHS, Engineering, Maintenance, and Human Resources to support new-hire onboarding, job-specific qualification, cross-training, refresher training, and continuous improvement. The Manufacturing Training Manager translates procedures and technical requirements into clear, practical instruction at employees’ workstations.
This position supports manufacturing facilities in Hampton and Griffin, GA, and requires regular on-site presence at both locations. Flexibility in scheduling is required to support training across multiple shifts, including early morning, evening, or off-shift hours as needed.Essential Responsibilities:
- Partner with HR, Training & Development, Operations, EHS, Quality, Engineering, and subject matter experts to assess manufacturing training needs and develop, deliver, and evaluate programs supporting onboarding, job proficiency, safety, compliance, quality, and performance, while contributing to the company’s learning strategy and design.
- Partner with supervisors and team leads to identify skill gaps contributing to productivity losses, scrap, rework, downtime, or safety concerns while maintaining training and qualification standards.
- Facilitate and manage the development of structured on-the-job training programs, instructional materials, visual work instructions, one-point lessons, and practical skill assessments in partnership with functional experts. Ensure technical content is reviewed and approved by the appropriate content owners.
- Coordinate and conduct manufacturing floor training for new and existing employees; maintain training schedules that support production requirements and consistent instruction across shifts.
- Lead production-floor onboarding, introducing new employees to safety requirements, quality expectations, work procedures, and performance standards; coordinate with Human Resources on Day One and Week One onboarding activities.
- Provide hands-on instruction in machine operation, assembly and production processes, material handling, inspection, documentation, and other assigned tasks within the Manager’s qualifications; engage qualified subject matter experts when needed.
- Adapt instruction to employee experience levels and learning needs; demonstrate tasks clearly, provide constructive coaching, and reinforce standardized work.
- Use current and approved work instructions, standard operating procedures (SOPs), job safety analyses (JSAs), drawings, and quality specifications; report outdated, unclear, or incomplete materials to the responsible content owner.
- Reinforce applicable PPE, machine safety, housekeeping, and emergency procedures during instruction; incorporate quality standards, inspection requirements, defect awareness, and accurate documentation.
- Coordinate structured cross-training to improve workforce flexibility and coverage of critical positions; work with supervisors to establish individual training and development plans.
- Coordinate training for new equipment and new or revised manufacturing processes before employees begin affected work.
- Provide refresher or remedial training when performance issues, quality concerns, safety incidents, process deviations, or procedure changes identify training needs.
- Maintain a strong floor presence, observe assigned tasks, coach employees, and serve as an approachable resource for manufacturing process and work requirement questions.
- Immediately communicate unsafe practices, quality risks, or significant deviations from standard work to the appropriate supervisor or manager.
- Conduct or coordinate practical skill assessments and document demonstrated competency before recommending employees for independent work; coordinate qualification approval with production management and designated technical owners.
- Maintain accurate employee training records, skills matrices, qualification matrices, and cross-training matrices; track required training, completion, demonstrated competency, and renewal requirements.
- Monitor upcoming and overdue training or qualifications, communicate skill gaps to supervisors, and follow through on completion plans.
- Keep training records current and available for internal, customer, or regulatory audits; protect employee information and follow record-retention and access requirements.
- Provide regular management updates on training completion, qualification status, skill coverage, and training effectiveness; participate in production, safety, quality, and employee development meetings.
- Participate in Lean manufacturing, 5S, and continuous improvement initiatives; document and share best practices and recommend improvements to training delivery and effectiveness.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
- Bachelor’s Degree in a related field. An equivalent combination of education, technical training, and relevant experience may be considered.
- Three or more years of experience in manufacturing, production, assembly, machining, fabrication, or a similar industrial environment.
- Demonstrated experience in training, coaching, mentoring, or leading manufacturing employees in roles such as Manufacturing Trainer, Training Coordinator, Lead Operator, Team Leader or Production Lead.
- Demonstrated experience in developing and maintaining training matrices, qualification systems, visual work instructions, one-point lessons, or structured on-the-job training programs.
- Working knowledge of safety, quality, and production practices.
- Ability to read and understand work instructions, SOPs, drawings, specifications, and other documentation applicable to assigned operations.
- Ability to demonstrate manufacturing processes clearly and provide constructive coaching and feedback.
- Strong verbal and written communication, organizational, recordkeeping, and follow-up skills.
- Basic proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint.
- Ability to work effectively with employees at all organizational levels and support training across assigned production schedules.
- Experience in an ISO-certified or similarly regulated manufacturing environment.
- Familiarity with Lean manufacturing, 5S, standardized work, Kaizen, and continuous improvement principles.
- OSHA, Train-the-Trainer, technical training, or other relevant training credentials.
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in a related field, or equivalent combination of education, technical training, and relevant experience
- Three or more years of experience in manufacturing, production, assembly, machining, fabrication, or a similar industrial environment
- Experience training, coaching, mentoring, or leading manufacturing employees
- Experience developing and maintaining training matrices, qualification systems, visual work instructions, one-point lessons, or structured on-the-job training programs
- Working knowledge of safety, quality, and production practices
- Ability to read and understand work instructions, SOPs, drawings, specifications, and applicable operational documentation
- Ability to demonstrate manufacturing processes clearly and provide constructive coaching and feedback
- Strong verbal and written communication, organizational, recordkeeping, and follow-up skills
- Basic proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint
- Ability to work effectively with employees at all organizational levels and support training across assigned production schedules
- Experience in an ISO-certified or similarly regulated manufacturing environment
- Familiarity with Lean manufacturing, 5S, standardized work, Kaizen, and continuous improvement principles
- OSHA, Train-the-Trainer, technical training, or other relevant training credentials
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The Company
What We Do
Southern States, LLC is the world's largest manufacturer of high-voltage disconnect switches and a provider of essential products and services to electric utilities in the U.S. and Canada. The company specializes in high-voltage switching solutions and grid-resiliency technology designed to transfer bulk power, balance loads, and protect critical power infrastructure assets from damaging overcurrents, supporting the electric power grid for over a century.
