Tooling Manager

POSITION PURPOSE/MISSION:

Lead and direct multi-site tooling operations across the Shawano and Bonduel, Wisconsin locations. This role is primarily responsible for creating and maintaining tooling, patterns, and core boxes in a green sand foundry environment. The Tooling Manager will guide a team of internal Pattern Makers and assigned production employees to ensure our tooling is properly prepared for new product launches, meets customer requirements, adheres to production schedules, and supports long-term operational needs.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s Degree in a technical discipline or equivalent experience.
• 7+ years of experience in a heavy manufacturing, foundry, tooling, machining, pattern making, or related manufacturing environment.
• 3+ years of supervisory/leadership experience in a manufacturing, foundry, tooling, machining, or pattern-making environment.
• Experience managing or leading a pattern shop, tool and die operation, or a similar skilled trades environment.
• Demonstrated knowledge of green sand foundry operations, including pattern creation, pattern maintenance, core boxes, gating, rigging, molding lines, and tooling requirements.
• Experience with CAD, CAM, CNC equipment, tooling design software, or computerized maintenance/work order systems.
• Demonstrated experience in cost reduction through process improvements, Continuous Improvement techniques, tooling reliability improvements, and project management.
• Ability to read and interpret blueprints, drawings, specifications, work instructions, and customer requirements.
• Knowledge of precision measurement instruments, machining equipment, power tools, hand tools, and tooling repair methods.
• Ability to evaluate tooling condition, prioritize repair and maintenance needs, and determine appropriate corrective actions.
• Demonstrated experience in fostering a culture of teamwork, including cross-functional teams, to coach, motivate, lead, and develop direct reports.
• Proficient in the basic features of Microsoft Office products.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Master’s Degree in a technical discipline or equivalent experience.
• 10+ years of experience in a heavy manufacturing, foundry, tooling, machining, pattern making, or related manufacturing environment.
• 5+ years of supervisory/leadership experience in a manufacturing, foundry, tooling, machining, or pattern-making environment.
• Experience working in a green sand iron foundry environment.
• Experience managing pattern shops, tooling departments, machining areas, or skilled trades employees.
• Experience coordinating outsourced tooling, pattern construction, pattern repair, or vendor-performed tooling work.
• Experience in an organization with ISO/Quality System Requirements.

MAJOR ACCOUNTABILITIES:

• Lead multi-site tooling operations across the Shawano and Bonduel locations.
• Direct an organized and systematic approach to the tooling needs of the plant by managing staffing, equipment, tooling priorities, training needs, tooling capacity and capability, pattern readiness, and tooling maintenance.
• Work directly with internal teams such as New Product Development, Commercial, Operations, Safety, and Quality, as well as external vendors and customers to define tooling requirements.
• Lead tooling operations for the green sand foundry environment via pattern creation, pattern modification, pattern repair, core box readiness, gating, mounting, rigging, outsourced tooling, and tooling maintenance activities.
• Supervise Pattern Makers and Production Shift Supervisors by providing operational direction, assigning priorities, monitoring performance, developing employees, and ensuring work is completed according to safety, quality, customer, and production requirements.
• Participate in developing and managing the tooling operation budget including materials, outsourced tooling, repair costs, supplies, and tooling-related capital needs.
• Ensure patterns, core boxes, gating, and related tooling comply with quality, customer, production, and dimensional requirements.
• Coordinate with production, quality, engineering, maintenance, scheduling, safety, and external vendors to resolve tooling-related issues and support production schedules.
• Review blueprints, drawings, specifications, customer requirements, and work instructions to ensure tooling is created, modified, repaired, and maintained to exact requirements.
• Follow Environmental, Quality and Safety Management System procedures and requirements.
• Ability to meet the essential job requirements, with or without reasonable accommodation, as outlined in the job description.

RESPONSIBILITIES FOR SUPERVISION:

• Production Shift Supervisors
• Pattern Makers
• Forklift Operators
• CDL Driver & Technicians

ORGANIZATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS:

• Reports to: Plant Manager
• Primary internal customers: Production, Quality, Engineering, Maintenance, Safety, Human Resources, New Product Development, Commercial, Plant Leadership.
• Primary external customers: Tooling vendors, pattern suppliers, equipment suppliers, and customers as required by the business.

POSITION CHALLENGES:

• Responding to changing customer, production, and tooling requirements.
• Balancing urgent production needs with preventive maintenance, new tooling creation, pattern repair, outsourced tooling coordination, and long-term continuous improvement initiatives.
• Coordinating tooling priorities between locations to support customer demand, new product launches, production schedules, and long-term operational needs.

We offer comprehensive health, dental, and vision benefits, along with a 401(k) plan that includes employer matching and profit sharing. Additionally, we offer company-paid life insurance, disability coverage, and paid time off (PTO).