Job Description
Job DescriptionTool Room Manager $115,000 – $120,000 Base Salary
Confidential Client of Sterling EngineeringLocation: Near Long Grove, IL Industry: Transportation Industry
Sterling Engineering is partnering with a leading global transportation manufacturer within the transit/bus sector to identify a Production / Operations Supervisor. This organization supports critical components used in public transportation systems and operates in a highly structured, Lean-driven manufacturing environment.
This role is responsible for front-line leadership of a production cell or department, ensuring safe, on-time, and specification-compliant output while driving accountability, continuous improvement, and workforce development.
Why Consider This Opportunity?
- Global transportation technology leader with strong market position
- Highly visible leadership role within a KPI-driven operation
- Exposure to Lean tools including Kanban, TPM, and 5S
- Opportunity to develop teams and influence plant-level performance
- Competitive six-figure base salary ($115–120K)
Key Responsibilities:
- Coordinate daily production workflow by allocating assignments across cell members or departmental personnel based on demand signals, Kanban boards, and delivery commitments.
- Establish work priorities aligned to shipment deadlines and customer specifications.
- Conduct routine floor audits focused on safety compliance, 5S adherence, quality standards, and Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) execution.
- Escalate operational constraints, quality deviations, or capacity issues beyond scope to management in a timely manner.
- Collaborate cross-functionally with planning, engineering, quality, and supply chain to ensure customer delivery targets are consistently achieved.
- Drive performance to maintain 99%+ on-time delivery for both internal and external customers.
- Develop and manage detailed production schedules to align manufacturing output with shipment timelines and technical requirements.
- Interpret technical documentation including blueprints, bills of material (BOMs), routings, and engineering specifications.
- Ensure team members follow proper PPE standards and safety protocols specific to their work areas.
- Oversee onboarding and skills development by maintaining training matrices and ensuring new hires are trained on both technical tasks and safety expectations.
- Provide hands-on coaching to develop employee technical capability and process knowledge.
Qualifications:
- At least 5 years of experience in a lead/supervisory position
- 5 years of experience in a tooling design role
- 3 years of working in a machinery environment