Job Description
Job Description
About Althea Metal Fabrication
Althea Metal Fabrication is a locally owned precision metal fabrication job shop founded in 2018. We specialize in laser cutting, CNC bending/forming, MIG and TIG welding, and related processes for carbon steel, stainless steel, and aluminum. We support prototyping, short-run work, and contract manufacturing while emphasizing quality craftsmanship, collaborative problem-solving with customers, fast turnaround, and a fast paced, supportive, family-like workplace culture. Proudly made in the Memphis, TN area.
Position Overview
We are seeking a Production Manager to lead daily shop floor operations at our facility in Collierville, TN. In this role, you will be responsible for orchestrating workflows across multi-stage fabrication processes. Because we operate as a custom job shop specializing in quick turnaround times and high-quality contract manufacturing, you must excel at dynamic scheduling, managing bottlenecks, and pivoting production to meet diverse customer specifications.
Key Responsibilities
- Workflow Coordination: Oversee and synchronize daily production tasks across multiple departments including sheet metal fiber laser cutting, press brake forming, MIG/TIG welding, precision machining, and metal finishing/powder coating.
- Job Shop Scheduling: Develop, maintain, and adjust highly fluid production schedules based on incoming custom orders, nesting efficiency, material tracking, and tight delivery deadlines.
- Quality Assurance: Enforce strict quality control standards to ensure clean, burr-free edges, precise bend deductions, and tight tolerances on carbon steel, stainless steel, and aluminum projects.
- Personnel Management: Supervise, train, and mentor shop floor staff (ranging from skilled operators and welders to entry-level shop helpers) while fostering a safe, organized, and accountable work environment.
- Inventory & Resource Control: Utilize material tracking systems and manufacturing software to maximize sheet metal utilization, minimize scrap, and monitor shop resources.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner directly with ownership, engineering, and quoting teams to provide accurate manufacturing timelines, evaluate job costs, and troubleshoot design-for-manufacturing (DFM) challenges.
Requirements and Qualifications
- Experience: 4+ years of supervisory or management experience specifically within a metal fabrication job shop environment.
- Technical Expertise: Strong working knowledge of sheet metal fabrication processes, machine capabilities (specifically fiber lasers and press brakes), and welding symbols/techniques.
- Skills: Ability to read and accurately interpret technical blueprints, CAD part models, and job traveler packets.
- Systems: Experience with ERP/MRP systems, nesting software optimization, and digital material tracking platforms.
- Soft Skills: Outstanding problem-solving skills to clear unexpected operational bottlenecks quickly, coupled with strong communication skills tailored to a close-knit, collaborative shop floor.
What We Offer
- Opportunity to play a key leadership role in a growing, locally owned fabrication company.
- Collaborative, supportive team culture that values employee fulfillment and high-quality work.
- Competitive compensation commensurate with experience.
- Chance to contribute directly to process improvements, capability expansion, and customer success.
- Pay Range: $75,000 - $125,000 based on experience.