Job Ref: # 4467131
Date Posted: 10/12/2026
Location: Chicago, IL
Salary (USD): $96,514 - $127,887
Description
The Assistant Manager, Fabrication is responsible for leading second-shift fabrication, welding, and finishing operations within a manufacturing department producing metal components for electrical power distribution, switching, protection, and control equipment. This position oversees production supervisors and their teams to ensure safe, efficient, high-quality manufacturing operations while meeting production schedules, productivity targets, and customer delivery requirements.
The Assistant Manager will drive lean manufacturing initiatives, continuous improvement, and operational performance through effective leadership, KPI management, workforce planning, and structured problem-solving. Responsibilities include developing production supervisors, improving manufacturing processes, maintaining safety and quality standards, resolving operational challenges, and supporting departmental budgeting and performance objectives.
Must-Have Skills, Experience, and Education:
- 3+ years of production supervisory experience in a multi-shift manufacturing operation
- Experience supervising production operations in both high-volume and low-volume manufacturing environments
- Experience leading, coaching, and developing production supervisors or other operational leaders
- Working knowledge of metal fabrication processes and equipment
- Working knowledge of machining processes and equipment
- Working knowledge of metal finishing processes and equipment
- Experience managing fabrication, welding, finishing, or related manufacturing operations
- Demonstrated experience implementing lean manufacturing principles and continuous improvement initiatives
- Proven track record of achieving and sustaining measurable operational improvements
- Experience managing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) related to safety, quality, delivery, and productivity
- Ability to utilize KPI boards and production performance metrics to drive operational improvements
- Experience scheduling production assignments, staffing, and workforce resources to meet departmental objectives
- Strong production planning, scheduling, and organizational skills
- Experience coaching employees, conducting performance evaluations, and developing employee improvement and advancement plans
- Demonstrated success developing team members for promotion into leadership positions
- Strong leadership, team-building, and employee-development skills
- Experience leading teams through organizational or operational change
- Strong structured problem-solving, troubleshooting, and root-cause analysis skills
- Ability to anticipate, investigate, and resolve production problems, employee conflicts, and operational challenges
- Experience promoting workplace safety, housekeeping, and manufacturing compliance
- Ability to investigate, document, and report workplace safety incidents
- Ability to read and interpret manufacturing blueprints and technical drawings
- Strong computer skills and proficiency with PC-based business and manufacturing applications
- Ability to communicate effectively with production supervisors, employees, and management
- Ability to contribute to departmental budgeting and operational planning
- Ability to work onsite in Chicago, IL, during the assigned second-shift schedule
Nice-to-Have Skills:
- Experience in metal fabrication manufacturing environments
- Welding shop leadership experience
- Machine shop leadership experience
- Metal finishing operations experience
- Experience supervising multiple production departments or functional work areas
- Experience leading supervisors across multiple shifts
- Lean manufacturing implementation experience
- Continuous improvement and process optimization experience
- Experience supporting manufacturing operations during significant process or organizational changes
- Experience with production KPI dashboards and visual management systems
- Experience developing succession plans and promoting internal talent
- Experience with manufacturing cost control and departmental budgets
- Electrical equipment manufacturing experience
- Power distribution equipment manufacturing experience
- Experience manufacturing electrical switching, protection, or control equipment
- Military leadership experience as a Senior Noncommissioned Officer (NCO), Warrant Officer, or Junior Officer
- Military maintenance shop leadership experience
- Military machine shop, welding shop, or fabrication shop management experience
- Military experience leading subordinate supervisors or technical team leaders
- Military experience managing maintenance, production, or technical operations across multiple shifts
Job Posting
