Manufacturing Manager
Position Purpose
The Manufacturing Manager ensures Caton delivers on its promise: precision, reliability, and speed in every high-voltage connector and cable assembly we build. This role owns production execution — driving discipline, quality, and flow on the shop floor — while developing a team of supervisors and assemblers into a high-performing, accountable unit. Success means customers always receive on-time, flawless products; employees take pride in their craftsmanship; and operations continuously improve in alignment with Caton's strategic vision.
What Great Looks Like
- Orders are consistently shipped on time or early with quality that earns zero customer escapes.
- Production runs with predictable cadence; bottlenecks are solved quickly at the lowest level.
- Employees are engaged, accountable, and confident in their roles; turnover is below industry average.
- Supervisors manage their cells effectively, with clear tier meetings and problem-solving routines.
- Production, engineering, quality, and purchasing collaborate seamlessly, with no surprises.
- Continuous improvement is visible: lead times shorten, costs drop, and processes stabilize each year.
What's Unacceptable
- Frequent missed ship dates or reactive fire-fighting as the default mode.
- Weak adherence to AS9100 discipline (work instructions, documentation, traceability).
- Supervisors not held accountable, resulting in unclear direction for assemblers.
- Metrics hidden, manipulated, or ignored.
- Employees feeling disconnected from the mission or quality of their work.
Key Responsibilities
Leadership & People
- Lead, coach, and develop supervisors, technicians, and assemblers to build a disciplined, accountable team.
- Run structured daily tier meetings to review SQDC (Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost) performance.
- Set clear expectations, hold supervisors accountable, and reinforce Caton's core values.
Production Execution
- Translate business goals into daily production priorities and ensure alignment across shifts.
- Oversee scheduling, work order release, and labor allocation to maximize throughput.
- Drive adherence to documented processes, ensuring compliance with AS9100 and customer requirements.
Quality & Compliance
- Champion right-first-time manufacturing; enforce work instructions, drawings, and inspection standards.
- Support corrective actions and lead root cause analysis for production issues.
- Ensure documentation, configuration control, and traceability are flawless.
Continuous Improvement
- Lead lean initiatives tailored to low-volume/high-mix environments.
- Implement visual management, SQDC boards, and kaizen events.
- Partner with Engineering to improve manufacturability and reduce rework.
Decision Rights
- Authority to approve production schedules, labor assignments, and work order priorities.
- Authority to enforce shop floor discipline, including stopping production for quality/safety concerns.
- Budgetary responsibility for direct labor hours and overtime usage.
- Input into capital equipment purchases, hiring decisions, and training investments.
- Escalates: major capital expenditures, strategic headcount changes, or cross-departmental conflicts.
Goals & Performance Metrics
- ≥ 98% On-Time Delivery to promise date.
- ≤ 2% Internal Defect Rate (or equivalent DPPM).
- Labor efficiency aligned to budgeted hours.
- Year-over-year productivity gains (lead time, throughput, cost).
- Employee engagement and retention targets achieved.
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations, or related field (or equivalent experience).
- 7+ years in manufacturing leadership, ideally in electronics/cable assembly or aerospace/defense.
- Strong knowledge of AS9100D/ISO 9001 QMS requirements.
- Proven track record leading teams, driving performance, and implementing lean practices.
- ERP experience required (SAP strongly preferred).
- Excellent communication, problem-solving, and organizational skills.