Lead Powder Coater/Shop Manager

Lead Powder Coater / Shop Manager The Wednesday Project – Sterling Heights, MI Job Overview The Wednesday Project is seeking an experienced, motivated, and detail-oriented Lead Powder Coater / Shop Manager to oversee daily shop operations and lead our powder coating and media blasting production team. This is a hands-on leadership position for someone with a strong background in industrial powder coating, manufacturing, and shop management. The ideal candidate will be responsible for managing daily workflow, scheduling and prioritizing jobs, supervising employees, coordinating shipping and receiving, maintaining inventory, reviewing blueprints, preparing job quotes, and ensuring quality finishes. We are looking for someone who can take ownership of the shop, keep production running efficiently, maintain an organized workspace, and work alongside employees when needed. Responsibilities & Duties Shop Management & Daily Operations Oversee and manage daily shop operations and workflow. Schedule, organize, and prioritize jobs to meet customer deadlines. Assign daily tasks and responsibilities to shop employees. Supervise, train, and hold employees accountable for productivity and quality. Monitor jobs throughout the production process to ensure timely completion. Coordinate incoming and outgoing customer parts. Load and unload trucks, including incoming raw materials and outgoing finished products. Organize shop space, workstations, equipment, inventory, and storage areas. Maintain a clean, organized, and efficient production environment. Identify workflow issues and find ways to improve shop efficiency. Communicate production updates, delays, and concerns with management. Job Planning, Blueprints & Quoting Read and interpret blueprints, engineering drawings, and customer specifications. Review incoming jobs to determine labor, materials, preparation, and coating requirements. Assist with preparing job quotes and estimating labor and material costs. Determine job requirements, including masking, media blasting, priming, and powder coating. Review work orders and ensure all customer requirements are followed. Identify special handling or production requirements before jobs enter the shop. Powder Coating & Media Blasting Apply powder coatings using spray guns and powder coating equipment. Oversee proper surface preparation, including media blasting and cleaning. Perform masking, priming, coating, and finishing operations as needed. Monitor oven temperatures and curing cycles. Troubleshoot coating defects and production issues. Maintain and perform basic maintenance on powder coating guns, ovens, blasting equipment, and shop tools. Ensure finished products meet customer specifications and quality standards. Inventory & Materials Management Monitor and maintain powder coating inventory, including colors and quantities. Track powder usage and identify when materials need to be reordered. Maintain inventory of blasting media, primers, masking supplies, and other shop materials. Organize and properly store powder, chemicals, and production supplies. Monitor material usage to reduce waste and control costs. Communicate supply and equipment needs to management. Shipping, Receiving & Material Handling Oversee receiving and checking in customer parts. Verify incoming and outgoing parts against work orders and purchase orders. Coordinate loading and unloading of trucks. Ensure parts are properly identified, organized, and staged for production or shipment. Ensure parts are handled carefully to prevent damage. Quality Control & Safety Conduct visual inspections and color comparisons. Ensure consistent coating coverage, finish quality, and proper curing. Ensure employees follow all safety procedures and wear appropriate PPE. Enforce proper respirator use and workplace safety practices. Maintain equipment and work areas in compliance with safety requirements. Ensure materials are properly handled, labeled, and stored. Qualifications Previou…

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