Division Manager- Machine Shop

Whelen Engineering

$90K — $120K *
Manufacturing & Automotive
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 10+ years of manufacturing experience, preferably in a machine shop setting
  • Hands-on experience with CNC milling machines and lathes
  • Proven leadership experience in a contract manufacturing environment
  • Experience managing teams of supervisors, programmers, and machinists
  • Familiarity with leading capital equipment (CAPEX) projects
  • Strong leadership, communication, and problem-solving abilities

Responsibilities

  • Lead and mentor Production Supervisors, CNC Programmers, and Machinists
  • Cultivate a culture of safety, accountability, and continuous improvement
  • Oversee Machine Shop operations to ensure safe and efficient production
  • Monitor key performance indicators for safety and quality goals
  • Manage production resources to meet customer commitments
  • Drive operations in a dynamic contract manufacturing environment
  • Collaborate with multi-disciplinary teams to enhance manufacturing performance

Benefits

  • Full-time position with a focus on employee development
  • Opportunities to work with cutting-edge CNC technology
  • Emphasis on a collaborative and supportive team culture
  • Focus on safety and quality in a well-resourced environment
  • Involvement in capital equipment planning and long-term operational success
Full Job Description
Division Manager- Machine Shop

Department: Sheet Metal Office

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: Charlestown, NH

Description

The Division Manager is responsible for leading the daily operations and long-term success of the Machine Shop by developing people, strengthening processes, and fostering a culture built on safety, quality, accountability, and continuous improvement. This role provides leadership for Programming, CNC Machinists, Production Associates, and Production Supervisors, ensuring the team has the resources, direction, and support needed to consistently deliver high-quality work and meet customer expectations.

This position requires an experienced manufacturing leader with a strong background managing a CNC machine shop operating milling machines, lathes, and other precision machining equipment. Equally important is proven experience in a contract manufacturing environment, where balancing customer priorities, changing production demands, and delivering consistent results are part of everyday operations. These experiences are essential for success in this role.

The Division Manager establishes priorities, develops future leaders, and ensures the Machine Shop has the people, processes, equipment, and capabilities needed to safely deliver high-quality products, support our customers, and position the business for continued growth. Success in this role comes from building a strong team, creating an environment of trust and accountability, and helping others succeed while removing barriers that prevent the organization from doing its best work.

Working closely with Engineering Teams, Quality, Production Planning and Operations Leadership, this position collaborates to support new product introductions, improve manufacturing readiness, resolve production challenges, and identify opportunities for continuous improvement. The Division Manager is responsible for ensuring manufacturing operations are prepared to execute efficiently and consistently.

The Division Manager also leads capital equipment planning and execution for the Machine Shop, partnering with leadership to identify investments that improve safety, capability, capacity, and long-term operational performance.

Above all, this leader leads with humility, integrity, and a genuine commitment to developing people, fostering collaboration, and living our values

Key Responsibilities

Leadership
  • Lead and develop Production Supervisors, CNC Programmers, CNC Machinists, and Production Associates.
  • Foster a culture of safety, accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
  • Coach, mentor, and develop future leaders while promoting employee engagement and accountability.

Operations
  • Provide overall leadership for Machine Shop operations, ensuring safe, efficient, and high-quality production.
  • Monitor and improve key performance indicators related to safety, quality, delivery, productivity, and equipment utilization.
  • Balance production priorities, staffing, and resources to meet customer commitments.

Contract Manufacturing
  • Lead operations within a fast-paced contract manufacturing environment supporting multiple customers and product lines.
  • Partner with Engineering and Program Management to support new product introductions and successful production launches.
  • Ensure operational readiness while adapting to changing customer requirements.

Collaboration & Continuous Improvement
  • Partner with Engineering, Quality, Production Planning, Procurement and other departments to resolve challenges and improve manufacturing performance.
  • Lead capital equipment planning, justification, implementation, and technology investments that support long-term business needs.


Qualifications:
  • 10+ years of manufacturing experience (Machine Shop Preferred)
  • Hands-on experience with CNC milling machines, CNC lathes, and precision machining operations.
  • Proven leadership experience in a contract manufacturing environment (required).
  • Experience leading supervisors, programmers, machinists, and production teams.
  • Experience leading capital equipment (CAPEX) projects.
  • Excellent leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills.

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