Manager, Manufacturing
MARKETLAB IS EXCITED TO ANNCOUNCE WE ARE OPENING A NEW PRODUCTION FACILITY IN THE GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN AREA. THIS IS TEXTILE PLANT TO SUPPORT OUR WOUND CARE PRODUCT LINES.The Opportunity:
This role offers the opportunity to lead and shape a high-performing manufacturing operation by driving safety, quality, on-time production, efficiency, and continuous improvement across the production floor. The Manufacturing Manager will play a critical role in aligning cross-functional teams, optimizing labor and processes to meet customer demand, and building a culture of accountability and growth. This position is ideal for a hands-on leader who is passionate about developing people, improving systems, and delivering measurable operational results.
This role reports to the Director, Manufacturing.
Competencies:
- People Leadership & Team Development - Builds strong teams through coaching, feedback, and accountability; develops future leaders.
- Communication & Alignment - Clearly communicates priorities and ensures cross-functional coordination (production, purchasing, engineering, etc.).
- Accountability & Ownership - Holds self and others responsible for results, performance standards, and commitments.
- Planning & Prioritization - Effectively balances customer demand, labor efficiency, and operational constraints.
- Manufacturing Operations Management - Deep understanding of production workflows, labor planning, and daily execution.
- Problem Solving & Critical Thinking - Identifies root causes and implements sustainable solutions.
- Safety Leadership - Actively promotes and enforces a culture of safety and compliance.
- Quality & Continuous Improvement - Uses structured problem-solving and continuous improvement tools to drive SQDC (safety, quality, delivery, cost) performance.
- Data-Driven Decision Making - Interprets KPIs and operational data to make informed, timely decisions.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration - Works effectively across departments to remove barriers and improve flow.
- Adaptability & Resilience - Navigates shifting priorities and production challenges with composure.
- Change Management - Leads and sustains improvements, gaining team buy-in and minimizing disruption.
What You'll Do:
Production Leadership - Ensure day-to-day manufacturing operations run safely and effectively.
- Facilitate daily team huddles to drive coordination with purchasing, scheduling, engineering, quality, and shipping.
- Develop and execute labor plans for the production team that balance customer demand with labor efficiency.
- Monitor and improve SQDC performance using KPI insights and structured problem-solving tools.
- Cultivate a positive and productive team culture through recognition, accountability, and education.
- Champion continuous improvement initiatives that deliver operational efficiencies.
- Ensure full compliance with safety protocols and company policies.
Team Growth and Development- Mentor and coach supervisors to strengthen leadership skills, communication techniques, and problem-solving capabilities.
- Drive accountability by setting clear performance goals, conducting evaluations, and providing actionable feedback on strengths and weaknesses.
- Identify and support future leaders by assigning stretch projects and developmental opportunities.
- Ensure robust cross-training across, with a minimum of three individuals trained in each position.
What You'll Need:
- Bachelor's degree in Operations Management, Engineering, Business, or a related field (or equivalent hands-on manufacturing experience).
- 5-8+ years of progressive experience in a manufacturing environment, with at least 3-5 years in a leadership role.
- Proven experience leading production teams and developing supervisors or frontline leaders.
- Strong understanding of manufacturing processes, labor planning, and production scheduling.
- Demonstrated experience using KPIs (SQDC or similar) to drive performance and continuous improvement.
- Strong problem-solving skills with experience in root cause analysis and structured problem-solving tools.
- Excellent communication and cross-functional collaboration skills.
