Position Overview
Frost River is looking for a highly organized, self-directed Senior Production Coordinator to help lead the day-to-day flow of work through our manufacturing operation. Working directly with the Vice President, this position helps develop and implement the production schedule while ensuring product builds move efficiently from raw materials and cutting through sewing, finishing, quality, and completion.
This role serves as a central link between the different areas of production. On any given day, the Senior Production Coordinator may be tracking several builds at different stages, identifying what needs to happen next, directing priorities to the appropriate teams, updating manufacturing orders in Katana MRP, purchasing materials, and stepping onto the production floor to help keep work moving.
This position requires someone who can work autonomously and think several steps ahead. While the Vice President will help establish the broader production schedule and business priorities, the Senior Production Coordinator is responsible for helping turn that plan into action each day. The right person can remember where multiple builds stand at once, recognize potential bottlenecks before they become problems, and continually look ahead at what is coming down the production pipeline.
This is a fast-paced, hands-on position for someone who enjoys the combination of planning, problem-solving, communication, and manufacturing—and doesn't want to spend the entire day behind a desk.
Essential Job Duties and Responsibilities
· Work directly with the Vice President to develop and implement the production schedule, translating broader production goals into clear daily and weekly priorities.
· Maintain awareness of multiple active builds at different stages of production, while looking ahead to ensure upcoming builds have the materials, kits, labor, and information needed to begin on time.
· Coordinate the flow of work across production departments, pushing Cutting/Kitting to complete the right kits and communicating priorities to Sewing, Finishing, Quality, and other production areas.
· Identify bottlenecks, changing priorities, material shortages, or equipment issues and proactively coordinate solutions to keep production moving.
· Lead the day-to-day use of Katana MRP, including generating and updating Manufacturing Orders, maintaining build statuses, reviewing inventory needs, and keeping Bill of Materials and production information accurate.
· Oversee raw material purchasing and manufacturing inventory, including purchase orders, receiving, inventory levels and vendor communication.
· Review labor and production data to identify build efficiencies and opportunities to improve manufacturing processes.
· Coordinate repairs and preventative maintenance for sewing machines, tackers, cutting equipment, and other production machinery.
· Support contract manufacturing and special projects, incorporating these builds into overall production priorities.
· Provide hands-on support throughout production when needed to eliminate bottlenecks, solve problems, and help priority builds move through the system.
· Communicate production changes, priorities, and concerns clearly across departments and serve as a resource for production staff regarding scheduling, materials, and Manufacturing Orders.
· Perform other duties as assigned.
This Job is Ideal for Someone Who is:
- Highly Autonomous: Able to take ownership of responsibilities, make day-to-day decisions, and keep work moving without needing constant direction.
- Forward-Thinking: Naturally looks beyond today's workload to anticipate what production will need tomorrow, next week, and further down the pipeline.
- Organized: Able to keep track of numerous builds, deadlines, materials, and competing priorities at the same time.
- A Strong Multitasker: Comfortable switching between production scheduling, purchasing, troubleshooting, computer work, and hands-on manufacturing throughout the day.
- A Strong Communicator: Able to clearly communicate priorities and expectations across multiple production departments.
- Assertive & Accountable: Comfortable pushing for progress, following up on priorities, and ensuring the right work is being completed at the right time.
- Detail-Oriented: Understands that accurate Manufacturing Orders, inventory information, Bills of Materials, and production data directly impact the success of the operation.
- Adaptable: Able to adjust quickly when orders, staffing, materials, equipment, or other circumstances change the production plan.
- Hands-On: Willing to get out from behind the computer and work alongside the production team when needed.
- Dependable: Consistently follows through on responsibilities and can be counted on to maintain awareness of production priorities.
- A Problem-Solver: Sees a bottleneck or problem and begins working toward a solution rather than waiting for someone else to address it.
Qualifications
- Previous manufacturing, production coordination, operations, inventory, or supply chain experience is preferred, but not required
- Experience with an MRP, ERP, inventory management, or similar production system is preferred; experience with Katana MRP is a plus.
- Strong computer skills and ability to learn new software and systems.
- Strong organizational and time-management skills.
- Ability to prioritize independently in a fast-changing production environment.
- Ability to retain and manage information related to multiple active projects and builds simultaneously.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills.
- Comfortable providing direction and communicating production priorities to coworkers across departments.
- Ability and willingness to work in both an office/computer environment and directly on the manufacturing floor.
- Ability to sit, stand, walk, bend, stretch, twist, and reach throughout the workday.
- Ability to safely lift and move production materials and supplies.
Job Type: Full-Time Regular
Schedule: Monday–Friday, 7:00 a.m.–3:30 p.m.
Overtime: Opportunities may be available on weekends.
Pay: Hourly, $20-$23/hr
Frost River is an equal opportunity employer.
About the Role
Frost River is a fast-paced manufacturer where people take pride in the goods they create and the work that goes into making them. Our products are built right here in Duluth by a team that values craftsmanship, hard work, and seeing a job through from start to finish.
We are a team of doers. We put our heads down, work hard, solve problems, and take satisfaction in what we accomplish together each day. People who enjoy staying busy, taking ownership, learning new skills, and wearing many hats tend to flourish here.
The Senior Production Coordinator sits at the center of that environment. You'll need to understand what is happening throughout production without being directly involved in every task. At any given time, one build may need kits from the basement, another may need to be prioritized through Sewing, and a third may be waiting on Finishing—all while you're preparing for the builds scheduled to begin next.
Success in this role means being able to see both the big picture and the details. You'll help establish the plan, but more importantly, you'll make sure the plan actually happens. When priorities change or a bottleneck develops, you'll be expected to recognize it, communicate what needs to happen, and help move the team toward a solution.
This is an ideal position for someone who gets satisfaction from a busy, productive day; enjoys having significant ownership over their work; and likes seeing raw materials turn into finished goods because they helped keep every step of the process moving.
Pay: $20.00 - $23.00 per hour
Expected hours: 40.0 per week
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Employee discount
- Health insurance
- Health savings account
Application Question(s):
- Please provide a brief description of what interests you most in this role.
Work Location: In person
