Area Supervisor – Welding & Fabrication
Location: Harlan, Iowa
Salary: $55,000–$70,000, based on experience
Employment Type: Full-Time
Merge Associates is partnering with a leading manufacturing client to identify the right individual for an Area Supervisor – Welding & Fabrication position in Harlan, Iowa.
We are seeking a hands-on manufacturing leader who can supervise daily welding and fabrication operations while building a safe, productive, quality-focused, and team-oriented work environment.
The ideal candidate will be a strong leader who inspires trust and respect, communicates effectively, understands manufacturing processes, and is committed to safety, quality, efficiency, and continuous improvement.
Key Responsibilities
- Supervise and coordinate daily manufacturing activities within the welding and fabrication area.
- Provide leadership, direction, coaching, and support to manufacturing employees.
- Plan work procedures, establish schedules, assign employees, and manage workflow to meet production requirements.
- Ensure production schedules, quality standards, and customer shipment deadlines are consistently met.
- Develop staffing and resource plans based on production demands, including overtime and workforce adjustments when necessary.
- Serve as a hands-on working supervisor and assist employees with production activities when needed.
- Promote a safe, productive, and positive work environment while ensuring all employees follow established safety policies and procedures.
- Maintain a strong focus on quality and ensure products meet customer and company standards.
- Analyze production and workflow issues and work with employees to identify and implement effective solutions.
- Work with planning and manufacturing teams to establish production schedules and departmental workloads.
- Coordinate people, equipment, materials, floor space, and other resources to ensure efficient production.
- Monitor the flow of materials through the department and identify opportunities to improve efficiency.
- Recommend and implement improvements to production methods, equipment performance, quality, safety, and overall productivity.
- Promote and implement Lean Manufacturing, 5S, continuous improvement, and efficiency initiatives.
- Support cross-training initiatives to increase employee versatility and create a flexible workforce.
- Maintain 5S standards and conduct required department safety inspections.
- Complete and submit accident and near-miss reports as required.
- Work closely with other departments to ensure engineering, sales, and manufacturing information is accurate and customer requirements are met.
- Ensure product changes or corrections are properly communicated and implemented.
- Conduct employee performance evaluations and address performance issues when necessary.
- Help maintain positive employee relations and resolve workplace concerns.
- Uphold company Quality and Environmental, Health & Safety (EHS) policies and ISO Quality System standards.
- Lead by example and consistently demonstrate professionalism, accountability, teamwork, and the company's core values.
- May supervise a team of approximately 0–20 employees.
Qualifications
- Associate degree or equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
- Previous manufacturing and supervisory experience preferred.
- Experience in welding, fabrication, metal manufacturing, or a related production environment is highly desirable.
- Strong leadership and people-management skills.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
- Strong organizational and time-management abilities.
- Solid problem-solving and decision-making skills.
- Ability to effectively prioritize multiple production requirements and meet deadlines.
- Experience with SAP and/or production scheduling systems preferred.
- Understanding of Lean Manufacturing, 5S, and continuous improvement principles is a plus.
- Ability to work effectively in a hands-on manufacturing environment.
What We're Looking For
The successful candidate will be someone who:
- Is a hands-on leader who is comfortable working alongside their team.
- Builds trust and respect with employees and management.
- Holds employees accountable while maintaining a positive team environment.
- Takes ownership of production, quality, safety, and employee performance.
- Is proactive and solutions-oriented.
- Enjoys identifying ways to improve processes and efficiency.
- Values teamwork, communication, safety, and continuous improvement.
Compensation & Benefits
- $55,000–$70,000 salary, based on experience
- Health insurance
- Dental insurance
- Life insurance
- 401(k) retirement plan
- Paid vacation/personal time
- Paid holidays
- Profit-sharing opportunities
- Tuition reimbursement program
This is an excellent opportunity for a manufacturing professional who is ready to take the next step in their career and lead a welding and fabrication operation.
Apply today to be considered for this opportunity.
Pay: $55,000.00 - $70,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Flexible spending account
- Health insurance
- Health savings account
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Professional development assistance
- Retirement plan
- Tuition reimbursement
- Vision insurance
Experience:
- SAP and production scheduling: 3 years (Required)
- Manufacturing and supervisory: 3 years (Required)
Shift availability:
Work Location: In person
