We’re seeking a quality-driven Department Manager to join our manufacturing operations team in Pomfret, CT
With 12 locations in three countries, 750+ employees, and over 60 years of excellence, the Central Wire (CWI) Group of Companies is a world-class manufacturer. As the only fully integrated maker of wire, rope and assemblies, our solutions are found in aerospace, defense, med tech, and heavy industry applications around the globe— in large part because of the people behind our products.
Do you have a strong work ethic? Take pride in a job well done? Are you passionate about contributing to individual and team, company and customer successes? If you’re interested in joining a dynamic work environment that offers opportunities to reach your full potential, we want to hear from you.
Position Summary / Essential Function
The Wire Mill Department Manager plans, directs, and controls the work activities and resources of the Wire Mill to manufacture products in accordance with safety, quality, cost, quantity, and delivery requirements. The essential function of the position is to exercise independent managerial judgment and provide sustained leadership of a recognized operating department, including directing supervisors and production employees, allocating labor and equipment, monitoring operations and financial performance, developing personnel, and implementing corrective and continuous-improvement actions. The role is accountable for translating plant and business objectives into disciplined daily execution while maintaining process control, equipment reliability, workforce capability, and compliance with applicable company, customer, and regulatory requirements.
Key Responsibilities
· Lead all Wire Mill operations and establish clear expectations for safety, quality, delivery, productivity, cost, attendance, conduct, and continuous improvement.
· Direct, coach, and develop supervisors, team leads, and production employees; assign work, monitor performance, provide feedback, support succession planning, and recommend or make personnel decisions consistent with delegated authority and Company policy.
· Develop and execute production plans that align labor, materials, equipment, tooling, priorities, and capacity with customer requirements and plant objectives.
· Monitor department performance through daily management systems and key performance indicators, including safety, schedule attainment, on-time delivery, throughput, labor efficiency, scrap, yield, downtime, quality, employee retention, and budget performance.
· Maintain a safe work environment; enforce safety requirements; lead observations, incident investigations, corrective actions, risk-reduction activities, and employee engagement in safety programs.
· Ensure compliance with customer specifications, internal quality standards, documented processes, and applicable regulatory requirements; lead root-cause analysis and corrective action for process or product nonconformances.
· Maintain process discipline and standard work for wire drawing and related operations; identify variation, bottlenecks, non-value-added activity, and opportunities to improve flow, capability, quality, and cost.
· Partner with Maintenance and Engineering to prioritize repairs, preventive maintenance, tooling needs, equipment upgrades, capital projects, automation, and modernization initiatives that improve reliability and capacity.
· Manage departmental budgets and spending; analyze labor, material usage, yield, scrap, downtime, and other operating costs; support forecasting, annual planning, and capital justification.
· Lead Lean manufacturing and structured problem-solving initiatives with defined baselines, measurable outcomes, documented controls, and accountability for sustaining improvements.
· Partner with Planning, Supply Chain, Quality, Engineering, Maintenance, Sales, Customer Service, Finance, and Human Resources to resolve constraints, support new-product introductions, and achieve business objectives.
· Communicate department priorities, operating risks, resource requirements, performance results, and recovery plans clearly and promptly to plant leadership and affected stakeholders.
· Maintain accurate department records, work instructions, performance documentation, staffing plans, training requirements, and audit-ready evidence of operating controls.
· Perform other related duties consistent with the role, grade, delegated authority, and business needs.
Required Qualifications
· Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations, Business, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and progressively responsible manufacturing leadership experience.
· Minimum of seven years of manufacturing experience, including at least three years of leadership experience directing supervisors and production personnel.
· Demonstrated responsibility for safety, quality, delivery, productivity, labor utilization, cost control, and employee performance in a production environment.
· Working knowledge of wire drawing, wire processing, metals manufacturing, or comparable process-oriented manufacturing operations.
· Experience using production data and key performance indicators to identify performance gaps, establish priorities, and implement corrective actions.
· Experience with ERP or MRP systems, e.g., Microsoft Dynamics 365, and proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Excel.
· Ability to exercise independent managerial judgment, manage competing priorities, communicate across organizational levels, and drive accountability and organizational change.
· Ability to work regularly in an active manufacturing environment and to be available as operational needs require, with or without reasonable accommodation.
Preferred Qualifications
· Demonstrated success improving throughput, schedule attainment, scrap, yield, labor efficiency, equipment utilization, employee retention, and customer quality performance.
· Experience leading capital projects, equipment upgrades, automation, capacity expansion, new-product introduction, and cross-functional process improvement.
· Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt, Certified Production and Inventory Management (CPIM), Certified Manufacturing Engineer (CMfgE), or comparable operations credential.
· Experience with daily management systems, value-stream mapping, standard work, root-cause analysis, statistical problem solving, and change management.
Key Competencies
· Manufacturing operations leadership
· Safety and quality management
· Production planning and resource allocation
· Financial and operational analysis
· People leadership and talent development
· Equipment reliability and capacity management
· Lean manufacturing and continuous improvement
· Cross-functional collaboration
· Decisive problem solving and sound judgment
· Clear communication, accountability, and follow-through
Physical and Work Environment Requirements
The role operates in both office and active manufacturing environments. It requires regular presence on the production floor; frequent walking and standing; observation of machinery, material flow, and production activities; use of a computer and standard office equipment; and communication in areas where hearing protection or other personal protective equipment may be required. The position may require work outside regular business hours to respond to operational needs. Reasonable accommodations will be considered in accordance with applicable law. This description identifies the essential functions of the position but is not intended to list every physical activity or working condition.
Benefits
Subject to the terms, eligibility requirements, and amendment provisions of the applicable plans and policies:
· 401(k) with matching
· Dental insurance
· Employee assistance program
· Flexible spending account
· Health insurance
· Health savings account
· Life insurance
· Paid time off
· Referral program
· Tuition reimbursement
· Vision insurance
Pre-Employment Drug Testing
All applicants who are offered a position with the Company will be required to successfully complete a post-offer drug screening, where permitted by applicable law and in accordance with Company policy.
At-Will Employment
Employment with the Company is at will. Either the employee or the Company may terminate employment at any time, with or without cause or notice, subject to applicable law. Nothing in this job description creates a contract of employment or alters the at-will employment relationship.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
The Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination or harassment based on any protected characteristic under federal, state, or local law.
Central Wire Group of Companies is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity and affirmative action employer. We celebrate diversity and do not discriminate
based on race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, disability status, or any other applicable characteristics protected by law.
Central Wire Group of Companies is a Drug-free workplace and pre-employment drug tests and background checks are required.
