Shop Manager - IL (Custom Cabinetry and Millwork MFG

Summary
The Millwork Shop Manager leads the safe, efficient, and reliable day-to-day operation of the millwork shop. This role converts the approved project backlog and operating plan into labor, material, equipment, and production schedules; develops the shop team; maintains quality standards; and coordinates closely with engineering, procurement, project management, delivery, and field installation. 

•    A safe, organized, and well-supervised shop with clear work priorities and consistent adherence to procedures.
•    Production commitments met with predictable labor performance, material readiness, quality, and communication.
•    A trained and accountable workforce with appropriate staffing, cross-training, coaching, and performance management.
•    Problems involving drawings, materials, equipment, quality, capacity, or schedule identified early and escalated with recommended solutions.
•    Complete, accurate, and timely shop information that supports project and business-unit decision-making.

 

Responsibilities

Safety and shop readiness
•    Lead daily safety expectations, pre-task planning, housekeeping, equipment use, incident reporting, and corrective actions.
•    Maintain a clean, orderly, secure, and production-ready facility in coordination with company safety and facilities resources.
•    Ensure employees are trained and qualified for assigned tools, equipment, materials, and work processes.
•    Stop unsafe work and promptly escalate significant safety, environmental, or compliance concerns.
Production planning and execution
•    Translate project schedules and priorities into practical weekly and daily production plans.
•    Assign labor, work centers, equipment, and floor space to meet committed dates and productivity expectations.
•    Conduct production meetings, track constraints and progress, and adjust the plan as conditions change.
•    Coordinate fabrication, finishing, staging, packing, delivery, and installation readiness.
•    Own timely execution of shop work and communicate potential delays before commitments are missed.
People leadership and staffing
•    Lead, coach, mentor, and evaluate shop supervisors, forepersons, craftspeople, and production staff.
•    Recommend staffing levels, hiring needs, shift plans, overtime, temporary labor, and training priorities to the General Manager.
•    Support recruiting and selection and ensure effective onboarding for new shop employees.
•    Address performance, conduct, attendance, and teamwork issues consistently and in partnership with Human Resources.
•    Build cross-training, bench strength, and recognition practices that reinforce craftsmanship and accountability.
Quality and continuous improvement
•    Enforce approved quality standards, inspection points, mockups, documentation, and nonconformance procedures.
•    Coordinate with project teams to resolve drawing, constructability, tolerance, and specification questions before fabrication.
•    Investigate defects, rework, damaged material, installation feedback, and warranty issues; implement corrective and preventive actions.
•    Improve shop layout, standard work, material flow, tooling, visual controls, and production methods.
Materials, equipment, and systems
•    Confirm that approved drawings, bills of material, hardware, lumber, sheet goods, finishes, and subcontracted components are available when required.
•    Coordinate purchasing priorities and expediting needs with procurement; escalate shortages and supplier risks promptly.
•    Maintain preventive-maintenance, calibration, repair, and replacement needs for shop equipment and tools.
•    Use required production, scheduling, timekeeping, quality, inventory, and project systems accurately and consistently.
Coordination and reporting
•    Coordinate daily with project management, engineering, procurement, logistics, field supervision, and installation teams.
•    Provide the General Manager with accurate reports on capacity, staffing, productivity, schedule status, safety, quality, constraints, and recovery actions.
•    Participate in project reviews and contribute practical shop input to estimates, schedules, budgets, and lessons learned.
•    Interact professionally with clients, architects, contractors, vendors, and subcontractors when operational coordination is required.
Qualifications and Experience
•    Progressive supervisory or management experience in architectural millwork, cabinetry, manufacturing, fabrication, or a comparable production environment.
•    Strong understanding of millwork fabrication methods, materials, machinery, drawings, tolerances, finishing, quality control, and production sequencing.
•    Demonstrated ability to plan work, lead frontline teams, manage competing priorities, and meet schedule commitments.
•    Working knowledge of safety practices, labor planning, procurement coordination, equipment maintenance, and basic project cost awareness.
•    Comfort using production, scheduling, timekeeping, inventory, drawing, and collaboration software.
•    High school diploma or equivalent required; technical training, apprenticeship completion, or a related degree is preferred.
Leadership Competencies
•    Visible floor leadership and calm decision-making.
•    Planning, organization, follow-through, and timely escalation.
•    Coaching, conflict resolution, and fair performance management.
•    Craftsmanship, detail orientation, and quality ownership.
•    Cross-functional communication and practical problem-solving.
•    Commitment to safety, respect, accountability, and continuous improvement.
Performance Measures
•    Recordable incidents, near-miss follow-up, housekeeping, training completion, and corrective-action closure.
•    Schedule attainment, on-time completion, labor productivity, overtime, throughput, and constraint resolution.
•    First-pass quality, rework, scrap, punch-list items, warranty issues, and installation feedback.
•    Staffing readiness, attendance, retention, cross-training, performance management, and team development.
•    Accuracy and timeliness of production updates, material status, capacity forecasts, and operating reports.
Work Environment
•    Primarily based in an active production shop with regular exposure to machinery, noise, dust, finishes, material handling, and moving equipment.
•    Requires frequent walking and standing and the ability to inspect work throughout the facility; specific physical requirements should be confirmed for the location.
•    Must follow all applicable safety requirements and use required personal protective equipment.
•    Schedule flexibility may be required for shifts, overtime, deliveries, installations, and production recovery needs.