Area Manager

Fairbanks Scales; Meridian (MS); On-site; USD 85,000 - 115,000; Full time

Job summary

Fairbanks Scales is seeking an Area Manager to lead multiple manufacturing areas with a floor-first approach. You will be physically present on the shop floor most of the shift, coaching Team Leads to achieve safety, quality, and production goals.

The role emphasizes root-cause problem solving, adherence to welding/assembly specs, and mentoring future leaders, while balancing throughput with safety and equipment condition.

Qualifications

• Education in a technical/industrial field preferred; HS diploma with experience acceptable.
• 5–7 years manufacturing experience, 2–3 years in a leadership role in heavy fabrication.
• Experience with truck scales or NTEP-certified equipment is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Own safety performance and model safe behavior every shift.
• Coach Team Leads on root-cause safety and ensure corrective actions.
• Own first-pass yield, scrap rate, and quality adherence for area(s).
• Coach on specs, lead root-cause problem solving, and escalate as needed.
• Maintain on-time completion and drive productivity improvements.
• Lead daily floor observations and develop future Team Leads.
• Ensure accountability for output, quality, safety, and coaching.

Skills

Team leadership

Safety culture

Coaching others

Root-cause analysis

Quality improvement

Lean/Six Sigma exposure

Floor presence

Communication

Education

Associate's or Bachelor's in technical/industrial/operations

Job description

Summary

The Area Manager owns the day-to-day safety, quality, and production performance of one or more areas in our heavy-capacity truck scale manufacturing facility, leading through Team Leads rather than direct supervision of production staff. This is a floor-first leadership role: the Area Manager is expected to be physically present in their area for the large majority of the shift, coaching Team Leads in real time and is personally accountable for three outcomes - nobody gets hurt, the product is right the first time, and the area produces at the rate the business needs.

Essential Job Duties

• Own the safety performance of the assigned area(s) - recordable incident rate, near-miss reporting, and leading indicators - and personally model safe behavior (PPE compliance, housekeeping, non-punitive risk reporting) every shift.
• Coach Team Leads to run root-cause-focused safety conversations and incident investigations, ensuring corrective actions are implemented and verified, not just documented; partner with EHS/Safety leadership on training, PPE audits, and OSHA/regulatory compliance.
• Own first-pass yield and rework/scrap rate for the assigned area(s), tracking trend over time rather than point-in-time snapshots.
• Ensure Team Leads and team members understand the specifications relevant to the area (e.g., structural weld specs per AWS D1.1, machining tolerances, load cell calibration accuracy), and lead or sponsor root-cause problem-solving (5-Why, fishbone) on recurring quality issues.
• Hold the line on quality standards under schedule pressure - coaching Team Leads to do the same and escalating tradeoffs transparently; partner with the Quality Manager/QC on inspection results, customer quality escapes, and corrective action follow-through.
• Own arc-on %/machine utilization, downtime by root cause, and on-time completion of scheduled work for the assigned area(s), using downtime and root-cause data to prioritize the highest-impact fixes.
• Balance daily production priorities against material availability, staffing, and equipment condition, adjusting proactively; drive standard work and cycle-time discipline to close the gap between best-case and typical performance.
• Identify and lead (or sponsor) productivity improvement initiatives - layout, changeover time, tooling/fixture upgrades - with a clear efficiency or cost case.
• Coach Team Leads daily through direct floor observation (huddles, OJT sessions, root-cause exercises), providing same-day feedback, and delegating real decision authority within clearly defined boundaries.
• Actively participate in the Team Lead Development Program - nominating candidates, running trial periods, and signing off on phase checkpoints - and build a pipeline of future Team Leads.
• Hold Team Leads accountable to both their output/quality/safety metrics and to the coaching and delegation behaviors expected of the role.
• Directly lead Team Leads within the assigned area(s), who in turn lead production team members - spending the large majority of each shift physically present on the floor rather than managing remotely.

Required Qualifications

• Education - Associate's or Bachelor's degree in a technical, industrial, or operations-related field preferred. High school diploma or GED with equivalent experience required.
• Experience - Minimum 5-7 years of manufacturing experience required, including at least 2-3 years in a leadership role (Team Lead, Supervisor, or equivalent) within a heavy fabrication, structural steel, or heavy equipment environment.
• Experience (preferred) - Experience specific to truck scales, weighing systems, or other legal-for-trade/NTEP-certified equipment manufacturing.
• Experience (preferred) - Prior experience operating in, or transitioning a team into, an Engaged Manufacturing or similarly employee-empowered operating model.
• Experience (preferred) - Lean Manufacturing or Six Sigma exposure, with hands-on experience leading kaizen events or structured root-cause problem-solving.
• Experience (preferred) - Experience developing frontline leaders (Team Leads/Supervisors) through a structured program rather than informal on-the-job learning alone.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Demonstrated ability to read and apply structural fabrication drawings, weld symbols, and quality/tolerance specifications relevant to the area.
• Working knowledge of safety leadership practices, including near-miss/safety observation programs and OSHA fundamentals.
• Strong floor presence and visibility - seen as someone who is out with the team, not primarily behind a desk.
• Ability to read production, quality, and safety data and translate it into specific, prioritized action, rather than relying on instinct or the most recent complaint.
• Effective coach - able to develop a Team Lead's judgment over time rather than simply making every decision for them, and comfortable giving direct, specific feedback to people who may have more tenure or technical experience than the Area Manager themselves.
• Sound judgment balancing safety, quality, cost, and schedule under real time pressure.
• Clear, direct communicator who is comfortable delivering both good news and bad news transparently to the team.

Work Environment

• Work is performed throughout a factory setting, including zones with elevated noise, heat, and heavy equipment in operation.
• Exposure to heavy steel fabrication, welding, machining, and material handling equipment (cranes, forklifts), with exposure to machinery, moving equipment, and moderate to high noise levels.
• Required to wear all applicable PPE including safety boots with metatarsal guards, safety glasses, hearing protection, gloves, harnesses, and more as posted for area or equipment.
• Exposure to outdoor loading/shipping areas, with seasonal temperature variation including extremes of cold and heat, inclement weather, and uneven surfaces or terrain.
• Primarily an on-site, floor-based role; not remote-eligible given the operational nature of the position.
• Majority of work time is spent in the general factory and grounds areas. Minority of time is spent in an office performing administrative tasks.

Physical Abilities

• Standing and walking constantly, including walking extensively throughout the assigned area(s).
• Required to use close vision and ability to focus to visually determine shapes, colors, read on paper and digital screens constantly.
• Lifting and moving (including pushing, pulling) materials up to 50 pounds occasionally.
• Constant/repetitive use of hands, wrists, and/or fingers, finger/thumb dexterity, and hand-eye coordination for handling materials and documentation, operating machine controls, and typing.
• Wear required PPE constantly including but not limited to, steel-toed boots with metatarsal guards, safety glasses with side shields, and hearing protection. Additional PPE as required for safe operation of machines or equipment or handling material.
• Frequently requires sitting, crouching, kneeling, bending at knee and waist, climbing, and reaching.
• Must be able to talk and hear constantly to provide and receive verbal instructions face to face, via phone, PC, or walkie-talkies. Must be able to hear warning signals, horns or beepers, over ambient noise.
• Regular attendance is a necessary and essential function.

Fairbanks Scales Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer including Disability/Vets

DISCLOSURE REGARDING BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION

Fairbanks Scales Inc. may obtain information about you from a third-party consumer reporting agency for employment purposes. Thus, you may be the subject of a "consumer report" and/or "investigative consumer report" which may include information about your character, general reputation, personal characteristics, and/or mode of living, and which can involve personal interviews with sources such as neighbors, friends, or associates, The reports may contain information regarding your credit history, criminal history, social security verification, motor vehicle records ("driving records"), verification of your education or employment history, or other background checks. Credit history will only be requested where such information is substantially related to the duties and responsibilities of the position for which you are applying.

NOTIFICATION OF PRE-EMPLOYMENT DRUG SCREENING

Fairbanks Scales Inc. performs post-offer, pre-employment drug testing for all roles prior to being hired into any role as part of our Drug Free Workplace Policy. In addition, Fairbanks Scales Inc. performs post-offer, pre-employment drug testing under the authority of the U.S. Department of Transportation prior to being hired for any role or transferred into a safety-sensitive role.