Assembly Supervisor

The COATS Company; La Vergne (TN); On-site; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

The COATS Company is seeking an Assembly Supervisor to lead a skilled team in a low-volume, high-mix electrical and mechanical assembly environment. You will direct daily assembly operations, ensure safety, quality, and on-time delivery, and drive continuous improvement using lean principles.

You will balance frequent product changeovers, configure complex builds, and manage priorities to sustain throughput and quality across multiple lines and configurations.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of manufacturing supervisory experience in low-volume, high-mix environments.
• Experience with electrical and mechanical assembly processes (wiring, harnessing, sub-assembly).
• Hands-on lean manufacturing knowledge: 5S, standard work, kaizen, value stream mapping, SMED, poka-yoke.
• Proven track record in line balancing, material flow optimization, and inventory/kitting management.
• Experience leading root cause analysis and defect/scrap reduction initiatives.
• Strong people leadership: training, performance management, and conflict resolution.
• Ability to read engineering drawings, wiring diagrams, BOMs, and work instructions.

Responsibilities

• Supervise, coach, and develop a team of assembly technicians across multiple product lines.
• Create and maintain training matrices and cross-train operators for high-mix production.
• Conduct daily start-up meetings and communicate priorities with a focus on safety, quality, and productivity.
• Manage timekeeping, performance reviews, disciplinary actions, and staffing needs.
• Own daily production schedules and adjust staffing to meet demand in a configurable build environment.
• Improve material flow between receiving, kitting, and the line to minimize downtime and WIP.
• Collaborate with Materials/Planning for on-time component availability and proper inventory levels.
• Use SAP S/4HANA/MRP for production reporting and order status.

Skills

Manufacturing supervision

Lean manufacturing

Line balancing

ERP / MRP SAP

Team leadership

WIP management

Education

Bachelor's degree in industrial/manufacturing engineering

Tools

SAP S/4HANA

Job description

We are seeking an experienced Assembly Supervisor to lead a team in a low-volume, high-mix electrical and mechanical assembly environment. This role is responsible for the daily direction of assembly operations, ensuring safety, quality, and delivery targets are met while driving continuous improvement through lean manufacturing principles. The ideal candidate has hands-on experience balancing frequent product changeovers, complex build configurations, and shifting priorities - while still delivering consistent throughput and quality.

Key Responsibilities:

Team Leadership & Training

• Supervise, coach, and develop a team of assembly technicians across multiple product lines and build configurations
• Create and maintain training matrices; ensure operators are cross-trained to support high-mix production flexibility
• Conduct daily shift start-up meetings, communicate priorities, and hold team accountable to safety, quality, and productivity standards
• Manage timekeeping, performance reviews, disciplinary actions, and staffing/scheduling needs

Production & Material Flow

• Own daily production schedules across a mix of low-volume, custom, and configurable builds; adjust staffing and sequencing to meet changing demand
• Drive material flow improvements between receiving, kitting, and the assembly line to minimize downtime, WIP, and staging bottlenecks
• Partner with Materials/Planning to ensure kit accuracy, on-time component availability, and appropriate inventory levels (min/max, kanban, point-of-use) for high-mix SKUs
• Utilize ERP/MRP systems (SAP S/4HANA preferred) for order status, inventory transactions, work order closure, and production reporting

Line Balancing & Process Improvement

• Perform time studies and line balancing activities to optimize labor allocation across variable product mixes
• Identify and eliminate bottlenecks, non-value-added steps, and process variation using lean tools (5S, value stream mapping, standard work, kaizen events)
• Lead or support setup/changeover time reduction (SMED) initiatives to improve flexibility across frequent product/model changes
• Collaborate with Industrial/Manufacturing Engineering on layout changes, workstation design, and process documentation

Quality & Defect Reduction

• Monitor first-pass yield, defect rates, and rework/scrap metrics; lead root cause analysis (5 Why, fishbone, 8D) for recurring issues
• Partner with Quality Engineering to implement corrective/preventive actions (CAPA) and error-proofing (poka-yoke) at the workstation level
• Ensure adherence to work instructions, build travelers, and engineering specifications for electrical and mechanical sub-assemblies
• Champion a culture of built-in quality, encouraging operators to stop and elevate issues rather than pass on defects

Problem Solving & Continuous Improvement

• Use structured problem-solving methods (PDCA, A3, DMAIC) to address daily production issues and drive sustainable corrective actions
• Track and report key performance indicators (safety, quality, delivery, cost, productivity) and lead daily/weekly tier meetings
• Actively participate in and lead continuous improvement (kaizen) initiatives, targeting productivity, flow, and cost reduction
• Support new product introduction (NPI) and engineering change implementation on the assembly floor

Required Qualifications

• 5+ years of manufacturing supervisory experience, with direct experience in low-volume, high-mix assembly environments
• Demonstrated experience with electrical and mechanical assembly processes (wiring, harnessing, fastening, sub-assembly integration, etc.)
• Hands-on knowledge of lean manufacturing principles: 5S, standard work, kaizen, value stream mapping, SMED, poka-yoke
• Proven track record in line balancing, material flow optimization, and inventory/kitting management
• Experience leading root cause analysis and defect/scrap reduction initiatives
• Strong people leadership skills: training and development, performance management, and conflict resolution
• Working knowledge of ERP/MRP systems (SAP S/4HANA or similar) for production and inventory transactions
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, wiring diagrams, BOMs, and work instructions
• Strong communication skills across shifts and cross-functional teams (Engineering, Quality, Materials, Planning)

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Industrial/Manufacturing Engineering, Operations Management, or related field (or equivalent experience)
• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt certification
• Experience in automotive, industrial equipment, or similarly regulated/high-mix manufacturing sector
• Experience with SAP S/4HANA Production, Quality, and Materials modules
• Familiarity with IPC or J-STD standards for electrical/wire harness assembly (if applicable)

Physical Requirements / Work Environment

• Ability to work on a manufacturing floor, including standing/walking for extended periods
• Ability to lift up to 35 lbs occasionally
• Flexibility to support multiple shifts or occasional off-shift coverage as production needs require