Department Manager - Turf Manufacturing

Shaw Industries Group; Highway (KY); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Shaw Industries Group in Kentucky seeks a Department Manager - Turf Manufacturing to lead a highly technical turf production operation, including tufting, coating, and patterned product manufacturing.

You’ll oversee safety, quality, people, productivity, cost, and continuous improvement across a multi‑shift team of 60+ employees, working with engineering and development teams to optimize equipment and processes.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a technical field or engineering.
• Demonstrated leadership experience with people, performance, and operational results.
• Strong problem solving and continuous improvement capabilities.
• Ability to communicate with hourly associates, technical staff, and leaders.

Responsibilities

• Lead a multi‑shift manufacturing team of 60+ people with safety, quality, productivity, cost, and delivery ownership.
• Establish department goals and drive performance across safety, quality, productivity, cost, delivery, and people development.
• Coach and develop leaders and associates through feedback, performance management, and development planning.
• Collaborate with Engineering, Maintenance, Quality, and Ops on process improvements and startup of lines.
• Develop standard work, procedures, and root-cause analyses to sustain manufacturing excellence.

Skills

Leadership

Problem solving

Communication

Shift management

Continuous improvement

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

Lean

Six Sigma

Statistical process control

Job description

Job Title

Department Manager - Turf Manufacturing

Position Overview

Shaw Industries is seeking a technically minded manufacturing leader to lead operations within our growing Game On Turf manufacturing process. This is a highly technical operation combining tufting, coating, patterned product manufacturing, equipment optimization, and advanced manufacturing processes.

The Department Manager will provide both strategic and hands‑on leadership for a multi‑shift manufacturing organization (team of 60+) with responsibility for safety, quality, people, productivity, cost, and continuous improvement. This leader will work closely with operations, engineering, and Technical Development teams to optimize existing equipment and processes, troubleshoot complex manufacturing challenges, and support continued growth of the operation, including optimization of Line 2 and startup of Line 3.

The ideal candidate combines strong people leadership with an engineering and problem‑solving mindset. Experience in carpet, turf, tufting, textile, coating, or another technically complex manufacturing environment is highly desirable.

What You’ll Do

Lead the Operation

• Provide leadership and direction for a multi‑shift manufacturing team, including hourly associates and salaried leadership/technical staff.
• Establish department goals and drive performance across safety, quality, productivity, cost, delivery, and people development.
• Build an engaged, accountable team culture focused on teamwork, continuous improvement, innovation, and operational excellence.
• Coach and develop leaders and associates through regular feedback, performance management, and development planning.
• Ensure employee concerns and performance issues are addressed consistently, appropriately, and in a timely manner.

Drive Technical & Operational Excellence

• Develop a strong understanding of the technical manufacturing process and provide leadership during complex downtime, equipment, process, and quality troubleshooting.
• Partner with Technical Development, Engineering, Maintenance, Quality, and Operations on product development, trial activity, equipment optimization, and process improvements.
• Lead continuous improvement efforts using Lean, Six Sigma, root‑cause analysis, statistical tools, and data‑driven problem solving.
• Support the optimization of existing manufacturing lines and successful startup, stabilization, and continuous improvement of new equipment and processes.
• Develop and maintain standard work, operating procedures, process documentation, specifications, root‑cause analyses, and other critical manufacturing documentation.
• Understand and support the technical conversion of graphics and product specifications into manufacturing requirements while ensuring accuracy and attention to detail.

Deliver for the Customer

• Partner across Turf Operations and supporting functions to establish production priorities and schedules.
• Ensure customer expectations are met through consistent quality, on‑time delivery, responsiveness, and manufacturing performance.
• Build effective partnerships across operations, technical teams, and other manufacturing facilities.

What You’ll Bring

Required

• Bachelor’s degree.
• Demonstrated experience in a manufacturing, engineering, or highly technical production environment.
• Proven leadership experience with responsibility for people, manufacturing performance, and operational results.
• Strong technical aptitude with the ability to understand manufacturing processes, equipment performance, quality issues, and process variation.
• Demonstrated problem‑solving and continuous improvement capabilities.
• Ability to communicate effectively with hourly associates, technical professionals, peers, and senior leaders.
• Ability to balance strategic leadership with hands‑on support of day‑to‑day manufacturing operations.
• Flexibility to support a multi‑shift operation, including off‑shifts and weekends when business needs require.

Preferred

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or a related technical discipline.
• Manufacturing leadership experience within turf, carpet, tufting, textiles, coating, or other continuous/process manufacturing environments.
• Experience leading larger, multi‑shift manufacturing teams, including front‑line or salaried leaders.
• Experience with Lean, Six Sigma, root‑cause analysis, statistical process control, or other continuous improvement methodologies.
• Experience with equipment/process optimization, manufacturing line startups, commissioning, or production ramp‑up.

Why Shaw?

At Shaw, this role offers more than the opportunity to manage day‑to‑day production. You'll have the chance to lead a growing, highly technical turf manufacturing operation, develop a strong team, influence how the process evolves, and play a key role in the optimization and startup of manufacturing lines. As a Berkshire Hathaway company, Shaw offers the stability of an established organization while continuing to invest in innovation, manufacturing technology,