Fine Jewelry Manufacturing Shop Manager

Frank Darling - We're Hiring!; New York (NY); On-site; USD 60,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

Frank Darling - We're Hiring! is seeking an experienced Jewelry Shop Manager to lead the day-to-day operations of our in-house jewelry production facility in New York City.

This hands-on leadership role requires ownership, decisiveness, and the ability to keep production moving across multiple departments. You will oversee jewelers, setters, polishers, washout, engraving, and QC teams, ensure quality, improve processes, and coach staff.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in jewelry manufacturing or a related production environment.
• Experience managing a jewelry production team.
• Strong leadership and people-management skills.
• Ability to manage multiple departments and priorities.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.

Responsibilities

• Own the daily operation and overall performance of the in-house jewelry production shop.
• Manage flow of work through all production departments.
• Identify bottlenecks and ensure on-time delivery.
• Coach and develop production staff and conduct performance reviews.
• Improve shop processes and monitor KPIs.

Skills

Jewelry production management

Leadership

People management

Problem solving

Communication

Organization

Production tracking systems

Job description

About The Role

We are looking for an experienced and highly organized Jewelry Shop Manager to lead the day-to-day operations of our in-house jewelry production facility.

This person will be responsible for managing the flow of work through the entire shop-from the moment a piece enters production through final Quality Control and completion. You will oversee our jewelers, setters, polishers, washout, engraving, and QC teams, ensuring that work is properly prioritized, completed on time, and meets our quality standards.

This is a hands-on leadership role for someone who understands jewelry manufacturing, knows how to manage people, and is comfortable making decisions and solving problems in a fast-paced production environment.

The ideal candidate is someone who naturally takes ownership. When something is falling behind, quality is slipping, a department is overloaded, or a process isn't working, you don't simply identify the problem—you figure out how to fix it.

Key Responsibilities

Shop Operations & Production Flow

• Own the daily operation and overall performance of the in-house jewelry production shop.
• Manage the flow of work through all production departments, including:
  • Jewelers
  • Setters
  • Polishers
  • Washout
  • Engraving
  • Quality Control
• Ensure work is properly prioritized and moves efficiently from one department to the next.
• Monitor production schedules and make adjustments as needed to keep orders on track.
• Identify bottlenecks, capacity issues, and workflow problems before they impact customer orders.
• Coordinate resources and labor across departments based on current workload and priorities.
• Ensure completed work is properly handed off between departments without unnecessary delays.
• Maintain visibility into what is currently in production, what is coming next, and what is at risk of missing its deadline.

Quality & Accountability

• Ensure all work leaving the shop meets our quality standards and production specifications.
• Work closely with QC to identify recurring quality issues and determine their root causes.
• Hold team members accountable for the quality and accuracy of their work.
• Identify patterns of mistakes, rework, and inefficiencies and implement solutions to prevent them from recurring.
• Establish and maintain clear expectations for productivity, quality, attendance, and performance.
• Ensure employees are following established processes and procedures.

Team Management & HR Responsibilities

• Directly manage the personnel within the production shop.
• Set clear expectations and hold employees accountable for meeting them.
• Manage staffing, schedules, attendance, time off, and daily assignments.
• Conduct regular performance check-ins and formal performance reviews.
• Address performance issues, attendance problems, interpersonal conflicts, and other employee concerns.
• Coach and develop employees to improve their skills and performance.Work with leadership on hiring, training, disciplinary actions, and personnel decisions when necessary.
• Foster a professional, productive, and respectful shop environment.
• Recognize strong performance and help develop high-performing employees into future leaders.

Problem Solving & Continuous Improvement

• Act as the primary point person for resolving day-to-day production issues.
• Quickly identify the root cause of problems and determine the appropriate solution.
• Work cross-functionally with CAD, Production, Client Care, Supply Chain, QC, and other departments to resolve issues affecting production.
• Develop and improve shop processes to increase efficiency, quality, and consistency.
• Look for opportunities to reduce rework, wasted time, material waste, and unnecessary handoffs.
• Help establish and monitor production metrics and KPIs.
• Communicate significant issues, risks, and trends to the VP of Operations and other leadership as appropriate.

What We’re Looking For

• 5+ years of experience in jewelry manufacturing or a closely related production environment.
• Previous experience managing a jewelry production team or manufacturing operation.
• Strong understanding of jewelry production processes, including bench work, stone setting, polishing, finishing, and quality control.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple departments and competing priorities simultaneously.
• Strong leadership and people-management skills.
• Comfortable holding employees accountable and having difficult conversations when necessary.
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making abilities.
• Highly organized with excellent attention to detail.
• Ability to remain calm and decisive in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to work effectively with both production employees and senior leadership.
• Comfortable using production tracking systems, spreadsheets, and other operational tools.
• A proactive mindset-you see problems coming and address them before they become bigger problems.

Job Details

• Full-time on-site role located in New York City
• Office hours are 8AM to 4PM
• Schedule: Monday-Friday
• Salary:60-85k per year