Project Manager - Heavy Industrial

Rust Belt Recruiting; Cleveland (OH); On-site; USD 80,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Rust Belt Recruiting is seeking a Project Manager (Manufacturing) for first shift in the Cleveland area. You will oversee custom metal fabrication projects from inquiry to delivery, interfacing with clients and internal teams to meet quality, schedule, and budget.

Responsibilities include communicating scope, creating work instructions, reviewing contracts, expediting jobs, cost estimation, and tracking milestones in ERP.

Qualifications

• Hold an Associate degree in engineering or technical field; Bachelor's preferred.
• Experience managing projects in a custom metal fabrication or job shop manufacturing setting.
• Knowledge of structural metal fabrication and welding of medium-to-large weldments.
• Ability to read GD&T, complex blueprints, and technical specifications.
• Familiarity with thermal cutting operations (oxyfuel, plasma).
• Proficiency with ERP and project tracking to manage progress and costing.
• Strong organizational skills to manage multiple complex projects.

Responsibilities

• Communicate with customers to clarify project scope and translate requirements into shop floor directives.
• Prepare detailed work instructions and routings for fabrication operations.
• Review contracts, codes, standards, and specs to ensure compliance.
• Expedite and monitor active jobs to meet deadlines.
• Analyze inquiries and drawings to define requirements and quotes.
• Compute manufacturing costs including labor, materials, tooling, and processing needs.
• Maintain sales orders, milestones, and production records in ERP.
• Collaborate with engineering, QA, and plant supervisors to eliminate bottlenecks.
• Track project schedules and financial performance against targets.

Skills

Customer communication

Project management

Analytical thinking

Time management

Pricing & cost estimation

Engineering drawings

Education

Associate degree in engineering or technical field

Bachelor degree preferred

Tools

ERP systems

Project tracking software

Job description

Project Manager (Manufacturing)

Shift: First Shift (Monday – Friday)

Salary: $80,000 – $90,000 per year (commensurate with experience)

Project Manager (Manufacturing) Role

The Project Manager oversees custom metal fabrication projects from initial inquiry and estimation through cutting, forming, welding, machining, and final delivery. This position serves as the primary technical and operational liaison between external clients and internal manufacturing departments to ensure that every build meets strict quality, schedule, and budgetary requirements.

Project Manager (Manufacturing) Responsibilities

• Communicate regularly with customers to clarify project scope, resolve technical questions, and translate client requirements into clear shop floor directives
• Prepare detailed work instructions and routings for custom fabrication operations including thermal cutting, plate forming, welding, and precision machining
• Review and interpret customer contracts, industry codes, quality standards, and technical specifications to ensure full project compliance
• Expedite and monitor active jobs through every phase of the manufacturing process to meet tight schedule deadlines
• Analyze customer inquiries and drawing packages to define technical requirements and assist in generating accurate project quotes
• Compute manufacturing costs by evaluating labor hours, raw materials, tooling, and external processing needs
• Maintain accurate sales orders, project milestones, and production records inside the enterprise resource planning (ERP) system
• Collaborate with engineering, quality assurance, and plant supervisors to eliminate bottlenecks and maintain steady throughput
• Track project schedules and financial performance against targets to ensure margin health and timely client shipments

Project Manager (Manufacturing) Reporting Relationships

This position reports to the Director of Operations and has no direct supervisory reports.

About You

• Hold an Associate degree in an engineering or technical field, with a Bachelor degree preferred
• Possess demonstrated project management experience within a custom metal fabrication or job shop manufacturing setting
• Bring practical experience with structural metal fabrication and welding, particularly involving medium-to-large weldments
• Read and interpret complex engineering blueprints, geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T), and technical specifications accurately
• Exhibit working knowledge of thermal cutting operations, including oxyfuel and plasma cutting systems
• Demonstrate familiarity with multi-axis precision machining processes and manufacturing tolerances
• Utilize enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems and project tracking software to manage job progress, routings, and job costing
• Apply disciplined analytical skills to review detailed technical documents and determine accurate pricing and production schedules
• Manage multiple complex projects concurrently with disciplined organization and time management

Next Steps

If analytical problem-solving and disciplined time management describes you, we would like to hear from you.

Additional Information

Our client is an Equal Opportunity Employer and values diversity at their company. All employment decisions are based on business needs, job requirements, and individual qualifications without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, or disability status.

Physical Demands & Working Conditions:

• Split time between a professional office environment and an active, heavy industrial manufacturing floor
• Walk, stand, and navigate manufacturing areas containing active machinery, overhead cranes, and fabrication equipment
• Lift or move items up to 25 pounds as required during shop floor walk-throughs
• Wear required personal protective equipment (PPE) including safety glasses, steel-toed boots, and hearing protection in designated plant areas

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