Sr. Tooling Manager

Flex; Buffalo Grove (IL); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Flex in Buffalo Grove, IL seeks an experienced Tool Room Manager to lead our tool room operations, oversee new tooling development, and ensure mold quality and performance across projects. You will work with customers and internal teams to implement improvements, preventive maintenance, and cost reduction initiatives, while developing manufacturing processes and ensuring compliance with quality standards.

We value strong leadership, clear communication in English, and the ability to translate

Qualifications

• High School Diploma required.
• 15 years of mold tool room or design experience.
• CNC tool room programming experience.
• Ability to read mold design and improvements clearly.
• Strong leadership and customer-facing communication skills.
• Must be able to manage a team and collaborate across functions.

Responsibilities

• Manage the tool room department and collaborate on customer and internal projects.
• Oversee new tooling development and mold improvements.
• Maintain production molds and implement preventive maintenance.
• Develop manufacturing processes by studying requirements and equipment.
• Improve efficiency by analyzing tooling and process data.
• Lead quality and safety improvements within the tool room team.
• Generate and implement cost reduction ideas.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Problem solving

English proficiency

Education

High School Diploma

Tools

CNC tool room programming

Mold design software

Job description

Flex is the diversified manufacturing partner of choice that helps market-leading brands design, build and deliver innovative products that improve the world. A career at Flex offers the opportunity to make a difference and invest in your growth in a respectful, inclusive, and collaborative environment. If you are excited about a role but don't meet every bullet point, we encourage you to apply and join us to create the extraordinary.

General Purpose:

Responsible for managing the Tool Room department and collaborate on projects with customers or internal colleagues, new tool and mold development, improvement of manufacturing processes, and maintenance of production molds. Assure product quality by implementing testing methods, equipment, and tools.

Principal Accountabilities:

• Management of new tooling requisitions from prototype or complex designs through mass production.
• Responsible for improvements, major repairs, and Engineering Change Notice to the molds.
• Implementation of preventive maintenance for production molds.
• Develop manufacturing processes by studying product requirements including but not limited to researching, designing, modifying, testing manufacturing methods and equipment.
• Improve manufacturing efficiency by analyzing tooling and process.
• Implementation of quality and safety improvements in training for tool room team.
• Generation and implementation of cost reduction ideas.

Requirements:

• High School Diploma
• 15 years of experience in mold tool room or design activities
• CNC tool room machinery programing
• Ability to read mold design and improvements
• Ability to apply common sense and to analyze and solve tooling problems
• Ability to deal with customers and to lead a group.
• Ability to speak and write in English. Mold Making, Quality systems, FAI, PPAP process, releasing process.
• Demonstrates expert functional, technical and people and/or process management skills as well as customer (external and internal) relationship skills.
• Demonstrates detailed expertise in very complex functional/technical area or broad breadth of knowledge in multiple areas.
• Understands the strategic impact of the function across sites.

MF15

Flex is an Equal Opportunity Employer and employment selection decisions are based on merit, qualifications, and abilities. We do not discriminate based on: age, race, religion, color, sex, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, disability, pregnancy status, or any other status protected by law. We're happy to provide reasonable accommodations to those with a disability for assistance in the application process. Please email [e-mail] and we'll discuss your specific situation and next steps (NOTE: this email does not accept or consider resumes or applications. This is only for disability assistance. To be considered for a position at Flex, you must complete the application process first).