Tooling Manager

Charter Casting; Shawano (WI); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental, and vision benefits

401(k) plan with employer matching and

Profit sharing

Company-paid life insurance

Disability coverage

Paid time off (PTO)

Job summary

Charter Manufacturing is seeking a senior Tooling Manager to lead multi-site tooling operations across Shawano and Bonduel in a green sand foundry environment. You will guide Pattern Makers and production staff to ensure tooling is ready for new launches, meets customer specs, and aligns with schedules.

The role requires extensive experience in tooling, pattern making, and green sand processing, with a track record of cost reduction and cross‑functional leadership.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a technical discipline or equivalent experience.
• 7+ years in heavy manufacturing, foundry, tooling, machining or pattern making.
• 3+ years of supervisory/leadership experience in a manufacturing, foundry, tooling, machining, or pattern making environment.
• Experience managing or leading a pattern shop, tool and die operation, or a similar skilled trades environment.
• Demonstrated knowledge of green sand foundry operations, including pattern creation, pattern maintenance, core boxes, gating, rigging, molding lines, and tooling requirements.
• Experience with CAD, CAM, CNC equipment, tooling design software, or computerized maintenance/work order systems.
• Demonstrated experience in cost reduction through process improvements, Continuous Improvement techniques, tooling reliability improvements, and project management.
• Ability to read and interpret blueprints, drawings, specifications, work instructions, and customer requirements.
• Knowledge of precision measurement instruments, machining equipment, power tools, hand tools, and tooling repair methods.
• Ability to evaluate tooling condition, prioritize repair and maintenance needs, and determine appropriate corrective actions.
• Demonstrated experience in fostering a culture of teamwork, including cross‑functional teams, to coach, motivate, lead, and develop direct reports.
• Proficient in the basic features of Microsoft Office products.

Responsibilities

• Lead multi‑site tooling operations across the Shawano and Bonduel locations.
• Direct an organized and systematic approach to the tooling needs of the plant by managing staffing, equipment, tooling priorities, training needs, tooling capacity and capability, pattern readiness, and tooling maintenance.
• Work directly with internal teams such as New Product Development, Commercial, Operations, Safety, and Quality, as well as external vendors and customers to define tooling requirements.
• Lead tooling operations for the green sand foundry environment via pattern creation, pattern modification, pattern repair, core box readiness, gating, mounting, rigging, outsourced tooling, and tooling maintenance activities.
• Supervise Pattern Makers and Production Shift Supervisors by providing operational direction, assigning priorities, monitoring performance, developing employees, and ensuring work is completed according to safety, quality, customer, and production requirements.
• Participate in developing and managing the tooling operation budget including materials, outsourced tooling, repair costs, supplies, and tooling‑related capital needs.
• Ensure patterns, core boxes, gating, and related tooling comply with quality, customer, production, and dimensional requirements.
• Coordinate with production, quality, engineering, maintenance, scheduling, safety, and external vendors to resolve tooling‑related issues and support production schedules.
• Review blueprints, drawings, specifications, customer requirements, and work instructions to ensure tooling is created, modified, repaired, and maintained to exact requirements.
• Follow Environmental, Quality and Safety Management System procedures and requirements.
• Ability to meet the essential job requirements, with or without reasonable accommodation, as outlined in the job description.

Skills

Pattern making

Leadership

Continuous Improvement

Blueprint reading

Microsoft Office

Collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in a technical discipline

Tools

CAD

CAM

CNC

Tooling design software

Job description

Charter Manufacturing is a fourth-generation family-owned business where our will to grow drives us to do it better. Join the team and become part of our family!

Position Purpose / Mission

Lead and direct multi-site tooling operations across the Shawano and Bonduel, Wisconsin locations. This role is primarily responsible for creating and maintaining tooling, patterns, and core boxes in a green sand foundry environment. The Tooling Manager will guide a team of internal Pattern Makers and assigned production employees to ensure our tooling is properly prepared for new product launches, meets customer requirements, adheres to production schedules, and supports long‑term operational needs.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in a technical discipline or equivalent experience
• 7+ years of experience in a heavy manufacturing, foundry, tooling, machining, pattern making, or related manufacturing environment
• 3+ years of supervisory/leadership experience in a manufacturing, foundry, tooling, machining, or pattern‑making environment
• Experience managing or leading a pattern shop, tool and die operation, or a similar skilled trades environment
• Demonstrated knowledge of green sand foundry operations, including pattern creation, pattern maintenance, core boxes, gating, rigging, molding lines, and tooling requirements
• Experience with CAD, CAM, CNC equipment, tooling design software, or computerized maintenance/work order systems
• Demonstrated experience in cost reduction through process improvements, Continuous Improvement techniques, tooling reliability improvements, and project management
• Ability to read and interpret blueprints, drawings, specifications, work instructions, and customer requirements
• Knowledge of precision measurement instruments, machining equipment, power tools, hand tools, and tooling repair methods
• Ability to evaluate tooling condition, prioritize repair and maintenance needs, and determine appropriate corrective actions
• Demonstrated experience in fostering a culture of teamwork, including cross‑functional teams, to coach, motivate, lead, and develop direct reports
• Proficient in the basic features of Microsoft Office products

Preferred Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in a heavy manufacturing, foundry, tooling, machining, pattern making, or related manufacturing environment
• 5+ years of supervisory/leadership experience in a manufacturing, foundry, tooling, machining, or pattern‑making environment
• Experience working in a green sand iron foundry environment
• Experience managing pattern shops, tooling departments, machining areas, or skilled trades employees
• Experience coordinating outsourced tooling, pattern construction, pattern repair, or vendor‑performed tooling work
• Experience in an organization with ISO/Quality System Requirements

Major Accountabilities

• Lead multi‑site tooling operations across the Shawano and Bonduel locations
• Direct an organized and systematic approach to the tooling needs of the plant by managing staffing, equipment, tooling priorities, training needs, tooling capacity and capability, pattern readiness, and tooling maintenance
• Work directly with internal teams such as New Product Development, Commercial, Operations, Safety, and Quality, as well as external vendors and customers to define tooling requirements
• Lead tooling operations for the green sand foundry environment via pattern creation, pattern modification, pattern repair, core box readiness, gating, mounting, rigging, outsourced tooling, and tooling maintenance activities
• Supervise Pattern Makers and Production Shift Supervisors by providing operational direction, assigning priorities, monitoring performance, developing employees, and ensuring work is completed according to safety, quality, customer, and production requirements
• Participate in developing and managing the tooling operation budget including materials, outsourced tooling, repair costs, supplies, and tooling‑related capital needs
• Ensure patterns, core boxes, gating, and related tooling comply with quality, customer, production, and dimensional requirements
• Coordinate with production, quality, engineering, maintenance, scheduling, safety, and external vendors to resolve tooling‑related issues and support production schedules
• Review blueprints, drawings, specifications, customer requirements, and work instructions to ensure tooling is created, modified, repaired, and maintained to exact requirements
• Follow Environmental, Quality and Safety Management System procedures and requirements
• Ability to meet the essential job requirements, with or without reasonable accommodation, as outlined in the job description

Responsibilities for Supervision

• Production Shift Supervisors
• Pattern Makers
• Forklift Operators
• CDL Driver & Technicians

Organizational Relationships

• Reports to: Plant Manager
• Primary internal customers: Production, Quality, Engineering, Maintenance, Safety, Human Resources, New Product Development, Commercial, Plant Leadership
• Primary external customers: Tooling vendors, pattern suppliers, equipment suppliers, and customers as required by the business

Position Challenges

• Responding to changing customer, production, and tooling requirements
• Balancing urgent production needs with preventive maintenance, new tooling creation, pattern repair, outsourced tooling coordination, and long‑term continuous improvement initiatives
• Coordinating tooling priorities between locations to support customer demand, new product launches, production schedules, and long‑term operational needs

We offer comprehensive health, dental, and vision benefits, along with a 401(k) plan that includes employer matching and profit sharing. Additionally, we offer company‑paid life insurance, disability coverage, and paid time off (PTO).