Nut Former Manager

Position Summary:

The Nut Form Manager is responsible for the overall leadership, performance, and continuous improvement of the Nut Form Department. This position oversees all aspects of department operations, including production planning, employee supervision, tooling management,

process optimization, quality performance, safety compliance, and equipment utilization. The Nut Form Manager provides both technical expertise and hands-on leadership to ensure production goals, quality standards, and customer delivery requirements are consistently achieved.

This role requires extensive experience with multi-station nut forming and cold forming equipment, as well as the ability to troubleshoot complex forming, tooling, and production issues. The Nut Form Manager is responsible for developing and mentoring operators and setup personnel, improving machine efficiency, reducing scrap and downtime, and driving operational excellence throughout the department.

A key responsibility of this position is the strategic management of tooling requirements, including forecasting tooling needs based on production demand, maintaining tooling readiness, and ensuring the timely procurement of new and replacement tooling. The Nut Form Manager will also work closely with the Tooling Department to expand in-house nut form tooling capabilities, reduce dependence on outside suppliers, shorten lead times, improve responsiveness to production needs, and enhance tooling quality and cost control.

The ideal candidate will possess significant experience in aerospace fastener manufacturing, nut forming, cold forming, or other high-precision anufacturing environments and will demonstrate the leadership, technical knowledge, and accountability necessary to drive departmental performance and long-term growth.

Daily tasks:

Department Leadership & Production Management

1. Direct and manage the daily operations of the Nut Form Department.

2. Supervise, train, coach, and evaluate Nut Former Operators, Setup Personnel, and other assigned employees.

3. Manage production schedules and priorities to ensure customer requirements, delivery commitments, and production goals are achieved.

4. Coordinate machine setups, changeovers, and staffing assignments to maximize machine utilization and throughput.

5. Monitor departmental performance through production, efficiency, scrap, downtime, and quality metrics.

6. Ensure compliance with company safety policies, procedures, environmental regulations, and housekeeping standards.

7. Conduct regular team meetings and communicate departmental goals, performance expectations, and operational updates.

8. Partner with Quality, Engineering, Maintenance, Tooling, and Production Planning teams to support manufacturing objectives.

Technical Leadership

1. Provide technical guidance and troubleshooting support for complex nut forming and cold forming processes.

2. Troubleshoot difficult forming, tooling, machine, and quality issues to minimize downtime and maintain production schedules.

3. Review blueprints, job orders, tooling requirements, and product specifications to ensure compliance with customer and engineering requirements.

4. Monitor machine performance and implement corrective actions to improve efficiency, quality, and reliability.

5. Drive continuous improvement initiatives focused on productivity, setup reduction, process capability, equipment utilization, quality improvement, and waste reduction.

6. Support new product introductions, tooling trials, process validation activities, and manufacturing development projects.

Tooling Management

1. Take full ownership of the department's tooling requirements and overall tooling strategy.

2. Review current and future production backlogs to identify tooling requirements well in advance of scheduled production.

3. Monitor tooling inventory levels, tooling condition, and tooling life to ensure readiness for production demands.

4. Coordinate the timely procurement of new and replacement tooling to prevent production delays.

5. Work closely with the Tooling Department to improve tooling availability, performance, and cost effectiveness.

6. Establish and maintain processes for tracking tooling usage, maintenance needs, and replacement schedules.

7. Analyze tooling performance and implement improvements to extend tooling life, reduce costs, and improve part quality.

In-House Tooling Development

1. Collaborate with the Tooling Department to expand the company's capability to manufacture nut form tooling in-house.

2. Identify tooling components and products that can realistically and economically be produced internally.

3. Support the development of processes, equipment, and standards necessary for successful in-house tooling production.

4. Help reduce dependency on external tooling suppliers by improving internal tooling capabilities.

5. Work to shorten tooling lead times, improve responsiveness to production requirements, and enhance tooling quality and cost control.

Quality & Continuous Improvement

1. Review inspection results, SPC data, and quality reports to ensure compliance with customer specifications.

2. Lead corrective action efforts related to quality concerns, production issues, and process deficiencies.

3. Identify opportunities to reduce scrap, improve yields, and increase operational efficiency.

4. Ensure operators utilize proper inspection techniques, gauging methods, and quality procedures.

5. Maintain accurate production records, reports, and departmental performance metrics.

Maintenance Coordination

1. Work closely with Maintenance to coordinate preventive maintenance and equipment repairs.

2. Evaluate machine conditions and identify equipment improvements that enhance productivity and reliability.

3. Ensure production equipment remains in safe and effective operating condition.

4. Perform other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Minimum 10 years of experience in nut forming, cold forming, fastener manufacturing, or related precision manufacturing operations.
• Minimum 5 years of supervisory, management, or leadership experience within a manufacturing environment.
• Extensive hands-on experience with multi-station nut forming and cold forming equipment.
• Strong understanding of forming dies, transfer systems, tooling design, tooling maintenance, and setup procedures.
• Experience managing production schedules, workforce performance, and operational priorities.
• Thorough knowledge of blueprint reading, GD&T, inspection methods, SPC, and quality management systems.
• Aerospace fastener manufacturing experience strongly preferred.
• Experience working with tooling procurement, tooling inventory management, and tooling development programs preferred.
• Associate's Degree or Bachelor's Degree in Manufacturing, Engineering, Industrial Technology, or related field preferred; equivalent experience considered.