Freedom Waterworks

Overview

The Welding Manager oversees the daily operations of the Steel Fabrication department at Freedom Waterworks, ensuring safe, efficient, and timely completion of work in line with quality standards. This role involves managing production, labor, scheduling, quality, and employee performance while collaborating with various departments to meet customer expectations.

Responsibilities

• Oversee daily steel fabrication operations, including production scheduling, labor planning, equipment utilization, inventory coordination, welding activities, and workflow.
• Lead, coach, develop, and hold accountable shop supervisors and fabrication employees.
• Coordinate fabrication priorities with Sales, Project Management, Purchasing, Warehouse, Paint, and Engineering.
• Ensure all fabricated products meet company quality standards and applicable customer specifications.
• Serve as the department owner for SPFA, NSF/ANSI/CAN 61, and all safety programs.
• Ensure compliance with applicable AWWA, AWS, ASME, OSHA, and company policies and procedures.
• Oversee welding procedures, inspections, preventive maintenance, and material availability.
• Identify and implement process improvements that increase productivity, reduce waste, improve quality, and control costs.
• Assist with hiring, onboarding, training, performance management, employee development, and succession planning.
• Support departmental budgeting, capital equipment planning, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Build strong working relationships across departments to ensure exceptional customer service and project execution.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Extensive knowledge of carbon steel and stainless-steel pipe fabrication and welding processes.
• Ability to read and interpret fabrication drawings, blueprints, specifications, and isometric drawings.
• Strong understanding of AWWA, AWS, ASME, SPFA, NSF/ANSI/CAN 61, and OSHA requirements.
• Experience with production scheduling, labor management, quality control, and inventory coordination.
• Strong leadership, coaching, communication, organizational, and decision-making skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and ERP systems such as Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central.
• Minimum of 10 years of steel fabrication and welding experience.
• Minimum of 5 years of manufacturing or fabrication leadership experience.
• Experience supervising fabrication personnel of 15 or more and managing production schedules.
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Business, Construction Management, or a related field preferred.
• Certified Welding Inspector (CWI), Lean Manufacturing, or Six Sigma certification is preferred.
• Experience in the municipal waterworks industry is preferred.

Benefits

• Health Insurance
• Dental
• Vision
• 401k
• PTO