Freelance Machine Shop Manager Jobs in Tennessee

Lead the shop. Develop the team. Improve the process. Deliver results.

Card-Monroe Group is looking for an experienced Machine Shop Manager to lead our CNC machining operation in Chattanooga, TN.

This is an opportunity for a hands-on manufacturing leader who knows machining, understands what great shop execution looks like, and-most importantly-knows how to lead people and create accountability.

Our machine shop supports the broader manufacturing operation with precision-machined components that are critical to the performance and delivery of our equipment. We are looking for a leader who can bring structure, consistency and continuous improvement while developing a strong team of machinists.

What You'll Do

Lead the Machine Shop

• Provide day-to-day leadership for a team of approximately 20 machinists across two shifts.
• Own shop performance across safety, quality, delivery, productivity and cost.
• Establish clear expectations, priorities and accountability for the team.
• Monitor production schedules and remove barriers to meeting delivery commitments.
• Maintain a visible leadership presence on the shop floor.

Develop People & Build Accountability

• Hire, coach, develop and retain a high-performing machining team.
• Establish clear performance expectations and address performance issues promptly and fairly.
• Develop employee skills and create opportunities for cross-training and advancement.
• Build bench strength and develop future leaders within the shop.
• Create a culture where people take ownership of their work and solve problems rather than work around them.

Improve Quality & Productivity

• Establish and maintain standardized work practices.
• Analyze scrap, rework, downtime and production performance to identify opportunities for improvement.
• Lead practical problem-solving and root-cause activities within the shop.
• Partner with Engineering and Quality/Continuous Improvement to resolve recurring issues.
• Improve machine utilization, setup efficiency, throughput and overall shop productivity.

Own the Machining Process

• Provide technical leadership related to CNC machining, tooling, fixturing, programming and machining processes.
• Ensure machining processes are capable of consistently producing quality parts to specification.
• Optimize tooling and machining practices to improve quality, cycle time and cost.
• Support the evaluation of new machining technology, equipment and processes.
• Maintain strong working knowledge of CNC equipment, tooling, GD&T and technical drawings.

Manage Cost & Resources

• Manage labor, overtime, tooling and consumable costs within established budgets.
• Partner with purchasing and vendors to optimize tooling and consumable spend.
• Identify opportunities to reduce waste, scrap, rework and unnecessary costs.
• Use data and shop-floor performance metrics to make decisions.

What Success Looks Like

Within your first year, you will have helped create a machine shop that is:

• Safer
• More predictable
• More productive
• More accountable
• Higher quality
• Better organized
• Stronger from a leadership and technical capability standpoint

You'll know you're succeeding when the team consistently meets commitments, problems are addressed at the root cause, employees understand what is expected of them, and the shop can perform without everything having to flow through the manager.

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What We're Looking For

We're looking for someone who combines technical machining expertise with strong people leadership.

Required

• 7+ years of progressive CNC machining/manufacturing experience.
• Demonstrated experience leading a machining or manufacturing team.
• Strong understanding of CNC machining processes, tooling and fixturing.
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings and GD&T.
• Experience with CNC mills and/or lathes.
• Strong problem-solving and root-cause analysis skills.
• Experience using manufacturing metrics to manage performance.
• Demonstrated ability to coach employees and hold people accountable.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to work effectively with Engineering, Quality, Operations and other functions.

Preferred

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations or a related field.
• Lean / Continuous Improvement experience.
• Experience with CNC programming or CAM systems.
• Experience with ERP/MRP systems.
• Experience in an ISO 9001 manufacturing environment.
• Experience managing multiple shifts.
• Experience with capital equipment evaluation and implementation.

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The Leader We're Looking For

Technical knowledge is important.

Leadership is equally important.

You should be someone who:

• Leads from the floor, not just from a computer.
• Sets clear expectations and follows through.
• Doesn't avoid difficult conversations.
• Uses data instead of assumptions.
• Develops people instead of simply doing the work for them.
• Knows the difference between a temporary workaround and a sustainable solution.
• Can balance quality, delivery, cost and people.
• Brings calm, structure and accountability to a busy manufacturing environment.
• Is willing to challenge "the way we've always done it."
• Takes ownership when something goes wrong and expects the same from the team.

We are looking for a leader, not simply the most technically experienced machinist in the room.

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Why Card-Monroe Group?

Card-Monroe Group is a family-owned manufacturing and automation organization with approximately 260 employees with a strong caring and flourishing culture - serving customers through multiple business units and locations.

We are in an important stage of growth and organizational development, and we're investing in leaders who can help us build a stronger, more accountable and more capable manufacturing organization.

This role offers the opportunity to make a visible impact on the performance of our machine shop and the people who work in it.

Location

Chattanooga, Tennessee

Schedule

Full-time, on-site manufacturing leadership role

Compensation

Competitive salary based on experience and qualifications

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Ready to Lead the Next Chapter?

If you're an experienced machining leader who wants to build a great team, improve the operation and have a meaningful impact on manufacturing performance, we'd like to hear from you.

Apply today to join Card-Monroe Group.