Steel Fabrication Operation Manager Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Description

For over four decades, Big Top has manufactured and installed high-performance fabric structures in the United States, delivering American-made quality, innovation, and reliability.  We don't just build shelters - we engineer solutions that optimize operations, safeguard assets, and provide a competitive edge for companies worldwide. With the support and financial backing of Altamont Capital Partners, we are in an exciting phase of growth, expansion, and innovation.

Location: Flower Mound, TX

FLSA Classification: Exempt

Supervisory Responsibilities: Directly supervises all Steel Fabricator I, Steel Fabricator II, and Steel Fabricator III employees in the steel fabrication department. Responsibilities include staffing input, interviewing, hiring recommendations, onboarding, training, coaching, work assignment, performance management, corrective action, employee development, succession planning, and accountability practices in partnership with Human Resources and plant leadership.

Job Summary: The Steel Fabrication Supervisor owns the operating results of the steel fabrication department, including safety, quality, delivery, productivity, labor effectiveness, material utilization, employee capability, standard work, ERP discipline, equipment readiness, and continuous improvement. This role leads department execution by setting priorities, aligning labor, materials, equipment, and resources, removing constraints, developing team capability, enforcing standards, and using performance data to drive decisions. The supervisor is accountable for building a reliable, disciplined, and scalable fabrication operation that supports current production needs and future business growth. This position reports directly to the Plant General Manager.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

Owns steel fabrication department performance for safety, quality, delivery, productivity, labor effectiveness, material utilization, cost control, and employee capability.

Leads Steel Fabricator I, II, and III employees by setting clear expectations, assigning work, coaching performance, addressing gaps, and enforcing consistent accountability.

Plans and adjusts daily department execution by aligning labor, employee skill, equipment, materials, drawings, work orders, priorities, and constraints to meet production commitments.

Verifies work requirements by reviewing drawings, blueprints, work orders, travelers, specifications, tolerances, cut lists, bill-of-material requirements, quality standards, and delivery expectations before and during execution.

Owns safe execution of cutting, fitting, forming, drilling, grinding, material handling, equipment operation, and related fabrication work through compliance with PPE, equipment authorization, safety practices, documented procedures, and required inspections.

Owns fabrication quality and department conformance through first-piece checks, in-process inspections, dimensional verification, drawing conformance, handoff verification, and corrective action on nonconformance, rework, scrap, or recurring defects.

Plans work sequencing and material flow to reduce handling, waiting, bottlenecks, excess work-in-process, and disruptions to downstream welding, finishing, and assembly operations.

Identifies production risks and develops recovery plans that protect safety and quality while maintaining schedule, throughput, and customer commitments.

Investigates nonconformance, schedule misses, excess scrap, material loss, and recurring process failures; leads root-cause analysis, corrective action, verification, and follow-up.

Develops workforce capability through onboarding, training, cross-training, equipment authorization, qualification tracking, skills matrix maintenance, development planning, and succession and bench-strength preparation.

Supports full-cycle talent management for the fabrication department, including workforce planning, recruiting support, interviewing, selection input, onboarding, performance reviews, corrective action, and retention in partnership with Human Resources.

Creates, tracks, monitors, and improves department KPIs tied to safety, quality, delivery, productivity, labor efficiency, material utilization, scrap and rework reduction, training completion, schedule performance, equipment readiness, and continuous improvement.

Uses ERP, production, labor, inventory, material, quality, equipment, and employee-capability data to identify risks, set priorities, allocate resources, solve constraints, and communicate department performance to plant leadership.

Owns ERP discipline and data integrity for labor reporting, production reporting, routing compliance, traveler completion, material transactions, work order execution, rework and scrap reporting, and employee transaction compliance.

Identifies and corrects reporting errors, transaction gaps, routing issues, inventory discrepancies, material shortages, process breakdowns, and data integrity concerns that affect operational reliability.

Owns fabrication department SOPs, work instructions, standard work, setup requirements, inspection methods, training requirements, and operating procedures by ensuring they are implemented, followed, audited, updated, and improved.

Converts tribal knowledge and undocumented fabrication practices into repeatable standards in partnership with Quality, Safety, Engineering, Welding, Operations, and plant leadership.

Ensures saws, drills, punches, brakes, shears, cutting equipment, grinders, fixtures, measuring tools, material-handling equipment, and supporting assets are inspected, maintained, calibrated as required, available, and escalated before risks affect safety, quality, or delivery.

Maintains accurate department records for production output, labor hours, material usage, training, qualifications, employee performance, rework, scrap, quality findings, safety concerns, equipment issues, downtime, and corrective actions.

Builds a disciplined and engaged work environment by promoting teamwork, addressing conflict early, reinforcing accountability, and correcting performance or behavior issues promptly.

Leads continuous improvement actions that improve safety, quality, flow, throughput, labor utilization, material utilization, standard work, employee capability, equipment reliability, and overall department performance.

Performs other duties as assigned.

Required Skills & Abilities

Strong leadership skills with the ability to build accountability, coach employees, manage conflict, develop talent, and guide a diverse team.

Ability to lead through clear expectations, timely feedback, documented follow-up, and consistent accountability.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Ability to read and interpret fabrication drawings, blueprints, work orders, travelers, specifications, tolerances, dimensions, cut lists, and technical instructions.

Strong analytical, problem-solving, root-cause analysis, and decision-making abilities.

Detail-oriented, organized, and capable of managing multiple priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

Ability to balance short-term production demands with long-term employee development, training, standard work, equipment readiness, material control, and process improvement priorities.

Ability to create, track, interpret, and improve departmental KPIs and performance measurements.

Working knowledge of shop-floor KPIs, labor efficiency, schedule attainment, first-pass quality, material utilization, scrap and rework reduction, 5S, Lean manufacturing, and continuous improvement practices preferred.

Ability to accurately use ERP/MRP systems, production tracking tools, production travelers, work orders, labor reporting, inventory transactions, material records, quality records, and production documentation.

Ability to use ERP and operational data to identify constraints, evaluate performance, improve data accuracy, and support decision-making.

Knowledge of steel fabrication processes, cutting, fitting, forming, drilling, grinding, measuring, material handling, shop equipment, and fabrication safety requirements.

Working knowledge of dimensional inspection tools, tolerances, layout methods, and fabrication quality expectations.

Proficient in Microsoft Office tools including Word, Excel, Outlook, OneDrive, SharePoint, Teams, and related business systems.

Reasoning ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, interpret technical instructions, evaluate options, and draw valid conclusions.

Mathematical ability to add, subtract, multiply, divide, and apply fractions, decimals, percentages, ratios, proportions, angles, dimensions, and production calculations to practical situations.

Language skills sufficient to read and interpret procedures, technical requirements, safety standards, work instructions, reports, business correspondence, and regulatory guidance; ability to write reports, procedures, correspondence, and employee documentation as required.

Education & Experience

High school diploma or equivalent required.

Minimum 5 years of steel fabrication, structural fabrication, metalworking, or related manufacturing experience required.

Minimum 2 years of demonstrated leadership, supervisory, lead, or equivalent shop leadership experience preferred.

Experience hiring, coaching, developing, managing performance, and addressing employee accountability preferred.

Experience developing employees, leading training, maintaining qualification expectations, and building bench strength preferred.

Experience implementing process improvements, solving recurring operational problems, and improving department performance preferred.

Experience using ERP/MRP, production reporting, labor tracking, inventory transactions, quality records, work orders, production travelers, or manufacturing data systems preferred.

Experience with fabrication equipment, dimensional inspection, material control, and drawing-driven manufacturing preferred.

Experience in a quality-driven manufacturing environment preferred.

Physical Demands

Must be able to operate in a production environment with exposure to noise, moving equipment, metalworking processes, and varying temperatures.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to use hands to handle or feel.

The employee is occasionally required to stand and sit.

Must be able to accurately exchange information with subordinates, co-workers, vendors, and management.

Must be able to lift 50 lbs. on a regular basis.

Must be able to traverse facilities and machinery by climbing, balancing, lifting, walking, stooping, bending, pushing, pulling, and carrying materials.

Must be able to visually review drawings, dimensions, instructions, production records, computer or tablet screens, material conditions, fabricated parts, quality characteristics, and equipment conditions.

Must be able to work on the production floor for extended periods while monitoring employees, equipment, materials, work-in-process, and production activity.

Work Environment

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently exposed to moving mechanical parts and risk of electrical shock. The employee is occasionally exposed to high, precarious places with appropriate safety precautions; fumes or airborne particles; toxic or caustic chemicals; outside weather conditions; extreme heat; sparks; sharp edges; and vibration. The noise level in the work environment is usually loud. Hearing protection is required.

Accommodations

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements and physical demands described herein are representative of the knowledge, skills, abilities, and work conditions necessary to perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

At Big Top, our actions are guided by a strong set of core values; a pursuit of excellence, a commitment to teamwork, a sense of ownership and a focus on being solution-oriented. We believe each team member plays an important role in helping us achieve our shared goals and we are continuously striving to build a workplace where employees are empowered to contribute in new ways.

After 60 days, employees are provided with health, dental and vision insurance at no cost - the premiums are 100% employer-paid! Other benefits include 401(k) with company match, free short-term and long-term disability, life insurance, and an employee assistance program. We also offer a generous vacation allowance to support work-life balance and employee wellbeing. 

Big Top does not discriminate based upon race, religion, gender, disability, veteran status, or other protected characteristics. We comply with all federal and state disability laws and make reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact our Human Resources department.

Drug-Free Workplace.