Sr Manufacturing Technical Lead

Posted Thursday, February 19, 2026 at 5:00 AM

The Sr. Manufacturing Technical Lead is responsible for driving operational excellence and providing advanced technical and manufacturing leadership across the value stream. In this role you will serve the primary technical authority for a critical customer, ensuring customer requirements are clearly understood, accurately translated into operations, and consistently achieved. The Sr. Manufacturing Technical Lead leads and supports initiatives that advance business growth, strengthen process capability, and promote a culture of continuous improvement.

This role will be onsite in our Archbold, Ohio plants.

• Lead continuous improvement initiatives across the value stream.
• Serve as technical expert in critical areas as assigned, with a strong understanding of cross‑functional process interdependencies.
• Lead projects, coordinate resources, and ensure timely execution of deliverables.
• Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders, including suppliers and customers.
• Analyze workflow, work elements, process layouts, and efficiency to identify improvement opportunities.
• Prepare proposals, develop recommendations, and deliver status updates to senior leadership.
• Facilitate value stream mapping activities to support optimization efforts.
• Perform statistical data analysis, including designing and conducting industrial experiments, and provide data‑driven recommendations.
• Assess process strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.
• Apply and promote Lean methodologies throughout the manufacturing environment.
• Develop and implement performance systems and technologies that reduce setup time, enhance flow, and maximize time on product.
• Lead root cause investigations and implement corrective and preventive actions.
• Support manufacturability assessments and cost evaluations for new products.
• Create, revise, and maintain process documentation in accordance with the controlled document system.

• Bachelor’s degree from four-year college or university is preferred
• 5+ years working in a manufacturing setting
• 3+ years leading projects
• Proficiency in Lean Manufacturing techniques
• General business acumen
• Effective coaching and communication skills (written and verbal) to various audiences
• Ability to create sketches, diagrams, and technical drawings
• Six Sigma analysis capabilities, including data entry, statistical analysis, and charting
• Ability to appropriately escalate issues, decisions, and risks
• Strong safety mindset

Expected offer range: $68,000 - $91,000. The actual salary will be based on factors such as location, relevant experience, and skills. The Max salary listed is not the top of the salary band.

We believe that all people are capable of great things. Because of this, we encourage you to apply even if you do not meet all of the requirements that are listed within this job description.

Sauder is a family company, so we believe in a healthy work-life balance for our employees. We want employees to know their time here is more than just a job--they can build a life-long career  have a culture of continuous improvement and internal advancement. We provide 3 weeks of vacation and a full benefit package beginning at 30 days. Other perks include 401(k), a company-funded health savings account, free counseling, furniture discounts, and tuition reimbursement.

Sauder Woodworking Co. is North America s leading producer of ready-to-assemble (RTA) furniture and one of the top five residential furniture manufacturers in the United States. An authentic American original, a majority of Sauder furniture is manufactured in Archbold, Ohio--right where we were founded in 1934. We have thrived for 90 years because we have led with integrity and respect, were great stewards of our resources, found better ways, and remained flexible.