Production Team Leader

Job Summary

The Production Team Leader position will be located in our Wichita Falls, TX facility and will support manufacturing through production control, problem‑solving initiatives, and an indirect responsibility for product throughput in partnership with the department supervisor. The role involves leading hourly employees, cultivating outcomes in safety, quality, process integrity, team assignments, related administrative work, and other tasks designed to minimize production bottlenecks and anticipate production needs.

• Safety – Understand and demonstrate Howmet’s safety commitment, participate in 5‑minute meetings and pre‑task briefs, hold the team accountable to safe working conditions, report non‑conformance, train and educate the team on safe work standards, and follow all EHS guidelines.
• Leadership – Serve as the frontline bridge between the Supervisor and the production team, champion accountability and safety, provide mentorship, and keep both the team and management informed of any production impacts.
• Optimizer – Drive maximum throughput by pinpointing bottlenecks in real time, balancing workloads across stations, and using KPI metrics to meet target benchmarks consistently while preparing for future needs.
• Operator – Possess working knowledge of all non‑certified operations in the department, follow AI’s, maintain productivity, and fill in as assigned.
• Influence – Leverage knowledge, relationships, and data to persuade, educate and navigate company AI’s, gaining buy‑in from hourly employees to improve efficiency and throughput.
• Data‑Informed – Focus on actions that drive quantifiable business outcomes, evaluate based on quantitative feedback, and explain the "why" behind decisions.
• Prioritized Reaction – Handle unexpected events without losing sight of important objectives, reacting where the greatest leverage points exist.
• Relationship – Build rapport and commonality individually and with the team, create a "win‑together" ethic, and act as a liaison between hourly team members and the Supervisor.

• Develop and execute a task plan that places team members in roles that maximize production based on their trained skills and abilities.
• Anticipate bottlenecks and collaborate with the Supervisor and management to eliminate them.
• Support activities related to safety, process, part, quality, and production identified by the team.
• Participate in team and self‑development opportunities, including new hire training.
• Execute assigned tasks and projects to meet departmental goals.
• Assist the Supervisor with daily administrative work as assigned.
• Prepare and lead 5‑minute meetings and pre‑task briefs as assigned.
• Assist with quality investigations, as directed.
• Communicate with the Supervisor regularly regarding safety, production, personnel, quality, and required information.
• Actively pursue waste elimination through coaching, technique, training, and skill‑based feedback.
• Comply with all company attendance policies, including regular attendance and occasional overtime.

• High school diploma or GED from an accredited institution.
• Minimum 1 year of leadership experience.
• Access to export‑controlled items is required, and employment is conditioned on the ability to lawfully obtain such access.

• Associate or Bachelor’s degree in Manufacturing, Engineering, Business, or a related field.
• 3 years of experience in a manufacturing environment, with at least 1 year in a similar capacity (Prior Aerospace Manufacturing Preferred).
• Proven leadership ability.
• Knowledge of MS Office.
• Knowledge of Six Sigma, statistical analysis, and scientific methods for problem solving.

Export‑Controlled Data – This position entails access to export‑controlled items, and employment offers are conditioned upon an applicant’s ability to lawfully obtain access to such items.