Lead Sewing Operator

Position Summary:

The Lead Sewing (Machine) Operator will assist in supervising and maintaining the flow of work in the Sewing department.

Reporting Status:

The Lead Sewing Operator will report to the Sewing Supervisor.

Supervisor Responsibility:Assists the Sewing Supervisor with supervising the Machine (Sewing/Slitter) Operators. Position Responsibilities & Accountabilities:Maintains the flow of work for sewing lines in a safe and productive manner.Ensures adequate materials to operate the next work order/job are in place.Ensures the Department Safety Policies are followed and reports any unsafe practices or conditions to immediate Supervisors in a timely manner for corrections.Monitors immediate staff activities within the department.Receives instructions from management and assigns duties as required.Transfers materials to and from each process.Maintains departmental records and oversees the completion and accuracy of all Quality and Maintenance entries.Assist in the Training of new employees and revised procedures.Required to work Flexible schedule to assure department is efficiently operating.Assist Maintenance department and/or outside equipment technicians when maintenance or servicing occurs, that affect the operational performance of the Sewing Dept.Assists and provides input when employee performances are reviewed.Provides recommendation and or suggestions to improve Department performance.Support/backup positions as needed.Assists sewing supervisor with the line placement of employees and maintaining flow of work per job log.Keep operations flowing in the absence of sewing supervisor.Support open 5S actions.Other duties as assigned.

Qualification Requirements: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.  The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions:

Education and/or Experience:  High school diploma or general education degree (GED) and five (5) years minimum experience as a Material Handler in the Sewing Operations.Training:  Training is on going and must be willing and able to attend seminars as required.Language Skills:  Ability to read and comprehend simple instructions, short correspondence, and memos, such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, procedure manuals, job logs, etc.  Ability to write simple correspondence.  Ability to effectively present information in one-on-one and small group situations and to other employees of the organization.Mathematical Skills:  Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.Reasoning Ability:  Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out the detailed but uninvolved written or oral instructions.  Ability to deal with problems involving a few concrete variables in standardized situations.  Must possess initiative to interpret operator comments and to initiate repairs accordingly and be able to make suggestions as to solution of mechanical problems and to implement necessary repairs.  Continuous mental and visual attention where the flow of work is repetitive or the operation requires constant alertness.Other Skills and Abilities:  Thorough knowledge of the sewing department and understanding of the flow of the entire operation.  The ability to perform preventative maintenance inspection as required.  Operation of a fork lift is required and therefore a fork lift operation license is required.  Ability to lead and direct others, while maintaining a safe, quality and productive environment.

Physical Demands / Work Environment: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.  The Work Environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Physical Demands:  While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; reach with hands and arms, talk and hear.  The employee is occasionally required to climb, balance, stoop, squat, kneel, crouch, reach, stretch, and/or crawl.  The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.  Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus.  Must have good eye for detail and be able to visually identify any problem areas.

Work Environment:  While performing the duties of this job, the employee regularly works near moving mechanical parts that can be very hot.  The employee is frequently exposed to fumes, high heat, dust, cold, grease, oil and airborne particles, and also many types of chemicals.  There is the possibility of crushed hands or feet while working around heavy machinery.  While performing the duties of the job, the employee occasionally works in high, precarious places and is occasionally exposed to wet and/or humid conditions.  The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. Travel, including international travel, is required on occasion to provide operational support such as performing field splices and/or training.