Seating Plant Manager (24228)

Seating Plant Manager

Position Summary

DARRAN is a family-owned furniture manufacturer based in High Point, North Carolina, creating thoughtfully designed furniture for 50 years. Our work brings together craftsmanship, innovation, and a commitment to quality, supported by people who take pride in what they build.

We are seeking a Production Manager over our Seating Operations to guide our seating manufacturing operation and support its continued growth. This leadership role brings together people, processes, and craftsmanship to build a strong team and deliver exceptional products. The ideal candidate leads by example, develops others, and creates an environment where accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement are part of everyday work.

Management and People Leadership

• Direct and supervise seating department employees, assign work, communicate daily priorities, and hold employees accountable for meeting expectations.
• Set clear expectations for productivity, quality, attendance, conduct, and safe work practices. Ensure employees understand their responsibilities and department goals.
• Monitor individual and team performance daily, including output, work quality, efficiency, attendance, and adherence to established procedures. Identify concerns and address them promptly.
• Provide ongoing coaching and timely feedback. Establish improvement expectations, document follow-up, and verify that required improvements are achieved and sustained.
• Administer and document disciplinary actions in partnership with HR and in accordance with company policy. Clearly communicate the concern, required correction, and consequences of continued issues.
• Complete annual performance reviews and provide accurate, specific feedback supported by documented performance observations.
• Partner with HR on hiring and employee matters. Coordinate onboarding and training, assess employee skills, and identify development and cross-training needs.
• Apply company policies consistently, address employee concerns respectfully, and maintain clear communication with employees, HR, and senior operations leadership.

Production

• Lead daily production startup and ensure teams, materials, and priorities are ready at the beginning of each shift.
• Manage production flow across frame building, cutting, sewing, upholstering, and final assembly to keep work on schedule.
• Partner with senior operations leadership to review daily objectives, constraints, and priorities.
• Drive results across output, delivery performance, labor utilization, overtime, quality, and production flow.
• Develop and improve standard operating procedures and processes that increase throughput and reduce bottlenecks.
• Coordinate with outside and original-equipment suppliers to maintain production capacity and quality standards while expanding internal capabilities.
• Collaborate with engineering and product development on patterns, production readiness, and the launch of new seating collections.
• Establish, maintain, and enforce quality checks and corrective actions.
• Coordinate maintenance needs, execute safety programs, and reinforce safe work practices throughout the operation.
• Advance shop-floor organization and housekeeping practices that support a structured, clean, and efficient workplace.

How Success Is Measured

Success is measured by consistent people leadership and department results against goals established with senior operations leadership. Performance is evaluated through production and quality reports, employee performance records, training progress, and completion of corrective actions.

• People management and accountability: Employees understand their goals and responsibilities. Performance and attendance concerns are addressed promptly, company policies are applied consistently, and coaching and disciplinary actions are documented with HR.
• Performance improvement: Individual and team results are monitored regularly. Employees receive specific feedback, improvement expectations and follow-up dates are documented, and progress is verified. Annual reviews are completed on time.
• Employee development: New employees complete assigned training, demonstrated skills meet job requirements, and cross-training improves coverage across seating operations.
• Production and delivery: Actual output and on-time completion meet established targets. Bottlenecks and schedule delays are identified early, communicated, and addressed.
• Quality: Products meet established standards. Defects, rework, and recurring quality issues are tracked, and corrective actions produce sustained improvement.
• Labor and operational efficiency: Labor utilization and overtime remain within established expectations. Process improvements reduce avoidable downtime and improve production flow.
• Safety and workplace organization: Safe work practices and housekeeping standards are consistently enforced. Hazards and incidents are reported promptly, and assigned corrective actions are completed by their due dates.
• Communication and follow-through: Priorities, staffing concerns, and production risks are communicated promptly to the appropriate partners. Assigned actions and production readiness milestones are completed on time.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of upholstery, pattern, and assembly experience and 5+ years of running an upholstery operation.
• High school diploma or GED required.
• Strong reading, writing, math, analysis, comprehension, administrative, and decision-making skills.
• Ability to set clear priorities, manage and hold people accountable, monitor performance, document personnel matters, and collaborate across operations, HR, engineering, product development, and suppliers.
• A practical, continuous-improvement mindset with a strong commitment to safety, quality, delivery, and respectful people leadership.

Physical Requirements and Work Environment

This is an on-site role in an active manufacturing environment. The position requires excellent vision, hearing/listening, and clear speech; hand and finger dexterity; lifting and carrying up to 50 pounds; pushing and pulling; local driving; color perception; touch/feel; and the ability to move within and between facilities. Work includes frequent face-to-face and verbal interaction with others and may involve dirt or dust, fumes or odors, moving objects, and work at heights.

Benefits

401(k), dental insurance, health insurance, life insurance, paid time off, retirement plan, and vision insurance.