Precast Operations Manager

Position Summary

The Precast Operations Manager is responsible for all plant-floor manufacturing operations at York Precast. This role owns the full production cycle — from concrete batching and steel/insulation fabrication through casting, curing, stripping, finishing, and product storage — and is the primary point of accountability for plant safety, production output, quality, and cost performance.

Key Responsibilities

Plant Floor Operations & Production Management:

• Provide senior, hands-on leadership and oversight of all plant-floor production activities across all shifts, with direct accountability for production throughput, table utilization, and square footage produced per day across all six tilting tables.
• Develop and manage production schedules, ensuring casting, curing, and stripping activities align with project delivery commitments.
• Direct the full production workflow: concrete batching, form setup, rebar and insulation preparation, casting, vibration, curing, stripping, finishing, and product yard placement.
• Monitor and manage daily production output against targets, identifying and resolving bottlenecks in real time.
• Coordinate labour, equipment, crane time, and plant resources to minimize downtime and maximize throughput across all casting tables.
• Track production volumes, material usage, and inventory levels to support schedule attainment and cost control.
• Assist with the safe loading and unloading of precast panels for transport, coordinating with the delivery and logistics team.

Team Leadership & Supervision:

• Lead and develop the Production Leads and their respective fabrication crews, setting clear expectations and holding each crew accountable for safety, quality, and daily output across their assigned tables.
• Lead and coach production leads in effective crew management, daily scheduling, quality execution, and problem-solving.
• Set clear daily and weekly performance expectations and hold team members accountable for safety, quality, and output targets.
• Lead pre-shift briefings, toolbox meetings, and shift handover communications.
• Support hiring, onboarding, and cross-training of production staff in collaboration with the President and People & Culture.
• Address performance and conduct issues in a timely and respectful manner, escalating to the President and People & Culture as required.

Quality Control – Production Floor

• Ensure all precast products are produced in strict accordance with shop drawings, engineering specifications, and applicable CSA, CPCI, and project quality standards.
• Work in close coordination with the quality assurance function to implement and enforce quality control procedures throughout the production cycle.
• Ensure rebar placement, embed installation, insulation placement, and concrete mix verification are completed accurately before each pour.
• Drive root-cause analysis on defects, rework, and non-conformances; implement corrective actions to prevent recurrence.
• Ensure shop drawings are correctly interpreted and applied on the plant floor, liaising with the technical team to resolve any clarifications.

Concrete Batching & Materials:

• Ensure concrete mixes are batched accurately to specified mix designs and that batching activities align with production schedules.
• Monitor raw material inventories — aggregates, cement, admixtures, reinforcing steel, insulation, and hardware — and coordinate with procurement to prevent shortages.
• Support the development and trialing of new mix designs in collaboration with quality and engineering staff.

Safety & Compliance:

• Build and sustain a strong safety culture on the plant floor, modelling safe behaviours and holding all team members to the same standard.
• Ensure all production activities comply with York Precast safety policies, applicable Alberta OHS regulations, and industry best practices.
• Conduct regular safety inspections, job hazard analyses, and near-miss reviews.
• Lead incident investigations and ensure corrective and preventive actions are documented and implemented.
• Support the development and maintenance of COR, CPCQA, and other applicable safety and quality certifications.

Process Improvement & Cost Management:

• Apply lean manufacturing principles to continuously improve plant workflow, reduce waste, and increase throughput.
• Monitor labour efficiency, overtime, scrap, rework, and material consumption; identify and act on cost reduction opportunities.
• Establish, track, and report on operational KPIs; use data to drive continuous improvement across all production functions.
• Develop and maintain standard operating procedures (SOPs) for all plant-floor processes.

Equipment & Facility Reliability:

• Ensure plant equipment — batch plant, cranes, casting forms, vibrators, curing systems, and yard assets — are maintained in safe and operational condition.
• Coordinate with maintenance personnel to plan and execute preventive maintenance programs with minimal impact on production.
• Escalate equipment or facility issues that affect safety, quality, or schedule to the President.

Cross-Functional Collaboration:

• Partner closely with the Manager, Pre-Construction & Delivery to align production schedules with project delivery commitments, drawing readiness, and site logistics.
• Work with the technical team to ensure production documentation is executable and available ahead of casting.
• Provide input to the President on capacity planning, staffing levels, equipment requirements, and production scaling strategies.
• Collaborate with the Production Optimization Consultant on scheduling improvements, efficiency initiatives, and transportation alignment.

Startup & Operational Standards:

• Build production systems, SOPs, and operational standards from the ground up as the plant ramps up, establishing a repeatable foundation for safety, quality, and throughput.
• Develop staffing plans for the production floor, advising the President on crew sizing, shift structures, and role sequencing as production volume grows.
• Identify gaps in current practices and recommend improvements that increase consistency, efficiency, and output as the plant scales.

Qualifications

• Degree or diploma in Construction Management, Engineering Technology, or a related technical field; equivalent industry experience considered.
• 7+ years of experience in precast concrete or structural concrete manufacturing, with at least 3+ years in a supervisory or operations management role.
• Deep, hands-on knowledge of precast production workflows including batching, forming, reinforcing, casting, curing, finishing, and load-out.
• Proven ability to lead, develop, and hold accountable multi-level production teams in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
• Ability to read and interpret shop drawings, panel plans, and production specifications.
• Working knowledge of lean manufacturing and continuous improvement principles.
• Strong understanding of workplace safety standards and experience supporting COR or CPCQA certification programs.
• Excellent communication, problem-solving, and organizational skills.
• Physically capable of working in a manufacturing environment.
• Valid Alberta Class 5 Driver's License with reliable transportation.

Preferred Assets

• Previous operations management experience in a precast concrete manufacturing facility.
• Experience with insulated sandwich panels, architectural precast, structural precast, or similar precast product lines.
• Familiarity with production scheduling, ERP, or KPI tracking software.
• Standard First Aid Certification.
• Fall Protection Certification.