Job Description

Production Manager

Position Type:

Full-Time, Permanent

About Western Drilling Tools

Established in 2004,

Western Drilling Tools Inc.

is a proudly Canadian, privately owned family business. We are a leading machine shop and manufacturer of high-quality drilling tools and equipment, providing comprehensive machining and fabrication services. Our expertise spans the design, machining, manufacturing, and distribution of drilling tools and solutions for complex industry challenges. We serve a broad range of industries, including construction, exploration, water wells, geothermal, mining, and oil & gas.

Position Summary

We are seeking an experienced and driven

Production Manager

to lead daily machine shop operations and oversee production performance. This hands-on leadership role is responsible for ensuring safe, efficient, and high-quality manufacturing while meeting delivery commitments. The ideal candidate will bring strong machine shop leadership experience and a practical, solutions-focused approach to managing people, workflows, and production scheduling. This role leads a production team of 30+ employees, including machining, welding, and shipping and receiving, and works closely with quality, engineering, and administrative support functions to support continuous improvement and production objectives. The Production Manager reports directly to the Vice President and President of the company and supports the use of production tracking and ERP systems to monitor job progress, labour, and production performance.

Key Responsibilities:

Lead daily machine shop operations to meet production targets, delivery schedules, and quality standards. Plan, coordinate, and adjust production schedules based on workload, manpower, machine capacity, and delivery requirements. Monitor job progress and shop performance, identify bottlenecks or delays, and take corrective action as needed. Use production tracking and ERP systems (E2 JobBoss) to monitor job status, labour, and overall production performance. Work closely with quality, engineering, management, and administrative support functions to align production priorities and resolve issues. Lead, mentor, and develop shop personnel while maintaining a positive, accountable, and team-oriented work environment. Support hiring, onboarding, and day-to-day performance feedback for shop employees in coordination with management and HR. Set clear expectations and provide ongoing guidance to support performance and skill development. Provide technical leadership to machinists, including troubleshooting machining issues and optimizing setups, tooling, speeds, and feeds. Ensure work orders, drawings, and specifications are clearly understood and followed. Oversee equipment and tooling condition, and coordinate repairs, preventative maintenance, and scheduled maintenance to minimize downtime. Hold shop personnel accountable for following established shop procedures and safe work practices through daily leadership and oversight. Work with the quality team to ensure quality requirements are consistently applied on the shop floor. Identify opportunities to improve productivity, workflow efficiency, and shop performance. Support the development and use of standard work practices, procedures, and training materials. Support production performance and corrective actions when targets are not met. Perform other duties as assigned to support shop and business needs.

What Success Looks Like:

In the first 6-12 months, the Production Manager will be expected to improve schedule adherence, strengthen shop accountability, and support consistent quality and on-time delivery.

Education & Experience:

Minimum 5 years of experience in a machine shop or manufacturing environment, with demonstrated leadership or production oversight responsibilities. Post-secondary education in Manufacturing, Machining, Engineering, Welding Technology, or a related field is considered an asset; equivalent hands-on experience will be considered. Proven experience leading and coordinating shop personnel in a CNC machining environment, including exposure to multi-discipline shop operations. Strong working knowledge of machining processes, CNC equipment (mills and/or lathes), tooling, setups, and shop-floor workflows, with an understanding of welding and fabrication processes. Experience with production planning, scheduling, and job tracking in a manufacturing environment. Hands-on experience interpreting engineering drawings, work orders, and specifications for machined and fabricated components. Proficient in the use of precision measuring tools and inspection methods. Experience using production tracking or ERP systems; experience with E2 JobBoss is considered an asset. Strong communication, organizational, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to make sound decisions in a fast-paced shop environment.
Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Benefits:

Casual dress Company events Dental care Disability insurance Employee assistance program Extended health care Life insurance On-site parking Paid time off RRSP match Vision care Wellness program
Work Location: In person