Technical Training and Development Manager

Hands-On Heading & Thread-Rolling Trainer & Development Coordinator

The Hands-On Heading & Thread-Rolling Trainer & Development Coordinator develops, evaluates, and advances cold heading and thread-rolling capability across the organization. This role delivers structured, hands-on training in safety, heading and thread-rolling fundamentals, and standard work; evaluates operator skill using objective observational tools; maintains a current capability matrix; and partners with Manufacturing and Process Engineering to close skill gaps impacting safety, quality, delivery, and cost. This is a shop-floor-based, hands-on role focused on building sustainable technical capability and workforce readiness in fastener manufacturing operations.

Key Responsibilities

• Training & Curriculum Development
• Develop and deliver structured, hands-on training specific to heading and thread-rolling operations, including:
• Safety fundamentals and safe work practices for high-speed forming and rolling equipment
• Cold heading fundamentals (wire preparation, cut-off, die setup, punch alignment, part flow)
• Thread-rolling fundamentals (die types, setup, roll pressure, lead control, gaging, defect detection)
• Tooling handling, changeover discipline, and setup standard work
• Create and maintain training curricula, job breakdown sheets, and role-based learning paths by machine, process, and skill level.
• Ensure all training content aligns with safety, quality, tooling, and operational standards.
• Skill Evaluation & Capability Management
• Evaluate operator skill using standardized observational rater tools, hands-on demonstrations, and defined performance criteria for heading and thread-rolling.
• Conduct structured shop-floor observations assessing:
• Safe operation of heading and rolling machines
• Setup accuracy, tooling control, and process stability
• Adherence to standard work, inspection plans, and gaging practices
• Maintain an accurate, up-to-date capability/skills matrix by machine type, process, and proficiency level.
• Ensure skill assessments are objective, consistent, documented, and repeatable across shifts and departments.
• Talent Development & Individual Development Planning
• Analyze evaluation results to identify skill gaps in setup quality, process control, tooling usage, and inspection.
• Develop individual development plans (IDPs) to advance operator capability from basic operation through advanced setup and troubleshooting.
• Coach operators through guided practice and feedback—without taking over the work—to build ownership, confidence, and technical independence.
• Partner with supervisors to reinforce development actions and ensure skills are applied consistently in daily production.
• Collaboration & Continuous Improvement
• Partner with Manufacturing and Manufacturing/Process Engineering to:
• Identify heading and thread-rolling skill gaps impacting scrap, downtime, safety events, or delivery risk
• Support process improvements through targeted training, setup discipline, and coaching
• Update standard work, training materials, and best practices based on shop-floor observation and performance data
• Hiring & Candidate Evaluation
• Participate in heading and thread-rolling operator candidate evaluations.
• Use hands-on assessments and observational rater tools to validate setup, tooling awareness, inspection, and troubleshooting capability.
• Provide objective input on technical readiness and near-term development needs.

Required Skills & Competencies

• Technical Communication (Heading & Thread Rolling)
• Explains forming and rolling concepts in practical, shop-floor language
• Communicates setting up corrections, quality risk, and tooling issues clearly and directly
• Adjusts approach based on operator experience and skill level
• Organized & Planful Execution
• Plans training, evaluations, and development activities around production schedules
• Maintains accurate training records, evaluations, and capability matrices
• Balances training with operational and uptime priorities
• Professional, Trust-Based Presence
• Builds credibility through fairness, technical competence, and consistency
• Demonstrates respect for operators at all experience levels
• Creates a disciplined, positive learning environment on the shop floor
• Coaching & Development Mindset
• Focuses on building long-term heading and thread-rolling capability
• Coaches without doing the work for operators
• Reinforces process discipline, quality ownership, and safe decision-making
• Consistency & Objectivity
• Applies the same technical and safety standards across shifts and machines
• Ensures skill assessments are fair, defensible, and repeatable

Qualifications

Required

• Advanced, hands-on experience in cold heading and/or thread-rolling operations
• Strong knowledge of heading and thread-rolling fundamentals, tooling, setups, and inspection
• Experience training, coaching, or mentoring heading or thread-rolling operators
• Ability to objectively assess hands-on setup quality and process execution
• Comfortable working in a high-speed fastener manufacturing environment

Preferred

• Experience with multi-die or progressive cold heading machines
• Experience with flat-die and cylindrical thread-rolling equipment
• Familiarity with gaging systems, defect analysis, and containment practices
• Experience using skills matrices or structured qualification systems
• Experience partnering with tooling, manufacturing, or process engineering teams

Work Environment

• Primarily shop-floor based in a fastener manufacturing environment
• Frequent hands-on interaction with heading and thread-rolling equipment
• Required PPE per site safety standards