Director of Operations

Director of Operations (Hands-On) — USA Finishing

Location: Grand Junction Colorado (On-site)
Company: USA Finishing (Powder Coating + Fulfillment + Shipping)
Reports to: Owner/President
Team: 7–10 employees initially (rapid growth)

About USA Finishing

USA Finishing is a veteran family-owned Colorado-based powder coating and fulfillment operation built to support SwingSesh and additional commercial customers. We provide powder coating, cleaning/surface prep, sandblasting, fulfillment prep (parts + hardware kits, packaging, labeling, and staging), fabrication, and shipping for steel and industrial products. We move fast, hold high standards, and are scaling quickly.

THE ROLE

This is a hands-on Director of Operations position (player/coach). You will lead the team and regularly jump in to do the work when needed—helping in powder coating, sandblasting/prep, fulfillment prep, pallet building/crating, shipping, and light welding/fabrication. This is NOT a desk-only or “lead-from-the-office” role.

You will spend time in the office handling customer communication, scheduling, tracking, purchasing, and basic budgeting/operational planning. If you’re looking for a role that is primarily supervisory/administrative, this will not be a fit.

Typical split (varies by week): ~60–80% shop floor / ~20–40% office & planning.

Responsibilities: Shop Operations + Leadership (Primary)

• Lead daily production across prep/cleaning, sandblasting, masking/hanging, powder coating, QC/inspection, rework, staging, fulfillment prep, and shipping.
• Build and maintain a culture of safety, urgency, accountability, and pride in workmanship.
• Train, coach, and develop a team of 7–10 employees, with the ability to scale headcount and capability as volume continues to grow.

Hands-On Production Support (Required)

You will readily step into production as needed to hit schedule and maintain quality, including:

• Assisting with powder coating operations (prep, hang, spray support, touch-up)
• Sandblasting / surface prep
• Fulfillment prep: pulling parts/hardware, bag-and-tag, packaging, labeling, staging, and shipment accuracy checks
• Pallet building, crating, and load securement
• Light welding/fabrication
• Staging, packaging, and shipping support

Office + Operational Management (Required)

• Handle day-to-day communication: email updates, scheduling, basic issue resolution, and professionalism in every interaction.
• Own tracking and reporting: production status, on-time shipping, quality/rework trends, labor allocation, and job costing.
• Support budgeting and operational planning: capacity planning, labor needs, shift planning, tooling needs, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Must be professionally capable in Microsoft products (excel, word, etc).

Purchasing + Shop Readiness

• Own purchasing and replenishment for shop operations (as needed to prevent downtime): powders, hooks/hangers, masking supplies, abrasives/blast media, packaging materials, PPE, tooling and maintenance items
• Maintain vendor relationships, lead times, and inventory controls to keep the shop running without interruptions.

Growth Support (Sales + Marketing Partnership)

• Partner with ownership on quoting inputs, lead times, capability statements, and customer communication.
• Help identify and pursue new powder coating/fulfillment opportunities locally and regionally.
• Represent USA Finishing with professionalism—responsive, reliable, and solutions-oriented.

Who We’re Looking For:

Non-negotiables

• Positivity with a can-do attitude regardless.
• Proven experience leading in a hands-on production environment (manufacturing, powder coating/finishing, metal fab, industrial services).
• Self-led and accountable: you take ownership, set the pace, and don’t need babysitting.
• Strong process discipline: able to build simple systems and keep them updated (tracking, scheduling, inventory/purchasing).

Strongly preferred

• Powder coating experience (commercial/industrial) and/or finishing experience.
• Marine Corps, or other service veterans strongly valued.
• Skilled trades credibility: welding/fabrication, mechanical aptitude, fixtures/jigs, shop problem-solving.
• Bachelor's degree in Business or equivalent in experience with provided summary.

Not a fit

• Primarily retail/restaurant/shift-management backgrounds without real industrial production ownership.
• Anyone who doesn't feel comfortable leading a team, briefing a team and leadership in person, or clearly communicating in all forms.
• Candidates who want a role that is mostly managerial/office-based.
• Unable to safely lift 100lbs.

What Success Looks Like (First 90–180 Days)

• Stable daily operating rhythm: schedule, priorities, staffing, and shipping accuracy locked in.
• Enabling a team in throughput, finish consistency, and rework reduction.
• Clearly briefing team on expected production, enabling success, and reporting issues impeding any operations.
• Keeping tabs on inventory and purchasing systems to prevent stoppages and surprises.
• Ownership has confidence the facility can scale without chaos.

Compensation

Competitive base salary + performance bonus (tied to throughput, quality, and on-time shipping). Benefits/PTO as offered.

How to Apply

Send a resume and a short note describing:

• Your experience in powder coating/finishing or similar shop operations
• The largest team you’ve led in a production environment
• Examples of how you improved quality, throughput, or reliability in a shop setting

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $75,000.00 - $110,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Health insurance

Work Location: In person