Armstrong World Industries
Stain Lab & Finish Dept. Team Lead Job
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Primary location: Marshfield, Missouri
Relocation offered: Not specified
Employment status: Full-Time
Travel: Not specified
Non-compete: [[req_noncompete]]
The estimated base salary range for this role is “x to X” per year. Individual pay is based upon location, skills and expertise, experience and other relevant factors.
What does it mean to work at Architectural Components Group, Inc. (ACGI), a subsidiary of Armstrong World Industries?
It means being immersed in a supportive culture that recognizes you as a key player in Armstrong's future. We are a large company with a local feel, where you will get to know and collaborate with leadership and your colleagues across the company.
By joining us, you'll have the opportunity to make the most of your potential. Alongside a competitive remuneration package, you will receive:
- A benefits package including: medical, dental, prescription drug, life insurance, 401k match, long-term disability coverage, vacation and sick time, and many more.
- Personal development to grow your career with us based on your strengths and interests.
- A working culture that balances individual achievement with teamwork and collaboration. We draw on each other's strengths and allow for different work styles to build engagement and satisfaction to deliver results.
Job Title: Stain Lab & Finish Department Team Lead
Function: Production/Operations
FLSA Status: Hourly - Non-exempt
Shift: 1st shift - 5 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Shift: Monday to Thursday 4/10, overtime on Friday/Saturday
Job Output:
Reporting to the Finish Department Supervisor, the Finish & Stain Lab Lead serves as the primary floor-level leader for the Finish Department while coordinating the daily activities of the Stain Lab. This role provides backup leadership when the Supervisor is absent, supports employee development and accountability, oversees stain and sample priorities, coordinates color-matching activities, and helps align finishing materials, schedules, and laboratory operations with production requirements.
The Finish Operations & Stain Lab Lead serves as a key liaison among Production, Samples, Quality, Sales, Project Management, Materials, and the Stain Lab to support timely completion of customer samples, production stain approvals, and finishing-related problem resolution. This position promotes a safe work environment, reinforces company policies and Standard Work, and supports continuous improvement efforts focused on safety, quality, cost, delivery, and customer satisfaction.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities – may include the following:
Finish Department Leadership
- Lead daily department activities and provide work direction when the Finish Department Supervisor is absent.
- Maintain a strong presence on the production floor to support employees, answer questions, resolve issues, and reinforce Standard Work.
- Train, mentor, and develop employees in finishing processes, quality standards, safety requirements, and productivity expectations.
- Assist with employee-related issues and consistently reinforce company policies, procedures, and plant rules.
- Partner with Engineering, Quality, Safety, Materials, and other support functions to resolve production issues and advance continuous improvement activities.
- Monitor department performance indicators and communicate production status, priorities, constraints, and concerns to the Supervisor and appropriate stakeholders.
- Maintain accurate production records, job documentation, photographs, and performance data as required.
- Help ensure applicable safety requirements, PPE standards, and OSHA requirements are followed.
Stain Lab Scheduling and Operations
- Coordinate and prioritize daily Stain Lab workflow to support production schedules, customer samples, prototypes, color matches, and development projects.
- Schedule stain-matching requests and establish priorities based on customer commitments, project timelines, material availability, and manufacturing requirements.
- Track stain-development activities from initial request through approval, documentation, and release to production.
- Coordinate communication among Samples, Project Management, Engineering, Quality, Production, and the Stain Lab regarding priorities, requirements, status, and approvals.
- Maintain organized and accurate records of stain formulas, approval samples, control samples, color standards, production specifications, and supporting documentation.
- Promote consistency and repeatability of approved stain systems through effective documentation, process control, and adherence to established application methods.
- Assist in investigating finishing defects, color discrepancies, formula concerns, and other appearance-related quality issues.
- Support development and continuous improvement of stain matching, sample preparation, application methods, and finishing processes.
- Maintain an orderly system for retaining, identifying, protecting, and retrieving approval samples, control samples, and reference materials.
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Materials and Inventory Management
- Monitor inventory levels of stains, coatings, colorants, solvents, sample materials, and related finishing supplies.
- Coordinate timely ordering and replenishment of materials to prevent production or sample-development interruptions.
- Engage coating and material suppliers as needed to troubleshoot technical issues and obtain product or application support.
- Assist in evaluating new finishing products, materials, equipment, and application processes.
Quality and Customer Support
- Support development, review, documentation, and approval of customer samples and production color standards.
- Assist with root-cause analysis and corrective actions for finishing, color, and appearance concerns.
- Help establish, communicate, and maintain finishing quality standards throughout the manufacturing process.
- Ensure customer-approved standards and documented requirements are clearly communicated and implemented in production.
- Provide quality products and services to internal and external customers; sound decisions and accurate work are essential to successful downstream operations.
Supervisory Responsibilities
Provides day-to-day work direction, training, coaching, and mentoring to Finish Department and Stain Lab employees. Coordinates work assignments and priorities and provides backup leadership when the Finish Department Supervisor is absent. This position does not have direct supervisory authority unless specifically assigned by management.
Travel: 0%
Qualifications
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Required
- Five or more years of industrial coatings experience.
- Strong working knowledge of wood finishing, staining, color matching, coating systems, and appearance standards.
- Demonstrated ability to organize priorities, coordinate schedules, and manage multiple requests simultaneously.
- Ability to interpret production specifications, process sheets, customer samples, formulas, and finishing standards.
- Ability to read and understand Safety Data Sheets (SDS).
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office and the ability to maintain accurate electronic and written records.
- Excellent communication, interpersonal, problem-solving, and troubleshooting skills.
- Demonstrated ability to adapt to change, develop talent, and build productive working relationships.
- Ability to work effectively with internal and external customers while supporting safe operations and established quality standards.
- Dependable and punctual, with a record of good attendance.
- Availability to work overtime as business needs require.
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Desired
- Experience in architectural wood products, production finishing, stain development, or laboratory operations.
- Experience with quality assurance systems, root-cause analysis, and continuous improvement methods.
- Familiarity with color measurement equipment, color standards, and color-management practices.
- Previous team lead, training, scheduling, or workflow-coordination experience.
Physical Demands
The physical requirements described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle or feel; and reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to sit; climb or balance; and stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl. The employee must frequently lift and move up to 25 pounds and occasionally lift and move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.
Work Environment
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.
This position is not exposed to adverse environmental conditions. This role may routinely use standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets, and fax machines. PPE is required as applicable.
Education and/or Experience
- High school diploma or GED required.
- Technical education or training in wood finishing, coatings, color science, quality systems, or manufacturing operations preferred.
Certificates, Licenses, Registrations
Preferred:
- CPR/AED/First Aid
- OSHA 10-Hour
- MDI Supervisor Certification
- Relevant finishing and coatings technical certifications
Competencies
- Safety leadership and accountability
- Planning, scheduling, and prioritization
- Technical finishing and color-matching knowledge
- Coaching and employee development
- Quality orientation and attention to detail
- Cross-functional communication and relationship building
- Problem solving and continuous improvement
- Documentation and process discipline
Other Skills and Abilities
Must be able to balance hands-on production leadership with Stain Lab scheduling, technical coordination, and documentation responsibilities. The successful employee must exercise sound judgment, maintain confidentiality where required, communicate changing priorities clearly, and lead by example in safety, quality, attendance, and professional conduct.
Why should you join ACGI, a subsidiary of Armstrong World Industries?
Armstrong World Industries (AWI) is a leader in the design and manufacture of innovative commercial and residential ceiling, wall and suspension system solutions in the Americas. With approximately $1.3B in revenue, AWI has about 3,600 employees and a manufacturing network of twenty-one facilities in North America.
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