Description
The Bindery Supervisor/Operator oversees daily bindery and finishing operations while actively operating bindery equipment. This role ensures production schedules, quality standards, and safety requirements are met while supervising and supporting bindery operators. The position combines hands-on technical expertise with frontline leadership in a fast-paced printing environment.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Supervision & Leadership:
- Supervise, train, and support bindery operators and helpers
- Assign work based on skill level, job priority, and workload
- Provide hands-on coaching to improve efficiency, accuracy, and safety
- Address attendance, performance, and workflow issues, escalating as necessary
Bindery Operations & Responsibilities:
- Operate bindery equipment such as cutters, folders, stitchers, perfect binders, collators, and shrink wrap machines
- Set up, adjust, and verify equipment according to job tickets and specifications
- Monitor production flow to ensure schedules, turnaround times, and throughput goals are met
- Troubleshoot minor equipment issues and coordinate maintenance as needed
- Ensure proper handling, sequencing, and finishing or printed materials
Quality Control:
- Verify jobs meet customer and internal quality standards (trim, alignment, pagination, binding strength, appearance)
- Conduct in-process inspections and final checks
- Ensure job tickets and specifications are followed exactly
- Identify defects, determine root causes, and implement corrective actions
Safety & Compliance:
- Enforce all safety procedures, machine guarding requirements, and lockout/tagout practices
- Ensure proper use of PPE and safe material handling
- Maintain an organized, clean bindery area following 5S standards
Communication & Reporting:
- Communicate daily production status, staffing needs, and issues to management
- Document production output, waste, downtime, and quality issues
- Collaborate with press, prepress, and shipping departments to meet deadlines
Requirements
- High school diploma or equivalent
- 7-9 years of bindery or print finishing experience
- Hands-on experience operating multiple bindery machines
- Ability to read and interpret job tickets, layouts, and schedules
- Strong attention to detail and quality
- Basic math, measurement, and counting skills
Preferred:
- Prior lead or supervisor experience in a bindery environment
- Experience with lean manufacturing or continuous improvement
- Knowledge of preventative maintenance practices
- Willingness to obtain forklift certification
Mittera is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity, or Veteran status. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. All applicants must be 18 years of age or older.
