Print Production Team Lead

Job Responsibility:

Description

The Role Imagine a car factory. They have a Production Team Lead. That person manages the team that manages the production of cars. Makes sense, right? Now, let's do a tennis ball factory. You guessed it: the Production Team Lead makes sure the tennis balls get made. What does dbrand produce? Now you've opened a can of worms. You see, dbrand has spent the past thirteen years cultivating an audience of brand devotees who will buy just about anything that we sell. The only sensible response is to sell them... just about anything. Sure, it's mostly vinyl skins and phone accessories... but sometimes it's Rubik's cubes. Other times, it's an empty cardboard box. Cramming individual sheets of the world's most luxurious toilet paper into a box of pandemic-themed novelties? Been there, done that. What we're trying to say is you need to be flexible. You need to be inventive. Most importantly, you need to manage a team with the breadth of skills and knowledge that will enable us to continue doing... whatever it is that we do. Not from scratch, of course - we're already considered masters of our craft. You're steering a world-class ship that has monopolized an entire industry, crewed by accomplished sailors that know the seven seas of die-cut vinyl like the backs of their hands. Your role? Make the ship better. Process improvement is why you get out of bed in the morning - in fact, you've found the optimal way to get out of bed. Whether you're analyzing several months of production data, coaching team members, or allocating machine time you're the glue holding the ship together and the propulsive wind in its sails. You aren't building cars or tennis balls - you're building the future. Does any of this describe you? Of course not. You don't work here... yet. That can change. You bring the skills and knowledge that will take our production team to the next level, and we'll provide the tools, resources, and agency that will enable you to thrive where others would fail. If that's not a bargain you're capable of upholding, save us all some time and close this tab. If you're still with us... keep reading. The Environment Picture a meticulously-organized, clean, modern warehouse. Inside, there are tens of thousands of inventory bins, each containing the huge array of products you're creating in-house. Behind these bins, nestled in the back, you find yourself in dbrand's production space. Dozens of machines are working at a record clip, powered by workstations like the one you're sitting at. This is where the magic happens. You know the phrase, "business in the front, party in the back?" dbrand's HQ is organized in the same way. This party's a little different though: instead of drinks, chips, and music, there's industrial-grade printers, lamination machines, and the sweet sounds of flatbed plotters. There's music too, sometimes. What does any of this have in common with a party? Simple: energy and excitement. You're in a world-class production facility, creating industry-leading products for a legion of devoted supporters. You're immersed in a one-of-a-kind workplace culture which doesn't assume that "results" and "fun" are mutually exclusive terms. You spend each day surrounded by peers who are just as dedicated to creating top-of-the-line products as you are. Most importantly, you enjoy the simple act of being there. You're motivated by doing the best work of your life. What's keeping you from doing it? Well, the fact that you haven't applied yet. Before you submit an application, let's take a second to see if you have what it takes.

The Characteristics

• Agile: You're nimble. You're adaptable. You thrive in an environment where priorities can change in an instant.
• Analytical: Your decisions are driven by only one thing: data. You continue to master all the tools necessary to surface insights.
• Collaborative: You enjoy purposeful meetings. You value the contributions and perspectives of your CEO as much as you do your subordinates.
• Curious: You're eager to learn new concepts and master new skills. There's no tool that's useless in your arsenal.
• Demanding: You expect the performance of your team to be nothing short of flawless.
• Disciplined: You never allow the details to slip, understanding that every bit of minutiae forms the bigger picture.
• Enthusiastic: You exhibit a contagious passion for efficient operations.
• Innovative: You develop new approaches to complex problems.
• Leader: Your ability to execute action plans is only exceeded by your capacity for leadership. Your experience has taught you that lone wolves die hungry, while packs cannot be stopped.
• Perfectionist: You persist until the smallest detail has been optimized. Knows nothing less than 100%.
• Persistent: You've never failed. You've only experienced speed bumps on your path to success.
• Reliable: You live up to both verbal and written agreements. You can be trusted to work effectively, without oversight.

The Responsibilities and Qualifications

In order to make a positive impact as part of our team, your focus in this role will be to:

• Lead and support a team of Finishing Specialists, Manufacturing Specialists, and Print & Lamination Specialists, including shift scheduling, hands-on training, and daily task management, in coordination with the Production Manager.
• Operate and train new team members on Canon Colorado and Epson SureColor printers, Summa flatbed cutters, laminators, and weeding tools (as required).
• Oversee job setup and output using CorelDRAW, Adobe Illustrator, and Onyx RIP Server, ensuring dieline accuracy, scaling, and file integrity.
• Perform and schedule machine maintenance and minor repairs; coordinate with vendors for external service.
• Ensure accurate material handling, from raw roll inventory to sleeving; monitor waste and identify inefficiencies.
• Maintain a clean, organized, and efficient production floor across all relevant work centers.
• Track and take action on KPIs related to units printed, cut, weeded, and sleeved, machine utilization, staff efficiency, waste and cost ratios, and backlog.
• Collaborate with the Marketing team on new product cut plans, to align production resources with launch timelines.
• Proactively surface and resolve technical, workflow, or resource issues in production operations.
• Continuously improve file prep accuracy, machine reliability, and communication within the production flow.
• Coordinate with the Finishing Team Lead to ensure smooth handoffs between cutting and downstream operations.
• Nurture your direct reports' talents and encourage them to continuously build their competencies, helping identify and facilitate growth paths.
• Proactively identify both interpersonal or process challenges within the department, working in tandem with the Production Manager to deliver solutions.
• Keep in lockstep with the Production Manager to ensure alignment on communication, people, and strategy.
• Take ownership of special projects and evolving workflows as production needs change.

If you find a box you can't check, stop reading and look for a company who demands less from their Print Production Team Lead.

• Minimum 5 years of experience in print production, including wide-format printer and flatbed cutter operation.
• Proficiency in CorelDRAW, Adobe Illustrator, and Onyx RIP Server for print file setup and output.
• Proven ability to coach and mentor a technical team in a high-performance Production environment.
• Production experience with printers and cutters, including preventive maintenance and troubleshooting.
• Familiarity with ERP/MRP systems (e.g. Fulfil.io), including BOMs, routings, and batch production.
• Honed computer skills, including Windows OS operation, text editors, spreadsheet / data analysis, web applications, and task management. Hands-on mindset with the ability to balance production floor presence and leadership responsibilities.
• Considerable working memory and ability to multitask.
• An impeccable communication style - your grasp on the English language is flawless.
• Detail-oriented, self-sufficient, resourceful, organized, and proactive.
• The instinct to help teammates thrive and the openness to learn from past experiences.
• The ability to solve complex problems (or know where to find the answer).
• Commitment to long-term growth and learning opportunities.
• Insights and engagement with the current state of smartphone and mobile technology.

The Moment of Truth

The job starts between $70,000 and $80,000 per year with health, dental, vision, GRSP, and profit sharing benefits. We're located a few minutes west of Pearson Airport. Still think you have what it takes to thrive in our agile, high-growth, fast-paced environment? To be perfectly honest, we doubt it. You're welcome to try to prove us wrong.

About dbrand

Company Information Since 11-11-11, dbrand has been the global leader in protection and customization for consumer electronics. How did we do it? The best summary we can give is our brand promise: "It's not a product. It's a culture.™" For us, making best-in-class products is just the beginning. What elevates dbrand over the competition is our focus on the finer details: personalized brand interactions, unrivaled customer support, and a social media presence that's often imitated but never matched. Our core values, the ones that have accelerated dbrand from a basement operation to the pervasive eCommerce brand it is today, are focused around an aggressively competitive mindset. By joining our team, you'll surround yourself with colleagues who endlessly pursue perfection and thrive on performance optimization. dbrand welcomes and encourages applications from people with disabilities. Accommodations are available upon request for all candidates, at every stage of the recruitment process - no exceptions. All of our employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications, merit, performance, and business needs. As an equal opportunity employer, dbrand embraces diversity and has no tolerance for discrimination. We are committed to fostering an inclusive environment based on mutual respect. Everyone is valuable and we are proud of our differences - they serve only to elevate us. The option is yours: work together, or work alone... for a different company.