Coating and Paint Manager

Together We Build – Partnership, Innovation, Excellence, and Safety

At Kelso Industries, 5,000+ employees across 40+ companies work together to deliver exceptional HVAC, mechanical, plumbing, refrigeration, and electrical solutions nationwide. Join us to grow your career, make an impact, and be part of a team where innovation, excellence, and safety come first.

Recruiter Notice: We respectfully ask external recruiters and staffing agencies not to submit candidates. We only accept direct applications.

Job Title: Coating and Paint Manager

Location: Duncan, SC

Reports To: Plant Manager

Job Type: Full-time, exempt

Job Summary: We are seeking an experienced, hands-on Coating and Paint Manager. This role owns everything that passes through blast, prime and paint, leading the coating team and serving as the company's go-to expert on surface preparation, coating systems and paint specifications.

This person makes sure every part is prepped, coated and cured to specification, jobs are estimated and scheduled accurately, and finished work leaves the shop on time and at target cost. The manager works closely with Production, Estimating, Purchasing, Quality and Project Managers and is measured against the key performance indicators listed below.

Key Responsibilities:

Operations & Scheduling

Plan and schedule daily and weekly work in the blast and paint areas against the production schedule and promised ship dates.

Coordinate with Fabrication, Welding, Assembly and Shipping so parts arrive ready to coat and leave on time.

Set up and control coating processes: surface prep, cleaning, pretreatment, primer and topcoat applications, cure times and handling.

Manage paint booths, blast rooms, spray equipment, ovens, compressors and air systems, including preventive maintenance and repairs.

Track labor, material use and rework to hold the department to budget.

Estimating & Materials

Take off quantities from drawings and estimate coating jobs by linear feet and square footage.

Calculate paint, primer, thinner and abrasive quantities, labor hours and cost for quotes and job budgets.

Compare actual material and labor use to estimates and adjust estimating factors.

Order and control paint, primers, thinners, abrasives and consumables; manage inventory, shelf life and batch records.

Work with suppliers to qualify new coatings, resolve application problems and negotiate pricing with Purchasing.

Quality

Read and apply customer and engineering coating specifications, drawings and product data sheets.

Apply SSPC/AMPP surface preparation standards and ASTM test methods as required by the job.

Inspect and document surface profile, cleanliness, dry film thickness (DFT), adhesion, color and gloss.

Lead root-cause analysis and corrective action on coating defects, customer complaints and rework.

Maintain inspection reports and batch/lot traceability for customer and audit review.

Team, Safety & Compliance

Hire, train, schedule and evaluate leads, painters, blasters and prep staff; cross-train for coverage.

Enforce OSHA requirements for spray finishing, respiratory protection, hazard communication, confined spaces and PPE.

Maintain Safety Data Sheets, respirator fit-test and medical clearance records, and department safety training.

Keep operations within air permit limits; track VOC and HAP usage and support environmental reporting.

Manage storage, handling and disposal of paint waste, solvents and spent abrasive; keep fire protection, ventilation and booth filters in working order.

Write and maintain procedures for surface prep, application, inspection and equipment care.

Find and implement ways to cut cycle time, rework, material waste and cost per square foot.

Key Performance Indicators:

Performance is reviewed monthly against these targets and formally at the annual review. Targets are starting points and should be set against a 90-day baseline after hire.

Area

KPI

How It's Measured

Target

Frequency

Production

On-time completion

Coated parts completed by the scheduled ship or next-operation date ÷ parts due

≥ 98%

Weekly

Production

Throughput

Square feet (or pieces) coated per week vs. plan

At or above plan

Weekly

Production

Estimating accuracy

Actual paint, abrasive and labor hours vs. estimate by linear foot / square foot

Within ±10%

Monthly

Quality

First-pass yield

Parts passing coating inspection with no rework or recoat ÷ parts inspected

≥ 97%

Weekly

Quality

DFT compliance

Readings within specified dry film thickness range ÷ total readings

≥ 98%

Monthly

Quality

Customer coating complaints

Returns, claims or field complaints tied to finish quality

0

Monthly

Quality

Inspection records

Jobs with complete surface prep, DFT and cure documentation ÷ jobs shipped

100%

Monthly

Cost

Coating cost per sq. ft.

Labor, paint, abrasive and consumables ÷ square feet coated, vs. budget

At or under budget

Monthly

Cost

Paint transfer efficiency / waste

Gallons used vs. theoretical gallons for square footage coated

Improve 5% year over year

Quarterly

Cost

Rework hours

Labor hours spent on strip, re-blast or recoat ÷ total coating hours

≤ 3%

Monthly

Compliance

VOC/HAP emissions

Tracked usage vs. air permit limits

100% within limits

Monthly

Compliance

Hazardous waste

Paint waste, solvent and spent abrasive stored, labeled and shipped per regulations

0 violations

Quarterly

People & Safety

Recordable injuries / lost-time incidents

OSHA recordables in department

0

Monthly

People & Safety

Training and certification

Staff with current respirator fit test, medical clearance, HazCom and SOP training

100%

Quarterly

People & Safety

Equipment uptime

Booth, blast, pump and compressor downtime from unplanned failures

≤ 2% of scheduled hours

Monthly

Qualifications & Skills:

Required

7+ years in industrial coating or painting, with 3+ years supervising a paint or blast crew.

Hands-on knowledge of abrasive blasting, liquid spray application (conventional, HVLP, airless, air-assisted airless) and cure processes.

Ability to take off quantities from drawings and estimate coating jobs using linear feet and square footage, including paint and abrasive quantities, labor hours and cost.

Ability to read blueprints, coating specifications and product data sheets.

Skilled with inspection tools: DFT gauges, surface profile gauges, wet film gauges and adhesion testers.

Working knowledge of OSHA and environmental requirements for coating operations.

Strong Excel skills and working knowledge of an ERP or production system.

High school diploma or equivalent.

Preferred

AMPP (formerly NACE/SSPC) Coating Inspector certification, Level 1 or higher.

SSPC C-7 (abrasive blasting) or C-12 (spray application) training or certification.

Experience with powder coating, multi-coat epoxy and polyurethane systems, or galvanized and duplex coatings.

Experience in structural steel, pipe, heavy equipment or custom fabrication.

Associate or bachelor's degree in a technical or business field; Lean, Six Sigma or 5S training.

Bilingual English/Spanish.

Professional Attributes

Detail-oriented; treats a coating spec and an inspection record as non-negotiable.

Clear communicator with customers, suppliers, inspectors and other departments.

Comfortable with numbers; builds estimates that hold up against actual costs.

Solves problems at the root rather than working around them.

Leadership Skills

Sets clear daily priorities and holds the team accountable to KPI targets.

Coaches and develops painters and blasters through regular feedback, training and certification.

Leads by example on safety, quality and housekeeping standards.

Makes timely decisions under pressure when ship dates, staffing or material change.

Resolves conflict fairly and builds a cooperative, respectful team culture.

Drives continuous improvement and gets team buy-in for new processes.

Represents the department confidently with other managers, suppliers and customers.

Physical Requirements & Work Environment

Works in a shop environment with exposure to paint fumes, solvents, dust, abrasive media, noise and seasonal temperatures.

Regularly stands, walks, bends and climbs ladders; lifts up to 50 lbs unassisted.

Wears required PPE, including a respirator (with medical clearance and fit test), safety glasses, hearing protection and protective clothing.

Normal color vision needed to judge color match and finish quality.

Occasional overtime or early starts to meet ship dates and project requirements.

Benefits:

Competitive salary and performance-based incentives.

Health, dental, and vision insurance.

401(k) with company match.

Paid time off and company holidays.

Why Join Kelso Industries?

Join us and be part of a team dedicated to creating efficient, sustainable, and high-performance environments that make a lasting impact across the industrial, commercial, and institutional sectors.

Here you will experience:

Growth Opportunities: Develop new skills, take on exciting challenges, and advance your career in meaningful ways.

Company Culture: You’ll thrive in an environment that supports your growth, values your contributions, and makes work fulfilling and enjoyable.

Impact: Your work directly contributes to meaningful outcomes, allowing you to see the difference you make and feel a sense of purpose every day.

Competitive Compensation & Benefits: You’ll be rewarded fairly for your contributions while enjoying perks that enhance your financial security, health, and overall well-being.

Kelso Industries celebrates diversity and is committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We do not discriminate in any aspect of employment based on race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, age, veteran status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local employment discrimination laws where Kelso does business