Rural King · 5 days ago
Lead Print Operator
Mattoon, IL
Full-time
Onsite
Mid, Senior Level
$60K/yr - $70K/yr
3+ years expRural King is America’s Farm and Home Store, providing essentials to the communities they serve. As a Lead Print Operator, you will be responsible for operating and optimizing production equipment, leading the production floor, and driving quality and efficiency in print production.
AgricultureE-CommerceFarmingRetail
Responsibilities
Operate, set up, and continuously optimize major print and finishing equipment
Monitor production throughout each job. Ensuring adherence to job specs (color accuracy, substrate alignment, finishing quality) and timely completion
Troubleshoot mechanical, material or workflow issues immediately to minimize downtime and waste
Ensure all pre-flighting preparation and printing of print jobs meet customer’s specifications
Own end‑to‑end workflow: from job receipt, file prep, schedule/planning, production, finishing/packaging, to staging/shipping
Develop, document and refine standard operating procedures, quality checkpoints, equipment maintenance schedules, and work‐flows scalable for growth
Implement quality assurance routines: inspect output at key phases, log defects, review waste metrics, propose and implement corrective measures
Manage consumables and materials (inks, media, laminates, tapes, finishing supplies) track inventory levels, reorder as needed, maintain supplier relationships
Coordinate service and vendor support as required to keep production running smoothly
Lead, train and mentor production staff and assistants as volume and team size grow. Establish a high‑performance culture around accountability, safety, quality, and operational excellence
Provide guidance on job scheduling, workload balancing, and cross‐team coordination with Rural King associates
Bring a “startup within a company” mindset. Comfortable building systems and adapting processes as the business evolves. Contributing to strategic decisions around equipment, workflows and team composition
Work closely with senior leadership to expand the business's operational capabilities
Lead associates in a way that exemplifies the leadership principles taught in Rural King’s Thrive Leadership Program
Use discretion and independent judgment in daily decisions while maintaining a high level of confidentiality and professionalism
Actively participate in learning initiatives offered such as training programs, workshops, and webinars. Leverage these opportunities to acquire new knowledge, refine existing skills, and stay current on the latest developments
Provide friendly, proactive, and professional internal and external support to others, assisting with inquiries, concerns, and issues promptly and effectively
Demonstrate behaviors that exemplify Rural King’s Values: People First, Integrity, Attitude, Initiative, Teamwork, Accountability, and Continuous Improvement
Perform other duties as assigned
Qualification
Required
At least 3 years of print production experience in a lead or senior operator role required or equivalent combination of experience and education
Demonstrated experience operating large format/industrial printing equipment, finishing tools and managing workflow in a production environment
Strong mechanical aptitude, troubleshooting ability, attention to detail, and high standards for print/finish quality
Proven ability to take ownership of complex operations, build processes and work independently with minimal oversight
Entrepreneurial mindset: comfortable with establishing infrastructure, defining roles, improving workflows, and scaling operations
Excellent communication and leadership skills; ability to train, motivate, and lead others
Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite or related software
Working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite
Comfortable navigating computer systems and software to assist customers or manage activities
Excellent verbal and written interpersonal and communication
Preferred
Experience with VDP software and digital store fronts, digital prepress/file prep, color management and finishing workflows
Comfort working cross‐functionally with marketing, retail/merchandising teams and taking initiative beyond pure print operations
Benefits
401(k) plan that provides a 100% match on the first 3% of your contributions and 50% of the next 2%
Healthcare plans to support your needs
Virtual doctor visits
Access to Centers of Excellence with Barnes Jewish Hospital and Mayo Clinic’s Complex Care Program
15% Associate Discount
Dave Ramsey’s SmartDollar Program
Associate Assistance Program
RK Cares Associate Hardship Program
24/7 Chaplaincy Services
Company paid YMCA Family Membership
Company
Rural King
Rural King is America's farm and home store that provides essentials to the communities they serve.
10001+ employees
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageLeadership Team
P
Paul Martinson
Chief Financial Officer
Recent News
UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL
2026-01-09
2025-12-12
2025-11-03
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