Production Manager

Trillium Professional is now seeking a Production Manager for direct hire in San Jose, CA area.


The Production Manager is a hands-on, transformational shop-floor leader accountable for driving manufacturing velocity, operational discipline, and flow across high-mix crating, wood fabrication, and packaging assembly operations. Reporting directly to the Site Manager, this role serves as the central operational driver on the manufacturing floor. The Production Manager spearheads the strategic transition from traditional batch-and-queue manufacturing to a Lean Single-Piece Flow paradigm by instituting rigorous Visual Management, Hour-by-Hour takt enforcement, mathematical capacity discipline, and standard work. The position requires strong bilingual leadership (English & Spanish) to coach frontline teams, eliminate operational waste, and instill a daily culture of continuous improvement. Compensation range: $105,000-$125,000 base salary, depending on experience


MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Lean Single-Piece Flow Transformation & Shop-Floor Pacing
• Batch-to-Flow Transition: Lead the physical and cultural transformation from batch processing to continuous single-piece flow, cellular layouts, and balanced assembly lines across multi-step fabrication and packaging cells.
• Takt Time & Hour-by-Hour Pacing: Transition the manufacturing floor away from trailing, subjective percentage-of-completion metrics to an active Hour-by-Hour (HxH) pitch framework aligned strictly with customer takt time.
• Pull Systems & WIP Control: Establish visual kanban systems, strict work-in-process (WIP) caps, and decoupled raw-processing staging to eliminate material clutter, shorten lead times, and optimize throughput velocity.
• Fabrication Decoupling: Operationalize the strategy to separate raw component cutting and piece-part machining from final assembly lines, ensuring smooth kit presentation and zero assembly starvation.
2. Visual Management & Shop-Floor Governance
• Tiered Management Loops: Implement and audit Tier 1 (frontline) and Tier 2 (departmental) Visual Management boards (Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost, Morale), conducting structured stand-up audits every shift.
• Andon & Rapid Escalation: Establish strict Andon protocols to detect cycle lag, material shortages, or quality deviations immediately, driving instant floor-level containment and resolution.
• Standard Work & 5S Discipline: Institutionalize 5S visual workplace controls, standard work instructions, and layered process audits to sustain housekeeping, tooling discipline, and repeatability.
3. Production Execution, Capacity & Floor Operations
• Schedule Attainment & FOTD: Ensure 100% adherence to daily master schedules, maximizing First-Time On-Time Delivery (FOTD) and protecting customer shipping commitments.
• Mathematical Staffing: Dynamically balance headcount and equipment utilization using standard Lean capacity and labor equations, mathematically justifying any overtime or staffing adjustments before escalation.
• OEE & Equipment Optimization: Monitor and optimize Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) across automated saws, CNC wood processing equipment, nailing systems, and assembly jigs.
• ERP & Data Integrity: Leverage Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems (Infor M3 preferred) to analyze production routings, close work orders promptly, track scrap, and drive data-backed floor management.
4. Continuous Improvement & Cost Ownership
• Root-Cause Problem Solving: Lead cross-functional teams in structured problem-solving (A3, 5-Whys, Fishbone diagrams, Kaizen) to eliminate recurring bottlenecks and scrap.
• Setup Reduction (SMED): Apply Single-Minute Exchange of Die (SMED) techniques to minimize changeover times on saws, automated cells, and assembly fixtures, expanding daily operating capacity.
• Cost Reduction Leadership: Own manufacturing cost performance, actively reducing labor hours per unit, eliminating packaging waste, and maximizing raw lumber/plywood yield.
5. Frontline Coaching, EHS & Environmental Obligations
• Frontline Leadership Coaching: Serve as an energetic gemba coach, mentoring production supervisors and lead operators to build autonomous, accountable, and disciplined teams.
• Health & Safety (EH&S): Provide uncompromising leadership in safety regulations, proactive hazard identification, ergonomic enhancements, and machine guarding.
• Environmental Compliance, wood dust containment guidelines, and facility-wide waste separation and recycling protocols.
• Remain informed of state and federal regulatory requirements
• Practice and adhere to the “Code of Conduct” and Mission and values statements
• Uphold, safeguard, and promote corporate values and philosophy to ethics, integrity, corporate and social responsibility.
• Maintain production quality in accordance with the company or customer standards
• Establish, maintain, and monitor adherence to ISO9001 and OSHA standards
• Ensure quality inspections on incoming raw materials and finished goods
• Conduct monthly safety training as well as ad hoc meetings regarding production or machine issues
• Ensure that a regular maintenance program for all tools and machinery is in place and scheduled maintenance or repairs are completed
• Assign employee workload, determine training requirements, expedite work-in-process, and coordinate shipping/receiving activities
• Address business issues appropriately to both internal and external audiences and make informed and impactful recommendations
• Lead work environments that embrace the principles of positive employee relations
• Manage, promote, and sustain employee health and safety programs
• Proactively manage raw material and finished goods requirements and inventories to meet or exceed customer expectations for delivery


MINIMUM EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS
EDUCATION
• Required/Preferred Degree: Bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Operations Management, or related field preferred.
• Alternative Experience: A minimum of 5+ years of demonstrated operations/production management leadership in wood processing, crating, or custom packaging fabrication will be accepted in lieu of a degree.
• Certifications: Lean Six Sigma (Green Belt or Black Belt) certification is strongly preferred.


EXPERIENCE
• Operational Track Record: 5+ years of progressive production management or supervisory experience within discrete manufacturing, wood processing, industrial packaging, or assembly operations.
• Lean Implementation Success: Documented, hands-on success transforming batch manufacturing into lean single-piece flow cells, including designing cell layouts, takt pacing, and HxH visual tracking.
• Technical/Equipment Familiarity: Working familiarity with industrial wood processing machinery (Stiles, CNC routing, automated crosscut saws, panel saws, pneumatic fastening cells).
Systems Competence: Proficiency with ERP platforms (Infor M3 highly regarded), MES tracking, and MS
Office LANGUAGES
• Bilingual Fluency (Strictly Required): Complete fluency in Spanish and English (written and verbal) is required to successfully direct, train, coach, and align shop-floor personnel and cross-functional leadership.
PROFESSIONAL PRINCIPALS
• To act in a professional and ethical manner at all times
• To maintain a positive work environment and recognize that this is a shared responsibility and includes recognition, respect, co-operation and open communication
SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES
• Single-Piece Flow & Pull Systems: Deep mastery of line balancing, WIP decoupling, kanban replenishment, and takt-paced cellular layout design.
• Visual Management & Hour-by-Hour: Expertise in designing, sustaining, and auditing Tier 1/2 gemba boards, HxH tracking, and Andon escalation triggers
• Data-Driven Mathematical Discipline: Ability to utilize labor formulas, cycle time analysis, and OEE metrics to balance lines and justify staffing.
• Frontline Coaching & Culture Change: Proven ability to bridge management directives to floor operators, building a collaborative, accountable workforce.
• Root-Cause Elimination (Kaizen): Hands-on facilitator of A3 root-cause workshops, SMED setup reduction, 5S audits, and Kaizen continuous improvement events.
• Material Yield & Scrap Minimization: Strong analytical focus on raw material optimization (wood/plywood yield), scrap reduction, and conversion cost containment.
• ERP & Production Control: Adept at leveraging ERP routings, work order management, labor
• tracking, and variance reporting to maintain schedule attainment.
• Bilingual Communication: Flawless communication in English and Spanish across technical reports, executive reviews, and floor-level coaching.


HEALTH AND SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL OBLIGATIONS
HEALTH AND SAFETY
The company is serious about improving employee safety, reducing workplace risks, and creating better and safer working conditions. The company provides a working environment that is healthy, safe and in accordance with international standards and local laws for all employees.
ENVIRONMENT
We optimize total cost and reduce environmental impact with innovative packaging and logistics solutions.
Sustainability is an integral part of our value proposition to the market. Working with sustainability means that we care for the welfare of our employees and other stakeholders while maintaining balance in the economic, social and environmental aspects of our business.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Americans with Disability Specifications
Physical Demands
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by a team member to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• While performing the duties of his/her job, the team member is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; use hands; reach with hands and arms; lift up to 30 lbs. unassisted; talk or hear; taste or smell. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
Work Environment
The physical demands and plant environment described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this role. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.
• Physical Demands: Active presence on the production floor; frequent standing, walking (gemba walks), stooping, kneeling, reaching, pushing/pulling, and lifting up to 40 lbs. Specific vision abilities required include close, distance, peripheral vision, and depth perception.
• Plant Environment: Dynamic industrial manufacturing plant environment with active automated saws, CNC cutting equipment, pneumatic nailers, and mobile equipment. Noise levels exceed 85-90 dBA, temperatures range from 5°C to 34°C seasonally, with ambient wood dust present. All required Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is supplied.
• Office Conditions: Standard office equipment and computer workstations for ERP analysis, scheduling, and management reporting. Occasional local travel between sister facilities or suppliers as operational needs dictate

Trillium has been recruiting and placing professionals for over 30 years. From Fortune 100 companies to small businesses, our philosophy remains the same: to achieve excellence by providing quality employees and an uncompromising level of service. We believe in honesty, integrity, and a simple philosophy of providing value to our customers and our employees. We strive to be unsurpassed in the recruitment and placement of quality and skilled professionals. Trillium is an Equal Opportunity Employer.