Production Manager

Production Manager

The Production Manager is a senior operations leader responsible for end-to-end production performance across safety, quality, delivery, cost, and morale. Reporting to the Plant Manager, this role owns daily execution while driving long-term operational capability through people development, standardization, and continuous improvement. This position requires a hands-on leader who can balance urgency with discipline, lead through change, and build high-performing teams in a fast-paced manufacturing environment. Success in this role is defined not only by results, but by the ability to develop leaders, stabilize processes, and sustain improvements.

Key Responsibilities:

Operational Ownership

• Own and lead all production operations to ensure safe, efficient, and predictable execution.
• Plan, schedule, and adjust daily and weekly production activities to meet customer demand, capacity, and labor availability.
• Ensure effective process flow, on-time execution, and adherence to quality standards across all shifts.
• Partner with Maintenance and Engineering to minimize downtime and improve equipment reliability.
• Analyze production data and performance metrics to identify gaps and implement improvements across processes, people, and equipment.
• Track and report key performance indicators related to safety, production output, efficiency, quality, and downtime.
• Establish, maintain, and support product quality specifications and quality control programs.

Leadership & Team Development

• Build, coach, and develop supervisors and frontline leaders to create a strong leadership pipeline.
• Foster a culture of accountability, ownership, and continuous improvement at all levels.
• Administer company policies fairly and consistently, providing coaching and corrective action when necessary.
• Support onboarding, training, and ongoing performance development for all production team members.
• Ensure strong communication and alignment across shifts to maintain operational continuity.

Continuous Improvement & Lean Execution

• Lead structured continuous improvement initiatives using Lean manufacturing principles (A3, Kaizen, standard work, root cause analysis).
• Identify and eliminate waste, variation, and inefficiencies across people, processes, and equipment.
• Standardize best practices and ensure disciplined follow-through to sustain gains.
• Actively leads change initiatives and drive adoption across the organization.

Performance Management & Data-Driven Decision Making

• Track, analyze, and report key performance indicators including safety, quality, OEE, labor efficiency, scrap, downtime, and on-time delivery.
• Use ERP/MES and operational data to identify trends, gaps, and improvement opportunities.
• Translate operational metrics into clear insights and action plans aligned with business objectives.
• Manage labor and operational spending to meet cost and productivity targets.

Safety, Quality, & Compliance

• Lead a safety-first culture by maintaining an organized, compliant work environment and promptly addressing unsafe acts or conditions.
• Ensure compliance with all EHS policies, regulations, and company standards.
• Establish, maintain, and support product quality specifications and quality control programs.
• Serve as a role model for ethical leadership and ESG principles.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner closely with Customer Service, Scheduling, Procurement, Quality, EHS, Finance, Maintenance, and engineering to ensure stable operations and strong customer outcomes.
• Proactively identify operational risks and develop contingency plans to ensure continuity of supply.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience preferred.
• 5+ years' experience in a manufacturing environment with at least 3+ years in a leadership role.
• Proven experience leading high-volume, multi-line manufacturing operations.
• Demonstrated success improving KPIs such as OEE, OTIF, scrap, labor efficiency, and safety.
• Strong people leadership skills with a track record of developing frontline leaders.
• Experience leading through growth, transformation, or turnaround environments.
• Working knowledge of Lean manufacturing systems and structured problem-solving.
• Strong business and financial acumen with the ability to link operations to profitability.
• ERP/MES experience preferred.