Program Manager

The Production Program Manager serves as the operational leader responsible for driving execution, schedule performance, and delivery for key customer programs. This role bridges production control, scheduling, new product introduction, and program management - ensuring customer needs are met through effective coordination of planning, manufacturing, quality, and supply chain teams.


The Production Program Manager owns program performance across quality, on-time delivery, cost, and responsiveness, while continuously improving production efficiency, launch readiness, and communication across the business.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND BASIC DUTIES

• Lead daily and weekly coordination between production, planning, supply chain, and quality to ensure customer schedules are met and risks are proactively managed.
• Monitor and manage program performance against key metrics including on-time delivery, schedule adherence, WIP flow, and quality results.
• Serve as the primary operational point of contact for assigned customer programs - translating customer demand and forecasts into executable production plans.
• Lead and coordinate New Product Introduction (NPI) projects from prototype through production release, ensuring readiness across materials, process documentation, tooling, and quality validation.
• Develop and manage NPI project schedules, milestones, and deliverables, facilitating cross-functional alignment to meet launch dates and ramp-up objectives.
• Partner with engineering and manufacturing to ensure smooth handoff from development to production and timely resolution of design or manufacturability issues.
• Drive proactive communication on delivery risk, recovery plans, and production status to both internal teams and customers.
• Work closely with planners and site leadership to balance capacity, prioritize builds, and resolve material or process constraints.
• Coordinate and lead program and production reviews to ensure alignment on schedule, quality, and improvement actions.
• Identify and implement opportunities for process improvement, lead time reduction, and throughput optimization within assigned programs.
• Maintain and communicate clear program metrics, dashboards, and status updates to internal and external stakeholders.
• Provide leadership, mentoring, and guidance across production and customer teams to build a culture of accountability and operational excellence.

QUALIFICATIONS
EDUCATION/CERTIFICATION:
Bachelor's degree in operations management, business, engineering, or related field - or equivalent combination of education and experience.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE:

• Strong understanding of manufacturing operations, production planning, and scheduling systems (ERP/MRP).
• Familiarity with precision machining, assembly, or other contract manufacturing processes.
• Knowledge of new product introduction (NPI) and product lifecycle management (PLM) processes, including prototype builds, process qualification, and transition to production.
• Proven ability to drive results through cross-functional coordination and disciplined program execution.

EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

• 3-5 years of experience in manufacturing program management, production control, or operations leadership within a contract manufacturing or industrial environment.
• Demonstrated success managing NPI or engineering change projects, improving delivery performance, and enhancing customer satisfaction.
• Experience leading teams through production ramp-up, tooling readiness, and process validation phases.

SKILLS ABILITIES: Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, with a wide variety of customers, prospects, Company personnel, independent representatives, and others at all levels.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

PHYSICAL STRENGTH: Mobility within the work facility. Communicating with others both verbally and written.

LANGUAGE ABILITY: Professional communication, both written and verbal, in English.