Production Manager

Production Manager

Dover Food Retail (DFR) is a leading manufacturer of Display Cases, Specialty Products, Refrigeration Systems, Power Systems and Comprehensive Services; and leading our industry by Innovating What's Next in glass doors and intelligent merchandising technologies that keep food safe under brands such as HillPhoenix and Anthony.

DFR is built on creativity and customer-centric innovation delivered by people invigorated by a strong sense of responsibility to help our customers win in their marketplaces. The relationships we build with our customers are as important to our success as the products we manufacture. This collaborative environment delivers FRESH THINKING, reassuring our customers that they choose the best when they choose to work with the people of Dover Food Retail.

Location: Conyers, GA

The Production Manager owns the execution, efficiency, and continuous improvement of our manufacturing operations. This critical leadership role manages a multi-shift operational footprint consisting of 5 Production Supervisors and a total workforce of approximately 280 team members. The primary focus of this position is ensuring Safety First non-negotiable approach and strict adherence to the production schedule while optimizing labor efficiency. Because demand varies across our different assembly and manufacturing zones, the ideal candidate must be a master of dynamic resource allocation—successfully monitoring headcount, flexing labor between lines, and maintaining a high-performance, safety-first culture.

What you will be responsible for in this role:

Safety Culture

• Lead by Visible Example: Actively champion a Safety First, Production Second mind set. Conduct regular, high-visibility floor walks and Job Safety Audits (JSA) alongside the production supervisors to model correct safety behaviors and PPE.
• De-stigmatize reporting: Foster a psychological safety culture where team members feel empowered to report near-misses, hazards, and minor injuries immediately without the fear of retaliation or blame.
• Operationalize Daily Safety: Embed safety into the daily production rhythm. Ensure that shift handovers and Tier 1/Tier 2 huddles always lead with safety metrics and hazard callouts before discussing production targets or headcount.

Production Execution and Schedule Adherence.

• Own the Schedule: Coordinate daily and weekly manufacturing schedules to ensure 100% on-time delivery to customers.
• Cross-Functional Alignment: Collaborate closely with Supply Chain, Planning, and Logistics to anticipate material bottlenecks and adjust production flow accordingly.
• KPI Accountability: Drive and report on core manufacturing metrics, including Efficiency, Scrap Rate, First-Time Yield, and Plan vs. Actual output.

Workforce Management

• Dynamic Labor Flexing: Monitor headcount in real-time across various assembly and fabrication areas. Strategically shift/flex personnel to high-priority or bottleneck zones to optimize labor utilization.
• Supervisory Leadership: Directly manage, mentor, and develop 5 Production Supervisors. Hold them accountable for shift handovers, daily tier meetings, and floor-level performance.
• Labor Planning: Oversee standard work hours, overtime tracking, absenteeism, and seasonal or demand-driven staffing adjustments for the 260-person team.

Operational Excellence and Process Improvement

• Lean Deployment: Co-lead, and sustainment of the company's Operational Excellence (OpEx) model, specifically focusing on Standard Work (SW), Leader Standard Work (LSW), and Tier Accountability Processes in areas of responsibility.
• Kaizen Leadership: Own and execute targeted Kaizen events and rapid improvement projects to eliminate waste, improve quality, and reduce manufacturing cycle time in collaboration of the OpEx Leader and Manufacturing Engineering Team.
• Area Transformation: Collaborate in major layout and process reconfigurations necessary for plant restructuring or new product introductions, ensuring a safe and efficient work environment assuring.
• Establish a "Stop-and-Fix" Culture (Jidoka and Build in Quality): Cultivate an environment across all team members where quality is owned at the individual workstation rather than relying on final inspections. Empower operators to stop the line immediately upon detecting a defect to prevent passing non-conforming material downstream (I do not accept, produce or pass defects rule).

What are the basic qualifications?

• Bachelor's degree in engineering (Industrial, Mechanical, Manufacturing), Operations Management, Business Administration, or a related field. Equivalent hands-on manufacturing leadership experience (10+ years) will be considered in lieu of a degree.
• Leadership Experience minimum of 5–7 years of progressive leadership experience in a high-volume manufacturing environment.
• Proven track record of managing large organizational structures (200+ total headcount) and managing through subordinate leaders (Supervisors/Leads).
• Workforce Optimization : Deep understanding of labor efficiency metrics, capacity planning, and line-balancing techniques.
• Lean Manufacturing: Strong background in Lean, Six Sigma, or TPS (Toyota Production System).
• Systems Literacy: High proficiency with ERP/MRP systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle, Plex) and Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES). Strong Excel skills for data-driven decision-making.

Soft Skills & Leadership Attributes

• Agility & Problem-Solving: Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment where priorities shift rapidly based on headcount and material availability.
• Communication: Exceptional verbal and written communication skills; capable of shifting tone seamlessly from a floor-level huddle to an executive briefing.
• Conflict Resolution: Experienced in managing employee relations, driving engagement, and building a cohesive culture across diverse production areas.

How We Define Our Values and Why You Should Join Our Team:

The backbone behind our collection of outstanding businesses is a team of dedicated employees who protect and enhance our valued reputation for quality and delivering what we promise. It's our values that define Dover to all our key audiences: our shareholders, customers, prospective employees and especially ourselves.

These values must be expressed in our work and embody our actions, as they form the basis by which we do our jobs, make decisions and measure our performance. It's our unwavering commitment to maintaining our values that defines who we are as a Company.

• Collaborative Entrepreneurial Spirit
• Winning Through Customers
• Respects and Values People
• Expectations for Results
• High Ethical Standards, Openness, and Trust

What's in it for you?

• Medical, Dental, and Vision
• 401k Retirement Plan
• Flexible Spending
• Paid Holidays

The statements herein are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees and are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. Furthermore, they do not establish a contract for employment and are subject to change at the discretion of the Company.

Dover Food Retail is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, age, genetic information, or any other factors prohibited by law.