Production Manager

Who We Are:
Backed by over 60 years of proven expertise through Gekay Sales and Service, Cardinal Equipment Services stands as a trusted leader in equipment sales, remanufacturing, and comprehensive service solutions for the beverage, foodservice, and vending industries.

What We Offer:
Eligible full time Cardinal Equipment Services Associates can participate in our Total Rewards Program which includes:

• Health, Dental, & Vision Insurance
• Two weeks of Paid Time Off, and 7 paid company holidays
• Basic Life Insurance
• 401K Plan with company match
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Short-Term Disability

Job Title: Production Manager


Location: Winter Haven, Florida

Job Type: Full Time


Job Summary:

The Production Manager is responsible for leading and overseeing all production operations to ensure safety, quality, efficiency, and customer satisfaction goals are achieved. This position manages production teams across multiple departments, drives process improvements, develops supervisory talent, establishes performance goals, and serves as a key liaison between internal departments, customers, and vendors. The Production Manager is accountable for production planning, employee relations, inventory coordination, reporting, and operational excellence initiatives.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

• Direct and oversee daily production activities for the Ancillary, Food Service, and Refrigeration teams.
• Regularly monitor production floor operations to ensure productivity, quality, safety, and efficiency standards are met.
• Establish weekly and monthly production goals utilizing historical performance data, forecasting, and business requirements.
• Maintain and monitor monthly safety training compliance, ensuring all employees and supervisors complete required training within established deadlines.
• Track performance against goals and implement corrective actions as needed.
• Develop and maintain production reports, including weekly, monthly, and annual performance metrics.
• Ensure production schedules align with customer demand and operational capacity.
• Lead, coach, and develop Production Supervisors and production team members.
• Conduct performance reviews for Production Supervisors and provide ongoing feedback and career development support.
• Foster a culture of ownership, accountability, teamwork, and continuous improvement.
• Manage employee relations matters including coaching, conflict resolution, corrective action, and performance management.
• Promote employee engagement and maintain a positive and productive work environment.
• Identify operational inefficiencies and implement process improvement initiatives.
• Analyze production data and trends to improve productivity, reduce waste, and optimize workflows.
• Partner with leadership to drive operational excellence and continuous improvement efforts throughout the organization.
• Serve as the primary production contact for internal stakeholders including: Sales, Shipping & Receiving, Inventory Control, Safety, Remanufacturing, Finance.
• Coordinate communication and workflow between departments to ensure smooth production operations.
• Attend and actively participate in management meetings, providing updates on production performance, challenges, and improvement opportunities.
• Oversee inventory accuracy and collaborate with third-party inventory management partners.
• Manage communications with vendors and suppliers to support production requirements.
• Serve as a primary point of contact for customer production-related inquiries and vendor communications.
• Manage customer expectations regarding production schedules, timelines, and order status.
• Develop and maintain positive working relationships with vendors and external business partners.
• Manage cash handling and payment-related systems in accordance with company policies.
• Generate and analyze production reports using SAP and Microsoft Excel.
• Monitor production metrics and provide recommendations based on data analysis.
• Support budgeting and operational planning efforts as needed.

Skills and Abilities:

• Strong leadership and people management skills.
• Excellent employee relations and conflict resolution abilities.
• Effective time management and organizational skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to build collaborative relationships across departments and with external partners.
• Results-driven with a focus on accountability and continuous improvement.

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, Operations Management, Supply Chain Management, Engineering, or a related field preferred.
• Minimum of 3-5 years of experience as a Production Supervisor or equivalent manufacturing leadership role.
• Experience managing production departments
• Proven experience with process improvement initiatives and operational performance management.
• Intermediate Microsoft Excel skills required, including: Formulas and functions, Reporting and data analysis, Production metrics tracking; pivot tables preferred
• Experience using SAP or similar ERP systems required.
• Strong computer proficiency in Microsoft Office applications.

Work Environment:

• Work performed on cement floors in a warehouse environment.
• Work is performed in a warehouse environment with exposure to varying temperature conditions, including heat, cold and humidity.
• Noise levels are typically moderate to high due to machinery, powered industrial equipment, and general warehouse operations.

Physical Requirements:

• Repeated sitting, standing on cement floors, walking, pushing/pulling, lifting, carrying, up to 50 lbs.
• Frequently stoop, bend, kneel, crouch, crawl, climb, twist, reach, grasp, and make repetitive hand movements in the performance of daily duties.
• Continuous bending, kneeling, squatting, grasping, reaching, fine manipulation and exposure to chemicals and noise.

Work Requirements:

• Follow all Company Safety Rules.
• Must adhere to regular and predictable attendance.
• Must be able to wear personal protective equipment including safety vest, steel toed shoes, safety glasses, etc.
• Must be able to lift, carry, push, and/or pull moderate to heavy amounts of weight.
• Must be able to work overtime as needed.

This job description is not an exhaustive list of all functions that the employee may be required to perform, and the employee may be required to perform additional functions. Cardinal Equipment Services reserves the right to revise the job description at any time and to assign additional duties and responsibilities as needed.


Employment with Cardinal Equipment Services is at-will. The employee must be able to perform the essential functions of the position satisfactorily and, if requested, reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions of their job, absent undue hardship.


Cardinal Equipment Services is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, status as a veteran, and basis of disability or any other federal, state or local protected class.