Production Manager

Sterling Engineering is partnering with an established manufacturer of industrial heating and temperature sensing products to hire an experienced Production Manager to oversee daily manufacturing operations.We are seeking a hands-on manufacturing leader with experience in electrical, electromechanical, or custom industrial product manufacturing. This position requires someone who understands the challenges of managing production in an environment where products may vary by customer specifications, production volumes, and assembly requirements.

Location : Wood Dale, IL 60191

Employment Type : Direct Hire

Schedule : 1st Shift

Compensation : $95,000 to $110,000 annually

Benefits : Medical, Dental, Vision, 401(k), Paid Time Off, Paid Holidays, Life Insurance, and additional company-sponsored benefits.

Responsibilities :

• Oversee daily manufacturing operations, including production scheduling, staffing, workflow, quality, and on-time delivery.
• Lead production teams in a manufacturing environment involving mechanical and/or electrical assembly.
• Manage production priorities across multiple product lines, customer orders, and changing manufacturing requirements.
• Identify and resolve production bottlenecks, equipment issues, material shortages, and workflow inefficiencies.
• Improve labor utilization, production throughput, scrap reduction, and manufacturing lead times.
• Develop and mentor production supervisors, team leads, and manufacturing employees.
• Partner with Engineering and Quality to resolve product assembly issues, improve manufacturability, and implement process changes.
• Support new product introductions, manufacturing process improvements, and equipment upgrades.
• Monitor production KPIs, including productivity, quality, scrap, labor efficiency, and on-time delivery.
• Drive Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Ensure compliance with OSHA regulations, quality standards, and company safety procedures.
• Manage employee performance, training, coaching, and accountability.

Qualifications :

• Previous experience as a Production Manager, Manufacturing Manager, or similar manufacturing leadership role.
• Experience in electrical, electromechanical, mechanical assembly, or custom industrial product manufacturing strongly preferred.
• Hands-on experience managing production operations in a manufacturing environment with multiple products or varying customer requirements.
• Strong understanding of production scheduling, labor planning, workflow management, and manufacturing processes.
• Experience leading supervisors, team leads, and hourly production employees.
• Demonstrated ability to improve productivity, reduce scrap, and resolve manufacturing inefficiencies.
• Ability to work closely with Engineering, Quality, and Supply Chain teams.
• Knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, continuous improvement, and production KPIs.
• Strong communication, leadership, and problem-solving skills.
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations Management, Business, or a related field preferred.
• Bilingual English/Spanish is a plus.