Senior Production Manager - Process Maintenance

Career Area: Manufacturing Job Description: Your Work Shapes the World at Caterpillar Inc. When you join Caterpillar, you're joining a global team who cares not just about the work we do – but also about each other. We are the makers, problem solvers, and future world builders who are creating stronger, more sustainable communities. We don't just talk about progress and innovation here – we make it happen, with our customers, where we work and live. Together, we are building a better world, so we can all enjoy living in it. Senior Production Manager – Process Maintenance Primary Location: Decatur, IL Travel: Up to 5% Relocation Assistance: Available Visa Sponsorship: Not Available Job Summary As a Senior Production Manager in Decatur, Illinois, you will lead the day-to-day operations across all shifts for process maintenance on production machine tools for the entire facility ensuring a safe, compliant, and high-performing operation. In this senior manufacturing leadership role, you’ll build and develop strong frontline leadership teams, drive schedule attainment, and strengthen production safety, cost, and quality control mechanisms through data-driven decision making and structured problem solving. Key Responsibilities Lead process maintenance support across all shifts and directly manage a team of front-line maintenance managers Own staffing strategy for operations teams; hire, coach, motivate, and develop a strong management and supervisory bench. Drive performance management practices (goal setting, feedback, recognition, and improvement plans) to elevate results and engagement. Monitor overall maintenance performance and implement production safety, cost, and quality control mechanisms that reduce risk and improve throughput. Ensure compliance with applicable regulatory guidelines and maintain a safe, sound manufacturing environment. Lead structured problem solving and root-cause analysis to remove barriers and prevent recurrence (quality, safety, delivery, cost). Communicate clearly upward, downward, and cross-functionally to align priorities, influence decisions, and sustain execution discipline. Required Skills Production Training: Ability to assess skill gaps, develop training programs, and ensure safe/efficient operation of production machinery; validate training impact using pre-/post-performance metrics. Performance Management: Strength in setting expectations, delivering continuous feedback, recognizing achievement, and driving measurable improvement across teams. Effective Communications: Ability to tailor communication by audience, coach others’ written/oral messaging, and lead with empathy and assertiveness across levels. Problem Solving: Skilled in diagnosing operational/process problems, evaluating options, assessing risks/benefits, and using fact-finding/diagnostic tools. Analytical Thinking: Ability to define problems, compare alternatives, identify meaningful data patterns (e.g., Pareto), and draw sound conclusions. Influencing: Capable of building persuasive arguments, identifying decision makers, and shaping outcomes through active listening and strategic messaging. Planning & Organizing: Anticipate bottlenecks, manage competing priorities, and execute action plans that reliably deliver commitments. Flexibility & Adaptability: Comfortable leading through change; adjusts quickly across shifting priorities, processes, and people. Education: Degree or equivalent experience desired. Preferred Skills Previous maintenance management experience in complex manufacturing environment Trained with OSHA standards and compliance regulations Lean manufacturing / continuous improvement leadership (Kaizen, daily management systems, visual management) Safety leadership experience in high-risk manufacturing environments; strong EHS mindset Quality systems familiarity (audit readiness, layered process audits, defect reduction, control plans) Experience leading leaders (manager-of-managers), multi-shift operations, and complex staffing models Strong production KPI ownership (safety, quality, delivery, cost, OEE/throughput, scrap/rework) Cross-functional partnership with operations, quality, engineering, materials, and supply chain teams Summary Pay Range: $128,470.00 - $192,710.00 Compensation and benefits offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, job level, market location, job-related knowledge, skills, individual performance and experience. Please note that salary is only one component of total compensation at Caterpillar. Benefits: Subject to plan eligibility, terms, and guidelines. This is a summary list of benefits. Medical, dental, and vision benefits* Paid time off plan (Vacation, Holidays, Volunteer, etc.)* 401(k) savings plans* Health Savings Account (HSA)* Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)* Health Lifestyle Programs* Employee Assistance Program* Voluntary Benefits and Employee Discounts* Career Development* Incentive bonus* Disability benefits Life Insurance Parental leave Adoption benefits Tuition Reimbursement * These benefits also apply to part-time employees Posting Dates: July 13, 2026 - July 19, 2026 Any offer of employment is conditioned upon the successful completion of a drug screen. Caterpillar is an Equal Opportunity Employer, Including Veterans and Individuals with Disabilities. Qualified applicants of any age are encouraged to apply. Not ready to apply? Join our Talent Community. There’s more to work at Caterpillar than just the work itself. We hire smart, friendly people and it shows in our culture. We hold ourselves to high standards and make sure our values of integrity, excellence, teamwork, commitment and sustainability come to life in the way we work. We make sure our employees feel continuously challenged while also supported. We provide professional growth opportunities, including leadership programs. We celebrate the diversity of our team, while also working together as one Caterpillar. Our culture, like everything at our company, is made possible by each employee’s contribution. Person by person, we create the environment we work in, and we are proud of the Caterpillar we’ve built.