Production Manager

Production Manager

Our client is seeking an experienced Production Manager to provide leadership and direction for day-to-day manufacturing operations. This position is responsible for leading production supervisors and team members while ensuring products are manufactured safely, efficiently, cost-effectively, and in accordance with established quality standards.

The Production Manager will work closely with Production Planning, Maintenance, Quality, Human Resources, Sales, and other functional teams to execute production schedules, optimize labor and equipment utilization, maintain strong operational performance, and consistently meet customer requirements.

The ideal candidate is a hands-on manufacturing leader with strong experience managing production teams, improving operational performance, and building a culture focused on safety, quality, accountability, and continuous improvement.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and direction to production supervisors and assigned production personnel.
• Ensure compliance with all company safety, health, quality, GMP, operational, and regulatory policies and procedures.
• Execute production schedules to meet customer requirements for safety, quality, cost, service, and delivery.
• Partner with Production Planning and Scheduling to develop and execute effective production plans aligned with plant objectives.
• Lead and support supervisors in employee-related activities, including hiring, onboarding, training, performance reviews, recognition, attendance, coaching, disciplinary actions, and employee relations.
• Monitor staffing requirements and manage temporary labor levels to achieve production goals and improve labor efficiency.
• Drive operational performance by monitoring productivity, labor utilization, production costs, quality, downtime, and other key performance indicators.
• Coordinate production initiatives related to safety, housekeeping, continuous improvement, material utilization, and other plant programs.
• Partner with Maintenance leadership to coordinate preventive maintenance activities and minimize equipment downtime.
• Maintain appropriate inventory levels of production supplies to support manufacturing requirements while controlling costs.
• Collaborate with Sales and other departments to ensure customer requirements are effectively communicated and achieved.
• Maximize utilization of plant equipment, labor, and manufacturing capacity.
• Develop, maintain, and enforce Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and ensure production employees receive appropriate training.
• Support physical inventory activities in accordance with established company procedures.
• Coordinate production trials, R&D activities, and packaging evaluations, including banding and stretch-wrap requirements.
• Identify opportunities to improve production efficiency, quality, safety, cost, and overall plant performance.
• Lead or participate in special projects and cross-functional initiatives as assigned.
• Travel up to 25% as required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Operations, Engineering, Manufacturing, or a related field preferred; equivalent manufacturing leadership experience will also be considered.
• Minimum of 5 years of supervisory or management experience within a manufacturing environment strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience leading production supervisors and hourly manufacturing teams.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing operations, production scheduling, labor management, safety, quality, and continuous improvement.
• Experience working within GMP or other regulated manufacturing environments preferred.
• Strong leadership, coaching, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet production deadlines in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
• Strong computer skills and ability to work effectively with manufacturing and business systems.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to collaborate effectively across Production, Maintenance, Quality, Supply Chain, Human Resources, Sales, and other functional areas.
• Ability to work independently while contributing effectively within a plant leadership team.
• Strong commitment to safety, quality, customer service, and operational excellence.