Production Manager, Assembly - A Shift

Production ManagerJoin us at Panasonic Energy as we expand to De Soto, Kansas, where we're building the world's largest lithium-ion battery factory. This is an exciting opportunity to grow your career while contributing to the future of electric vehicles. As part of our team, you'll help push the limits of battery technology, enhancing performance and efficiency in sustainable transportation. Our state-of-the-art facility, just outside the Kansas City Metro, will be a hub for innovation in green energy solutions. If you're passionate about sustainability and eager to contribute to the electric vehicle revolution, we invite you to be part of our dynamic team. Join us and make a meaningful impact on the future of energy and transportation.The Production Manager leads and oversees multiple production lines within a high-volume, 24/7 manufacturing environment to achieve safety, quality, cost, delivery, and productivity objectives. This role owns end-to-end manufacturing performance for assigned areas, ensuring alignment to production strategy, Lean manufacturing principles, and SQDCP performance metrics. The Production Manager provides leadership and direction to Production Supervisors, drives cross-functional operational execution, and ensures standardized work, capacity planning, and continuous improvement initiatives are effectively implemented. As the operational owner of assigned manufacturing areas, this position is accountable for delivering measurable business results, developing leadership capability, and building a culture of operational excellence and accountability.Shift: 6:45 AM–7:30 PM Days, A-Shift (Sunday, Monday, Tuesday & Every Other Wednesday)Essential Duties:Functional Leadership & Operations: Own manufacturing performance across assigned production lines, ensuring achievement of safety, quality, cost, delivery, and productivity targetsManage departmental operating expenses and support annual budget planning processesLead and develop Production Supervisors to ensure effective daily execution of production plansEnsure capacity planning, labor optimization, and resource allocation align with production demandDrive adherence to standardized work, operating procedures, and operational controlsServe as escalation point for line-level operational, quality, and people-related issuesStrategic Alignment & Continuous Improvement: Translate plant-level strategy into actionable production plans and performance expectationsDrive Lean manufacturing, 6S, and continuous improvement initiatives across assigned areasLead structured problem-solving efforts to eliminate chronic losses and improve operational stabilityMonitor and analyze SQDCP metrics, identifying trends and deploying countermeasuresChampion cost reduction and productivity improvement initiativesTeam Development & Knowledge Sharing: Develop, coach, and evaluate Production Supervisors and other direct reportsBuild leadership capability and succession pipelines within the production organizationPartner with HR on workforce planning, employee engagement, and performance managementFoster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvementLead change management initiatives within assigned manufacturing areasCross-Functional Collaboration & Stakeholder Engagement: Collaborate with Engineering, Quality, Maintenance, Supply Chain, and EHS to ensure operational alignmentParticipate in PFMEA reviews, capacity planning discussions, and new product/process introductionsEnsure effective implementation of control plans and process controlsProvide performance updates and operational insights to senior leadershipQuality, Safety, Compliance, & Risk Management: Ensure safe manufacturing operations by enforcing compliance with safety standards and EHS requirementsDrive proactive risk identification and mitigation across production linesEnsure defects are contained at the source and systemic quality issues are resolvedOversee root cause investigations and ensure sustainable corrective actions are implementedMaintain compliance with regulatory, environmental, and operational standardsSupervisory Responsibilities: Provide direct leadership to Production Supervisors and indirectly oversee hourly production personnel across assigned linesResponsible for performance management, workforce planning, leadership development, and organizational effectiveness within assigned areasTravel Requirement: Minimal travel as required for business needsPersonal Protective Equipment (PPE) Requirements: To ensure health and safety in the workplace and for employee protection, wearing PPE is required and includes equipment such as a full Tyvek suit, safety shoes, gloves, safety glasses, face mask, and a full hazmat suit that includes a respirator. A respirator fit test will be required based on functional area.Qualifications:Education, Certifications, and Licenses: Required: Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Business Administration, or a related technical field. Relevant work experience may be substituted for required education. Preferred: Master's degree (MBA or MS) in a related discipline Lean Six Sigma Certification (Green Belt or higher) OSHA 30-Hour General Industry certificationEssential Qualifications: 5+ years of progressive manufacturing leadership experience in a high-volume, 24/7 production environment Demonstrated success owning safety, quality, cost, and delivery performance metrics Strong data-driven decision-making capability and financial acumen Working knowledge of Lean manufacturing, 6S, structured problem-solving, and continuous improvement methodologies Experience with ERP/MES systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle, FactoryTalk) Ability to influence cross-functional partners without direct authority Strong written and verbal communication skills Proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) Must have working-level knowledge of the English language, including reading, writing, and speaking English Alignment to Panasonic's seven (7) core principles (contribution to society, fairness and honesty, cooperation and team spirit, untiring effort for improvement, courtesy and humility, adaptability, gratitude)Preferred Qualifications: 7+ years of progressive manufacturing leadership experience Experience leading large production organizations (100+ employees) in a high-volume, automated environment Proven track record driving productivity, cost reduction, and operational transformation initiatives Experience supporting new product introductions or major capacity expansions Strong change management and organizational leadership capability Advanced analytical skills and structured root cause problem-solving expertise Bilingual or multilingual capabilities (e.g., Japanese, Spanish)Physical Demands:Physical Activities: Percentage of time (equaling 100%) during the normal workday the employee is required to:Sit: 20%Walk: 40%Stand: 40%Required Lifting and Carrying: Rare (<1%), Occasional (1-33%), Frequent (34-66%), Continuous (67-100%)For this position, the required frequency is:Up to 10 lbs.: FrequentUp to 20 lbs.: OccasionalUp to 35 lbs.: OccasionalTeam-lift only (over 35 lbs.): OccasionalBenefits & Perks - What's In It For You:Panasonic Energy prioritizes total well-being and offers comprehensive benefits options to support physical, emotional, financial, social, and environmental health:Health Benefits – Offering medical, dental, vision, prescription plans, plus Health Savings Account and Flexible Spending Account options.Voluntary Benefits – Life, accident, critical illness, disability, legal, identity theft, and pet insurance.Panasonic Retirement Savings & Investment Plan (PRSIP) – 401(k) plan with company matching contributions and immediate vesting.Paid Time-Off Benefits – Vacation, holidays, personal days, sick leave, volunteer, and parental & caregiver leave.Educational Assistance – Tuition reimbursement for job-related courses after six months of service.Health Management and Wellbeing Programs –Lifestyle Spending Account, EAP, virtual health management, chronic condition, neurodiversity, tobacco cessation, substance abuse support, and life stage and fertility resources. Available to eligible employees starting the first day of the month following your start date.Eligibility for each benefit may vary based on employment status, location, and length of service.Employee Recognition Program - High5 employee recognition and awards platform, quarterly and annual employee recognitionAnnual Bonus Program - Opportunity for an annual performance-based bonus.On-site Food Options: Several on-site cafes, plentiful snack and beverage kitchens, revolving on-site vendor visits and employee events.Where You'll Be: For our onsite roles, Panasonic Energy is committed to fostering an ideal working environment that goes beyond the conventional. We understand the significance of moments that matter in your onsite experience, and we prioritize creating a workspace that not only promotes productivity but also ensures a fulfilling and positive work atmosphere. Join us at Panasonic Energy, where your onsite presence is valued, and we strive to make each moment count in your professional