Production Manager

Description

The Production Manager will oversee the daily operational execution, throughput, and efficiency of the manufacturing facility. This role is responsible for driving core site performance metrics—including On-Time Delivery (OTD), Schedule Attainment, Scrap Rate, Labor Efficiency, and Safety—across a light assembly environment, typically involving PCBA integration, enclosure assembly, precision calibration, and final testing. 

Reporting directly to the Director of Operations, this position will be partnered closely with a dedicated Materials & Logistics Manager.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• Manage staffing levels, and coordinate recruiting, interviewing, hiring, and training of new staff in the department, plus cross-training and further skills development for current staff. 
• Mentor team members and provide constructive and timely performance evaluations of direct reports; foster a positive work environment and encourage team autonomy and collaboration.
• Motivate, support, and set clear expectations for staff in the department.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Operational Execution & Throughput (Owns Schedule Attainment)

• Partner with the Materials and Logistics Manager and Planner/Buyer on leveling the master production schedule to guarantee daily, weekly, and monthly output goals are achieved.
• Partner with the Materials Coordinator to ensure raw component lineside bins and kits are seamlessly transitioned into production with zero downtime.
• Proactively identify and eliminate bottlenecks on the assembly floor, specifically optimizing the throughput of calibration and final testing workstations.

Quality Control & Continuous Improvement (Owns Scrap Rate)

• Monitor first-pass yield (FPY) and critical characteristic(s) run-charting.
• Drive immediate root-cause analysis when SPC (Statistical Process Control) drifts towards control limits or failures occur.
• Isolate defects quickly to determine if they stem from component variances or process errors.
• Impose a site culture of Standard Work compliance, 5S cleanliness across all production cells, and continuous improvement.

Workforce Leadership & Utilization (Owns Labor Efficiency & Safety)

• Provide daily direction, mentorship, and leadership to the Production Supervisor and production team members.
• Optimize direct labor hours by balancing assembly lines and cross-training personnel across production departments.
• Establish and enforce a culture of safety, maintaining compliance with ESD (Electrostatic Discharge) mitigation protocols, chemical handling, and workspace ergonomics.

Cross-Functional Leadership & Strategic Evolution

• Lead the daily operations huddle.
• Lead/facilitate other run-the-business operations standard work.
• Collaborate with the Materials Manager on visual management integration, work-in-progress (WIP) reduction, and kitting accuracy.
• Actively learn the broader site infrastructure (logistics, inventory control, shipping/receiving execution, product and equipment functionality in relation to our core competencies).
• Proactively develop and support improvement actions (just-do-its, kaizens, projects) to achieve our future state value stream maps, balancing daily execution with longer-term improvements.
• Assist department leadership in developing and executing the organization’s budget expectations, including labor and equipment needs.
• Monitor and control other production costs to meet financial targets.
• Assist product development team with prototype builds; scheduling and providing feedback on manufacturability.
• Interact with engineering department and continuous improvement team to resolve technical issues in manufacturing.
• Communicate regularly with upper management regarding problems or issues impacting production performance.
• Assist department and company leadership on special assignments and projects as required.

Requirements

• Education/Experience: Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Industrial Management and/or 5+ years of production or manufacturing management experience, preferably in an electronics, instrumentation, or electromechanical assembly environment (required).
• Technical Familiarity: Deep understanding of electronics manufacturing processes, including PCBA handling/ESD controls, enclosure integration, automated test fixtures, and precision product calibration (preferred).
• Operational Metrics: Proven track record of managing and hitting site KPIs (OTD, Schedule Attainment, Labor Efficiency, and Scrap Reduction).
• Leadership Track Record: Demonstrated experience managing frontline leadership (e.g., Production Supervisors or Team Leads) and driving cross-functional collaboration.
• Systems Knowledge: Strong working knowledge of ERP/MRP systems (ideally Infor Syteline) and how material flows interact with manufacturing execution.
• Lean Tools: Proficiency in Lean manufacturing principles (Visual Management, Standard Work, Root-Cause Analysis/5-Why, and Gemba execution).