Summary 

Under general supervision, leads and coordinates production operations within one or more departments, ensuring safe, efficient, and cost-effective manufacturing performance. Responsible for supervising Production Supervisors, Process Engineer, Quality Engineer, and Maintenance Engineer. Drives continuous improvement initiatives, maintains quality and environmental compliance, and optimizes the utilization of people, equipment, and materials to meet customer and business objectives.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Lead production operations to achieve safety, quality, delivery, cost, and productivity objectives.
• Establish production priorities and coordinate activities with Maintenance, Engineering, Quality, and Procurement to ensure efficient operations.
• Monitor production, quality, maintenance, and operational performance metrics; identify issues and implement corrective actions.
• Develop and implement process improvements to enhance efficiency, reduce waste, and improve product quality.
• Adjust production schedules and resources to address equipment failures, staffing challenges, and changing business needs.
• Responsible for maintaining production measurables (i.e. OEE, Scrap, TPM/PM, Labor Productivity) and implementing improvements as needed.
• Leads daily and weekly OEE/scrap action meetings in area of responsibility and tracks progress of defined open issues to improve performance working with support functions.
• Partner with Plant Leadership, Engineering, Quality and Maintenance to implement process improvements and eliminate operational inefficiencies.
• Promote and maintain a safe work environment while ensuring compliance with company policies, IATF 16949, and ISO 14001 requirements.
• Provide leadership, coaching, and development for supervisors, team leaders, and departmental employees.
• Foster positive employee relations and support performance management, training, and workforce development initiatives.
• Develop, maintain, and improve operating procedures, work instructions, and training materials.
• Oversee receiving, material staging, and finished goods shipping activities as required.
• Lead the deployment and sustainability of APS standards, Lean Manufacturing principles, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Champion plant continuous improvement projects, including cost savings, waste reduction, and operational excellence activities.
• Facilitate Value Stream Mapping, Kaizen events, and other CI activities to improve productivity and reduce waste.
• Coach CI teams and support employee engagement in continuous improvement efforts.
• Conduct APS, 5S, layered process, and safety audits to ensure compliance and identify improvement opportunities.
• Support RFQ reviews to ensure manufacturing requirements are met and documentation is properly maintained.
• Prepare and maintain required operational, production, and performance-related reports.
• Develop employee technical knowledge and troubleshooting capabilities through training, coaching, and development plans.
• Conduct employee orientation, training, performance evaluations, and ongoing performance management.
• Must be able to adjust work hours as needed to support operational requirements across all shifts.

Education / Experience Preferred:

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, business, manufacturing, or related field; equivalent experience may be considered.
• 5+ years of automotive manufacturing experience, including Just-in-Time (JIT) manufacturing environments.
• 5+ years of supervisory or manufacturing leadership experience.
• Working knowledge of IATF 16949, ISO 14001, and related quality management systems.
• Experience with Lean Manufacturing, Continuous Improvement, PDCA and Six Sigma methodologies preferred.

Language Ability:

• Ability to effectively communicate and present information to employees, management, and other organizational stakeholders. 

Math Ability:

• Basic math skills are required.

Reasoning Ability:

• Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. 

Computer Skills:

• MS Office- including Outlook, SharePoint, Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Teams. 

• Internet, SAP/ERP, and manufacturing software. 

Physical Demands:

• Ability to work in a manufacturing environment with exposure to noise, dust, temperature variations, and moving equipment.
• Frequent walking and standing on the production floor.
• Ability to climb stairs, bend, stoop, kneel, reach, and squat as needed.
• Ability to occasionally lift and carry up to 25 pounds.
• Ability to wear required personal protective equipment (PPE).
• Ability to inspect equipment, processes, and workplace conditions throughout the facility.
• Ability to respond to production and safety issues as needed.