Production Manager

This role is responsible for driving performance in safety, quality, production efficiency, manpower planning, and continuous improvement while developing and supporting a large workforce. The Production Manager partners closely with Operations leadership to meet plant goals and deliver strong operational results.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Leadership & Workforce Development

• Lead, motivate, and support a large production workforce across multiple shifts.
• Develop supervisors and frontline personnel through training, coaching, and performance management.
• Build a culture of accountability, engagement, and continuous improvement.

Operational Excellence

• Direct daily operations of the injection molding department to achieve safety, quality, and productivity KPIs.
• Optimize labor, material flow, and equipment utilization to ensure efficient production.
• Ensure consistent operational standards, policies, and procedures across all shifts.

Safety & Compliance

• Champion a safety-first culture and ensure compliance with all site and corporate requirements.
• Lead investigations, root cause analysis, and corrective actions for safety incidents.
• Proactively identify and mitigate potential hazards.

Continuous Improvement

• Implement Lean, TPM, WCM, and other CI methodologies to improve throughput and reduce scrap.
• Partner with Engineering, Maintenance, and Quality groups to solve operational issues and improve processes.
• Lead improvement projects that support long-term business objectives.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with HR, Engineering, Quality, and Maintenance to support workforce planning, problem solving, and process optimization.
• Provide clear communication and alignment across teams and leadership.

Other Requirements

• Provide 24/7 support as needed, including during critical production or emergency situations.

EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or related field and 5 years management preferred or 15+ years of progressive management experience within manufacturing environments.
• Minimum 5 years of manufacturing leadership experience (plastics or injection molding preferred).
• Demonstrated ability to lead large teams (150+ employees) in high-volume manufacturing.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing processes, equipment, quality systems, and maintenance coordination.
• ERP/MRP system experience.
• Proven ability to drive KPIs related to safety, labor efficiency, quality, and continuous improvement.
• Strong leadership, decision-making, and communication skills.

Preferred

• Experience in plastics, injection molding, extrusion, or similar industries.
• CI certifications or training (Lean, TPM, Six Sigma).
• Candidates in West Tennessee strongly preferred.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

• Regular walking, standing, and lifting (up to 50 lbs occasionally).
• Required use of PPE including safety glasses, hearing protection, and steel-toe shoes.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

• Split between office and production floor environments.
• Exposure to moderate noise levels and industrial equipment.