Production Manager (TOP Innovative Automotive Manufacturing Company)!!!
8 days ago
Norco
Job DescriptionProduction ManagerFull-Time Position | TOP Innovative Automotive Manufacturing CompanyJoin a Leading Force in Automotive Innovation! We are seeking an exceptional Production Manager to lead our manufacturing operations and drive excellence in one of the most dynamic sectors of the automotive industry.Position Summary We are seeking an experienced Production Manager with a strong manufacturing background and a comprehensive understanding of production operations, purchasing, supply chain, inventory management, and operational efficiency. The Production Manager will be responsible for overseeing day-to-day manufacturing activities while ensuring production schedules, quality standards, costs, inventory levels, and customer requirements are consistently achieved. This role requires a hands-on operational leader who understands the entire flow of a manufacturing business—from purchasing raw materials and managing suppliers through production, inventory control, and finished-goods delivery. The ideal candidate combines strong leadership skills with practical manufacturing experience, analytical thinking, and the ability to identify and resolve operational issues quickly. Key ResponsibilitiesProduction & Manufacturing Operations • Manage daily manufacturing operations to ensure production schedules, quality standards, and customer requirements are met., • Develop and maintain production schedules based on customer demand, capacity, labor availability, material availability, and delivery requirements., • Monitor production performance, identify bottlenecks, and implement corrective actions to improve throughput and efficiency., • Ensure effective utilization of labor, machinery, equipment, materials, and production capacity., • Establish and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs), including productivity, on-time delivery, scrap, downtime, labor efficiency, and overall production performance., • Work closely with supervisors and production teams to maintain a safe, organized, efficient, and productive manufacturing environment., • Troubleshoot operational issues and drive timely resolution of production constraints., • Implement Lean Manufacturing, continuous improvement, 5S, standard work, and other process-improvement initiatives where appropriate.Purchasing & Supplier Management, • Oversee purchasing activities to ensure materials, components, supplies, and services are available when needed., • Develop purchasing strategies that balance cost, quality, lead time, inventory levels, and supplier reliability., • Manage supplier relationships and work with vendors to improve pricing, quality, lead times, and delivery performance., • Negotiate pricing, payment terms, lead times, minimum order quantities, and other commercial requirements as appropriate., • Monitor supplier performance and proactively address shortages, delays, quality issues, and other supply risks., • Identify and develop alternative suppliers when necessary to reduce supply-chain risk.Supply Chain & Inventory Management, • Manage the flow of materials from suppliers through production and ultimately to finished goods and customers., • Maintain appropriate inventory levels while minimizing excess, obsolete, and slow-moving inventory., • Coordinate purchasing and production planning to ensure materials are available without unnecessarily increasing working capital., • Monitor material requirements, lead times, demand fluctuations, and potential supply disruptions., • Establish effective inventory-control processes and ensure accurate inventory records., • Partner with sales, customer service, purchasing, and finance to align demand, inventory, and production requirements., • Identify opportunities to reduce material costs, inventory carrying costs, freight costs, and operational waste.Operations Planning & Business Performance, • Translate customer demand and business requirements into practical production and purchasing plans., • Collaborate with leadership to establish capacity plans, production priorities, staffing requirements, and operational objectives., • Analyze operational data to identify trends, inefficiencies, and opportunities for improvement., • Develop and maintain reporting for production, purchasing, inventory, supplier performance, and operational KPIs., • Support budgeting, cost-control initiatives, capital equipment planning, and operational forecasting., • Ensure manufacturing processes support company growth while maintaining quality, cost, and delivery objectives.Quality, Safety & Compliance, • Maintain high standards for product quality and manufacturing consistency., • Partner with quality personnel to investigate root causes and implement corrective and preventive actions., • Ensure employees follow established manufacturing procedures, safety requirements, and company policies., • Promote a strong culture of accountability, safety, quality, and continuous improvement., • Ensure appropriate documentation, procedures, and controls are maintained across manufacturing and supply-chain activities.Leadership & Team Development, • Lead, coach, and develop production and operations personnel., • Establish clear expectations and performance standards for the production team., • Foster a culture of ownership, teamwork, accountability, and continuous improvement., • Work cross-functionally with engineering, quality, sales, finance, customer service, and management., • Identify staffing and training needs and develop employees to strengthen the organization's operational capabilities.Qualifications, • 5+ years of progressive experience in manufacturing, production, operations, or a related environment., • Demonstrated experience managing manufacturing operations and production teams., • Strong understanding of purchasing, procurement, supply chain, inventory management, and supplier relationships., • Experience developing and managing production schedules., • Strong understanding of manufacturing processes, capacity planning, material requirements, and operational workflows., • Proven ability to reduce costs, improve productivity, and increase operational efficiency., • Experience with ERP/MRP systems and production or inventory-management software., • Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills., • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills., • Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment., • Strong leadership skills with a hands-on management approach., • Bachelor's degree in Manufacturing, Operations, Supply Chain, Business, Engineering, or a related field preferred; equivalent industry experience may be considered.Preferred Experience, • Lean Manufacturing / Continuous Improvement experience., • Experience with MRP/ERP systems., • Experience with demand planning and capacity planning., • Supplier negotiation and vendor-management experience., • Experience managing inventory and working-capital reduction initiatives., • Experience with cost-reduction and process-improvement programs., • Experience working in a high-mix, high-volume, engineered-to-order, or custom manufacturing environment., • Strong understanding of production costing, BOMs, routings, lead times, and material requirements., • Experience managing cross-functional teams and operational improvement projects.Key Performance Indicators Success in this position will be measured by improvements in: • On-time production and customer delivery, • Production throughput and productivity, • Manufacturing cost and labor efficiency, • Material availability and supplier performance, • Inventory accuracy and inventory turns, • Scrap, rework, and waste reduction, • Production downtime and capacity utilization, • Purchasing costs and supplier lead times, • Quality performance, • Safety performance, • Overall operational efficiencyIdeal Candidate The ideal candidate is a hands-on manufacturing leader who understands how all aspects of an operation connect. They are comfortable walking the production floor, working with suppliers, reviewing inventory and purchasing requirements, analyzing operational data, and working with senior leadership on strategic improvements. This individual should be a strong problem solver who can move seamlessly between strategic planning and day-to-day execution and understands that successful manufacturing requires the right balance of people, materials, equipment, quality, cost, inventory, and delivery. The successful candidate will bring a continuous-improvement mindset and the leadership necessary to build a reliable, efficient, scalable, and accountable manufacturing operation.