Manufacturing Assistant Manager

Toyota Boshoku America•Jackson, TN

About The Position

The Manufacturing Assistant Manager leads manufacturing group leaders, team leaders, and team members in assigned areas and shifts. The role ensures that safety, quality, customer requirements, and manufacturing needs are met through the Toyota Production System (TPS), while promoting productivity, cost reduction, efficiency, training, teamwork, and morale. This position oversees manufacturing operations and continuous improvement, including audits, corrective actions, process standardization, one-piece flow, 5S, waste reduction, and KPI tracking. It supports planning and managing budgets, headcount, and operating costs, and assists with performance reporting and operational planning. The role also develops team members through evaluation, training plans, coaching, feedback, and problem solving. The work takes place in an open office and a variety of manufacturing environments, including a standard automotive plant with moderate noise. Required PPE may include safety glasses, steel-toe shoes, Kevlar sleeves, and hearing protection. Some exposure to cold, dust, heat, or odors may occur. Travel of up to 10% is required. The position involves extended periods of walking, sitting, and standing, as well as occasional climbing, bending, reaching, grasping, manipulating materials or equipment, and lifting up to 30 pounds.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
At least 6 years of relevant work experience in a manufacturing environment.
At least 2 years of functional leadership experience as a supervisor in a manufacturing environment.
Thorough understanding of company products, trade terminology, quality management and control systems and techniques, and manufacturing processes, including material controls, workflow, scheduling, kanban, and equipment and machine operation.
Working knowledge of automotive industry equipment and production systems.
General understanding of and practical work experience with manufacturing systems and processes.
Practical experience applying Toyota Production System (TPS) principles in an automotive environment.
Experience with statistical data entry and trend analysis.
Advanced math skills.
Strong leadership, problem-solving, and people skills.
Ability to work in a fast-paced, multicultural environment and with a dynamic team and demanding customers.
Ability to facilitate problem solving and resolution effectively.
Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills in English.
Ability to read instruction manuals, blueprints, and specifications.
Ability to plan, supervise, and perform functions in assigned areas.
Ability to maintain on-call flexibility to control abnormal conditions and adapt to a changing production environment.
Ability to communicate and work well with others in a team environment.
Ability to speak to groups and make presentations to executive groups.
Ability to multitask, handle diversity, and provide leadership through problem resolution.
Ability to work a fixed or rotating shift schedule, including daily or weekend overtime.
Ability to adapt available skills and equipment to unforeseen demands or problems.
Ability to implement plans to control and maintain safety, quality, 5S, cost, and efficiency in assigned areas.
Strong organization, time management, planning, and task-management skills, including managing tight deadlines.
Ability to teach basic fundamental skills to group leaders, team leaders, and team members and facilitate Job Instruction Training (JIT).
Solid working knowledge and experience with Microsoft Office and other computer-based applications, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Lotus Notes/Outlook, and the Internet.
Ability to perform essential job functions with or without reasonable accommodation.

Nice To Haves

Manufacturing experience in the automotive industry is preferred.

Responsibilities

Lead and manage manufacturing activities in assigned areas and shifts to meet customer requirements.
Ensure manufacturing operations meet safety, quality, efficiency, productivity, cost, and team member morale objectives.
Direct and motivate group leaders and team members, emphasizing safety, quality, efficiency, productivity, cost reduction, and morale.
Conduct daily manufacturing area audits to verify compliance with safety, quality, equipment, and training procedures and correct substandard conditions.
Develop group leaders in the consistent application of the TB Way and Toyota Boshoku Business Practices (TBBP).
Implement short- and long-term corrective actions for manufacturing problems.
Ensure departmental procedures comply with quality and environmental management systems and programs.
Monitor daily build sheets and analyze efficiency rates and downtime to ensure customer requirements are met.
Lead manufacturing supervision in using TPS techniques; learn, implement, and teach TPS to manufacturing team members.
Coordinate and maintain standardized processes and methods and one-piece flow in the Just in Time (JIT) production system.
Identify manufacturing problems and eliminate waste.
Develop, lead, monitor, and participate in manufacturing continuous improvement, including Kaizen and processes that reduce operating costs and improve efficiency.
Implement, monitor, and maintain a clean and organized department through 5S activities.
Support development and management of the annual plan, budget, KPIs, operating efficiency, and cost control.
Ensure manufacturing hoshin goals are met and remain on track.
Assist the Production Manager with developing, planning, and maintaining the budget, including adjustments to achieve targets.
Assist with monthly headcount review and planning for labor cost control and production efficiency (PEFF).
Review and track manufacturing KPIs and lead problem solving for negative trends or unmet goals.
Assist in generating and reporting weekly and monthly reports with targets.
Participate in management discussions and planning for cost reduction, product improvement, and problem solving, and support daily and weekly operational performance presentations.
Build positive team member relations based on mutual trust, dignity, respect, fairness, consistency, two-way communication, teamwork, and harmony.
Develop group leaders, team leaders, and team members through performance evaluations, training plans, feedback, coaching, corrective action, and cascade training.
Update the team member training matrix and schedule needed training.