Production Area Manager

General Motors•Marion, IN

About The Position

The Production Area Manager provides strategic and operational leadership for an assigned manufacturing area. The role is accountable for safe, stable, and efficient production while developing people, strengthening cross-functional partnerships, and delivering performance across Safety, People, Quality, Responsiveness, Cost, and Environment objectives. The manager leads production operations across assigned shifts, establishes expectations, deploys and monitors area business plans, addresses performance gaps, and ensures compliance with GM standards and applicable safety and quality systems. The role partners with plant functions and represented employees to support customer requirements, production priorities, launches, continuous improvement, and effective labor relations. The manager also develops and coaches employees and manages area resources to improve productivity, scrap, overtime, and cost.

Requirements

5+ years of progressive leadership experience in manufacturing, production, operations, or a related environment.
Demonstrated ability to lead teams in a fast-paced manufacturing operation.
Experience with performance management, structured problem solving, and continuous improvement.
Strong communication, decision-making, and conflict-resolution skills.
Ability to work effectively with represented employees and cross-functional partners.
Ability to work flexible hours and provide coverage across operating shifts as required.
Proficiency with standard business and production-management systems.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in manufacturing, engineering, business, operations, or a related field.
Experience with GM systems, GMS, Business Plan Deployment, layered audits, and scorecards.
Experience leading production, maintenance, quality, or manufacturing engineering teams.
Experience supporting vehicle or component launches, process changes, or capacity expansions.
Experience in stamping, assembly, components, powertrain, or other high-volume manufacturing operations.

Responsibilities

Lead production operations across assigned shifts and ensure consistent execution of standardized work.
Establish clear expectations for safety, quality, delivery, cost, and employee engagement.
Develop and execute the area Business Plan Deployment, scorecard, and gap-closure actions.
Review performance metrics, identify constraints, and drive timely corrective actions.
Partner with Production Shift Leaders, Group Leaders, Maintenance, Manufacturing Engineering, Quality, GSC, HR, and UAW representatives.
Lead daily accountability, layered audits, problem solving, and continuous-improvement activities.
Ensure compliance with GM standards, GMS processes, safety requirements, quality systems, and internal controls.
Promote a strong safety culture through hazard identification, incident follow-up, corrective action, and visible leadership on the plant floor.
Drive quality at the source through process discipline, defect prevention, containment, and effective escalation.
Ensure production plans, staffing, equipment, materials, and processes are aligned to customer requirements.
Support launches, model changes, process changes, capacity changes, and other business priorities.
Develop, coach, and recognize salaried and represented employees.
Build trust across shifts and maintain effective communication during handoffs and organizational changes.
Support labor-relations activities and consistent administration of applicable agreements and policies.
Manage area resources and support productivity, scrap reduction, overtime, and cost-improvement initiatives.
Represent the production area in plant meetings, improvement workshops, audits, and cross-functional reviews.