Production Manager

Crane 1 Services•Milwaukee, WI

About The Position

Crane 1 Services is seeking an experienced, results-driven Production Manager to lead manufacturing operations and improve production efficiency, product quality, and delivery performance for industrial material lifting equipment. The role oversees manufacturing activities including fabrication, welding, machining, assembly, and production of equipment and components. The Production Manager evaluates production capacity, staffing, equipment, workflows, costs, and performance to meet customer commitments and support business growth. The manager leads continuous improvement and quality initiatives, establishes production procedures and performance indicators, and uses operational data to identify problems and measure results. The role also develops manufacturing employees and supervisors, coordinates with engineering, procurement, project management, sales, and estimating teams, and supports customer discussions and new business opportunities. The position is accountable for maintaining a safe manufacturing environment, meeting applicable quality and regulatory requirements, managing production budgets and expenses, and improving customer satisfaction and profitability. Pay is $110,000–$130,000.

Requirements

5–7+ years of progressive manufacturing operations experience, including demonstrated leadership responsibility in industrial manufacturing, metal fabrication, machining, heavy equipment, or material handling.
Experience managing production teams, manufacturing workflows, production scheduling, and operational performance.
Demonstrated success implementing process improvements that increased productivity, reduced costs, improved quality, or shortened manufacturing lead times.
Strong understanding of manufacturing quality control and assurance, including inspections, root cause analysis, corrective actions, and process standardization.
Experience managing manufacturing budgets, labor utilization, production costs, and operational performance metrics.
Working knowledge of fabrication, welding, machining, mechanical assembly, and industrial manufacturing processes.
Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, fabrication prints, technical specifications, and manufacturing documentation.
Operational efficiency skills, including evaluating production processes, identifying inefficiencies, and implementing measurable improvements.
Experience applying Lean Manufacturing, 5S, Kaizen, Six Sigma, or similar process-improvement methodologies.
Ability to lead, develop, motivate, and hold production teams accountable.
Understanding of manufacturing costs, labor efficiency, productivity, operating budgets, and profitability.
Analytical problem-solving skills, including identifying root causes and implementing sustainable solutions.
Ability to collaborate effectively with engineering, procurement, sales, project management, and customer-facing teams.
Customer focus and understanding of how quality, responsiveness, and on-time delivery affect satisfaction and repeat business.
Strong verbal and written communication skills and ability to influence employees, management, and cross-functional stakeholders.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel, and experience using ERP/MRP systems for production planning, inventory management, and manufacturing reporting.
Bachelor’s degree in Manufacturing Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Operations Management, or a related discipline preferred; equivalent relevant manufacturing leadership experience will be considered.

Nice To Haves

Experience manufacturing overhead cranes, hoists, industrial lifting equipment, heavy machinery, or engineered-to-order industrial products.
Experience leading operations involving custom fabrication, welding, machining, and mechanical assembly.
Demonstrated experience implementing Lean Manufacturing or Six Sigma initiatives with measurable results.
Familiarity with AWS welding standards, ASME B30, OSHA regulations, and applicable industrial equipment quality requirements.
Experience developing or improving manufacturing quality management systems.
Knowledge of production planning, capacity management, inventory control, and ERP/MRP systems.
Experience partnering with sales or estimating teams on new customer opportunities and manufacturing capacity expansion.
Experience improving manufacturing operations in a growing or evolving business environment.

Responsibilities

Lead daily manufacturing operations for fabrication, welding, machining, assembly, and production of industrial material lifting equipment and components.
Develop and manage production schedules to meet customer orders, budgets, and quality specifications.
Evaluate manufacturing capacity, workforce utilization, equipment availability, workflows, and production resources to improve efficiency and throughput.
Identify and address bottlenecks, downtime, inefficient workflows, and operational constraints.
Set production priorities, performance expectations, and accountability across manufacturing teams.
Monitor production costs, labor efficiency, material utilization, and manufacturing performance to improve profitability.
Coordinate with engineering, procurement, project management, sales, and estimating teams on manufacturing capabilities, customer requirements, delivery commitments, feasibility, capacity, labor, and cost estimates.
Lead continuous improvement initiatives to increase productivity, reduce costs and waste, improve quality, and shorten lead times.
Apply Lean Manufacturing, 5S, Kaizen, root cause analysis, and other suitable improvement methods.
Develop and standardize manufacturing procedures, work instructions, and production processes.
Establish and monitor KPIs such as throughput, on-time delivery, labor productivity, scrap, rework, and equipment downtime; use data to implement and assess corrective actions.
Identify opportunities for equipment upgrades, tooling improvements, automation, and other capacity or process enhancements.
Establish and oversee quality control and assurance processes through fabrication, machining, assembly, testing, and final inspection.
Develop standardized quality inspections, production checkpoints, and corrective action processes; investigate defects, complaints, and nonconformances and address their root causes.
Reduce scrap, rework, warranty-related issues, and manufacturing defects through proactive quality management.
Ensure compliance with applicable AWS welding standards, ASME/ANSI requirements, OSHA regulations, and internal quality procedures.
Improve manufacturing responsiveness, lead-time reliability, product quality, and customer confidence; support customer visits, manufacturing reviews, technical discussions, and resolution of production concerns.
Provide direct leadership, coaching, and performance management to manufacturing supervisors, production leads, and production personnel, as applicable.
Identify training needs and implement cross-training and skills development initiatives.
Build a culture of continuous improvement, teamwork, ownership, accountability, safety, and quality; hold regular production meetings to communicate priorities and review performance.
Participate in workforce planning, staffing decisions, employee development, and performance evaluations.
Maintain a safe manufacturing environment, identify hazards and unsafe practices, and ensure compliance with safety policies and applicable regulations.
Maintain production records, quality documentation, operating procedures, and performance reports.
Manage production budgets and monitor operating expenses, labor costs, and material usage.
Improve manufacturing margins, capacity, consistency, and overall profitability in support of customer retention and business growth.