Production Manager

Utility Solutions•Hickory, NC

11d•Onsite

About The Position

Utility Solutions, a designer and manufacturer of hot-line tools and products for the electrical power industry since 1990, is seeking a Production Manager for its Hickory, NC location. This role is a core member of the Operations Team, reporting directly to the President. The Production Manager is responsible for leading daily manufacturing operations, ensuring production objectives are met safely, efficiently, and in alignment with company goals. This leadership extends across production, machining, assembly, fiberglass, and maintenance functions, with close collaboration with Engineering, Supply Chain, Planning, and HR. The ideal candidate is a hands-on manufacturing leader with strong operational and analytical skills, capable of driving accountability, production performance, and continuous improvement in a dynamic environment.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Operations Management, or related field preferred.
Minimum 5 years of manufacturing leadership experience in Production Management, Plant Management, or Operations Management roles.
Experience in industrial, fabrication, machining, or engineered-product manufacturing environments preferred.
Strong operational leadership experience in a manufacturing environment.
Ability to lead and develop production teams across multiple manufacturing disciplines.
Strong understanding of Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement methodologies.
Proven ability to drive operational execution and production performance.
Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
Effective communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to work across all levels of the organization.
Experience with production scheduling, labor planning, capacity planning, and manufacturing performance metrics.
Strong computer and ERP/MRP system skills.

Nice To Haves

Familiarity with CNC machining, fabrication, assembly, and industrial manufacturing operations preferred.
Experience with project management tools and manufacturing process improvement initiatives preferred.

Responsibilities

Lead daily manufacturing operations to ensure safe, efficient, and on-time production across all production areas.
Partner with the Operations Manager and HR/People Manager as part of the Operations Team to align staffing, production capacity, workforce development, and operational execution.
Maintain a safe work environment and ensure compliance with OSHA and all applicable local, state, and federal regulations.
Monitor daily production flow, schedule attainment, labor utilization, machine utilization, throughput, and operational performance metrics.
Drive accountability for production efficiency, product quality, downtime reduction, scrap reduction, and overall operational performance.
Lead continuous improvement initiatives using Lean Manufacturing principles including 6S, Kaizen, Kanban, visual management, and process standardization.
Collaborate with Engineering and Product teams to support manufacturability, process improvements, and new product introduction efforts.
Work closely with Supply Chain and Planning to ensure material availability and production readiness.
Analyze operational and production data to identify bottlenecks, improve productivity, and reduce operating costs.
Prepare operational reports, manpower analyses, productivity measurements, and capital expenditure recommendations.
Foster a culture of accountability, teamwork, professionalism, and continuous improvement throughout the production organization.
Communicate effectively with employees, leadership, suppliers, and cross-functional departments to ensure operational alignment and issue resolution.