Production Manager

Flexfab•Hastings, MI

45d•Onsite

About The Position

The Production Manager leads manufacturing operations for an assigned department and is accountable for achieving expectations for safety, quality, on-time delivery, cost, and people. The role leads Production Supervisors across three shifts and supports an organization that may range from approximately 40 to 80 associates in a union environment. This leader translates business priorities into clear daily execution, develops supervisors and associates, builds a positive and accountable culture, and partners across functions to solve problems and improve flow. Success is measured not only by what the department achieves, but by how the leader achieves it: through Flexfab’s values of humility, honesty, excellence, accountability, respect, teamwork, and support.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in business, operations, engineering, supply chain, or a related field preferred. Equivalent directly relevant experience may be considered.
At least five years of progressive manufacturing leadership experience preferred, including at least two years at a manager's level with responsibility through supervisors or other leaders.
Demonstrated responsibility for manufacturing operations or department and measurable performance across safety, quality, delivery, cost, and people.
Experience leading hourly employees in a union or labor-relations environment preferred.
Experience in a multi-shift environment strongly preferred.
Lean manufacturing and continuous improvement principles, including daily management, standard work, visual management, 5S, structured problem solving, root cause analysis, and sustainment.
Capacity planning, labor planning, schedule attainment, production control, flow, bottleneck management, and recovery planning.
Manufacturing cost analysis, labor and overhead drivers, productivity, efficiency, overtime, scrap, downtime, WIP, and basic investment justification.
ERP, MRP, production reporting, and Microsoft business tools.
Coaching, performance management, conflict resolution, active listening, decision making, facilitation, and change leadership.
Working knowledge of safety, quality systems, audit readiness, employee relations, and collective bargaining responsibilities relevant to manufacturing leadership.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in business, operations, engineering, supply chain, or a related field preferred.
At least five years of progressive manufacturing leadership experience preferred, including at least two years at a manager's level with responsibility through supervisors or other leaders.
Experience leading hourly employees in a union or labor-relations environment preferred.
Experience in a multi-shift environment strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

Lead department operations to meet safety, quality, delivery, cost, productivity, staffing, and morale expectations.
Lead, coach, and hold Production Supervisors accountable for consistent execution across all shifts.
Maintain a visible floor presence; listen actively, understand barriers, communicate priorities, and ensure timely follow-through.
Establish and sustain daily management routines, including review of safety, quality, staffing, schedule attainment, output, downtime, cost, and open actions.
Plan labor and capacity to support demand; assess overtime, staffing, cross-training, constraints, bottlenecks, and recovery needs.
Partner with Planning, Materials, Warehouse, Engineering, Maintenance, Quality, EHS, Human Resources, and other teams to remove barriers and meet customer commitments.
Lead structured problem solving, root cause analysis, corrective action, standard work, visual management, Kaizen, Kata, 5S, waste reduction, and sustainment of improvements.
Use operating and financial data to understand true cost, labor utilization, efficiency, scrap, overtime, downtime, WIP, throughput, and improvement opportunity.
Build workforce capability through effective selection, onboarding, qualification, training, cross-training, coaching, feedback, development planning, and succession.
Create a respectful and supportive environment where people understand expectations, raise concerns, contribute ideas, and are held accountable fairly and consistently.
Address employee concerns, attendance, performance, conduct, complaints, and grievances in partnership with Human Resources and in alignment with the collective bargaining agreement and company practices.
Promote prevention and safe work; partner with EHS to identify hazards, close actions, investigate incidents, and strengthen associate engagement in safety.
Protect product and process quality by reinforcing standards, escalating abnormalities, supporting containment and corrective action, and maintaining audit readiness.
Support changes to processes, equipment, layouts, products, and technology; ensure team readiness, clear communication, training, and safe implementation.
Recommend investments in equipment, tooling, technology, maintenance, training, or staffing based on business need and expected return.
Communicate department status, risks, decisions, and support needs clearly to associates, peers, and senior leaders.
Perform other responsibilities as assigned in support of Flexfab’s business and operating needs.