Production Manager - Nights

Panasonic•De Soto, KS

21h•Onsite

About The Position

Join Panasonic Energy as we expand to De Soto, Kansas, building the world’s largest lithium-ion battery factory. This is an exciting opportunity to grow your career while contributing to the future of electric vehicles. As part of our team, you’ll help push the limits of battery technology, enhancing performance and efficiency in sustainable transportation. Our state-of-the-art facility, just outside the Kansas City Metro, will be a hub for innovation in green energy solutions. If you're passionate about sustainability and eager to contribute to the electric vehicle revolution, we invite you to be part of our dynamic team. Join us and make a meaningful impact on the future of energy and transportation.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Business Administration, or a related technical field. Relevant work experience may be substituted for required education.
5+ years of progressive manufacturing leadership experience in a high-volume, 24/7 production environment
Demonstrated success owning safety, quality, cost, and delivery performance metrics
Strong data-driven decision-making capability and financial acumen
Working knowledge of Lean manufacturing, 6S, structured problem-solving, and continuous improvement methodologies
Experience with ERP/MES systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle, FactoryTalk)
Ability to influence cross-functional partners without direct authority
Strong written and verbal communication skills
Proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)
Must have working-level knowledge of the English language, including reading, writing, and speaking English
Alignment to Panasonic’s seven (7) core principles (contribution to society, fairness and honesty, cooperation and team spirit, untiring effort for improvement, courtesy and humility, adaptability, gratitude)

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree (MBA or MS) in a related discipline
Lean Six Sigma Certification (Green Belt or higher)
OSHA 30-Hour General Industry certification
7+ years of progressive manufacturing leadership experience
Experience leading large production organizations (100+ employees) in a high-volume, automated environment
Proven track record driving productivity, cost reduction, and operational transformation initiatives
Experience supporting new product introductions or major capacity expansions
Strong change management and organizational leadership capability
Advanced analytical skills and structured root cause problem-solving expertise
Bilingual or multilingual capabilities (e.g., Japanese, Spanish)

Responsibilities

Leads and oversees multiple production lines within a high-volume, 24/7 manufacturing environment to achieve safety, quality, cost, delivery, and productivity objectives.
Owns end-to-end manufacturing performance for assigned areas, ensuring alignment to production strategy, Lean manufacturing principles, and SQDCP performance metrics.
Provides leadership and direction to Production Supervisors, drives cross-functional operational execution, and ensures standardized work, capacity planning, and continuous improvement initiatives are effectively implemented.
Accountable for delivering measurable business results, developing leadership capability, and building a culture of operational excellence and accountability.
Manages departmental operating expenses and supports annual budget planning processes.
Ensures capacity planning, labor optimization, and resource allocation align with production demand.
Drives adherence to standardized work, operating procedures, and operational controls.
Serves as escalation point for line-level operational, quality, and people-related issues.
Translates plant-level strategy into actionable production plans and performance expectations.
Drives Lean manufacturing, 6S, and continuous improvement initiatives across assigned areas.
Leads structured problem-solving efforts to eliminate chronic losses and improve operational stability.
Monitors and analyzes SQDCP metrics, identifying trends and deploying countermeasures.
Champions cost reduction and productivity improvement initiatives.
Develops, coaches, and evaluates Production Supervisors and other direct reports.
Builds leadership capability and succession pipelines within the production organization.
Partners with HR on workforce planning, employee engagement, and performance management.
Fosters a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
Leads change management initiatives within assigned manufacturing areas.
Collaborates with Engineering, Quality, Maintenance, Supply Chain, and EHS to ensure operational alignment.
Participates in PFMEA reviews, capacity planning discussions, and new product/process introductions.
Ensures effective implementation of control plans and process controls.
Provides performance updates and operational insights to senior leadership.
Ensures safe manufacturing operations by enforcing compliance with safety standards and EHS requirements.
Drives proactive risk identification and mitigation across production lines.
Ensures defects are contained at the source and systemic quality issues are resolved.
Oversees root cause investigations and ensures sustainable corrective actions are implemented.
Maintains compliance with regulatory, environmental, and operational standards.
Provides direct leadership to Production Supervisors and indirectly oversees hourly production personnel across assigned lines.
Responsible for performance management, workforce planning, leadership development, and organizational effectiveness within assigned areas.

Benefits

Medical, dental, vision, prescription plans
Health Savings Account and Flexible Spending Account options
Life, accident, critical illness, disability, legal, identity theft, and pet insurance
401(k) plan with company matching contributions and immediate vesting
Vacation, holidays, personal days, sick leave, volunteer, and parental & caregiver leave
Tuition reimbursement for job-related courses after six months of service
Lifestyle Spending Account, EAP, virtual health management, chronic condition, neurodiversity, tobacco cessation, substance abuse support, and life stage and fertility resources
High5 employee recognition and awards platform, quarterly and annual employee recognition
Opportunity for an annual performance-based bonus
Several on-site cafes, plentiful snack and beverage kitchens, revolving on-site vendor visits and employee events