The Manufacturing Manager is responsible for achieving business goals including product cost, schedule adherence, on-time customer delivery, and driving safety objectives to ensure an injury-free workplace.  This is a hands-on position that is responsible for maximizing daily production and driving efficiency to improve profitability.

This position plays an integral part in department operations, special projects, and is responsible for developing and maintaining motivated staff and for developing and achieving budgetary and production targets.

This person will ensure that a proper organizational structure is in place that utilizes lean manufacturing processes to department operations, consistent with sales forecasts, production schedules and planned growth. The key to success in this position is consistently meeting production and sales (revenue and profit) goals.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Manage the production process and influence all relevant support functions to achieve department expectations.
• Responsible for achievement of KPI’s related to shipping volume targets, on-time delivery, past due backlog, customer lead time, efficiency, utilization, and overtime premium expense.
• Partner on continuous improvements initiatives and metrics including quality, yields, cycle time, productivity, and cost. Promote process improvement, LEAN manufacturing and 5S techniques.
• Provide leadership and training to accomplish the department goals and objectives. Provide direction, development and leadership to production leads. Schedule staff appropriately to perform production duties and meet efficiency goals.
• Lead daily production standup meetings at the beginning of shifts with department supervisors to direct production activities and establish production priorities.
• Develop and track improvement in reduction of planned direct labor hours to earned hours.
• Coordinate, set up, and implement standard operating procedures for all production operations.
• Establish and monitor overall performance for product and quality standards; recommend process improvements / quality control programs. Recommend changes in work practices to improve production standards and product quality.
• Working with manufacturing engineering in setting/delivering labor and production quality standards.
• Ensure compliance with company safety protocols and initiatives.
• Maintain a constant awareness of jobs being processed, department issues and equipment malfunctions to quickly determine necessary alternatives to maintain production schedules and on-time delivery.
• Demonstrated ability and willingness to use AI tools to improve productivity, decision-making, work quality, and to reduce costs. The successful candidate must be able to identify appropriate AI use cases and critically evaluate AI-generated outputs.

SKILLS, EDUCATION & ABILITIES:

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field required. 
• Minimum 10 years’ experience in a manufacturing environment, including managing exempt and nonexempt staff.
• Experience in the metal forming industry required, preferably with metal stamping and/or wire drawing experience. Experience with tool and die making is a plus.
• Experience should include build-to-order, job shop manufacturing environment in medium volume/high-mix production environments, preferably in the high-performance electronics industry.
• Must possess solid analytical skills in forecasting and anticipating production needs and capabilities.
• Develop and maintain a workforce to meet capacity plans and work with other departments to manage parts flow.
• Must be able to work independently with minimum supervision and have the ability to interact positively and motivate others. Experience in performance management and people development activities.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Ability to promote teamwork and a positive work environment.
• Experience with MRP systems; preferably Navision
• Proficient in Microsoft Office programs including Teams, Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
• Demonstrated history of successful change implementation and implementing of operational excellence improvements such as lean manufacturing, demand flow, and six sigma.
• Strong ability to communicate with all levels of the organization from the production floor to the executive office; strong interpersonal, leadership, & organizational skills.