Production Manager

At Pan-Oston, you’re more than an employee — you’re an owner. For over 50 years, we’ve built retail solutions for some of North America’s biggest brands while building careers people are proud of.

• Employee Ownership (ESOP) – Share in the company’s success
• Work-Life Balance – Flex time for life’s important moments
• Family-Focused Benefits – Childcare assistance & family coverage
• Career Growth – Tuition reimbursement & advancement opportunities
• Supportive Culture – A team built on respect, community, and integrity
• Growing Company – Backed by a $10M facility expansion in Bowling Green

• Competitive Pay
• Health Insurance
• FREE Dental & Vision for Employee & Family
• PTO, Sick Days & Paid Holidays
• Paid Volunteer Time
• Employee Assistance Program
• Gym Membership Discounts

Now Hiring:

PRODUCTION MANAGER

Position Summary

The Production Manager is responsible for leading the upstream phases of manufacturing operations within a mid-size manufacturing environment. This role oversees production areas focused on fabrication, metal assembly, paint operations and prototype development activities. This role is accountable for ensuring efficient production flow, operational readiness, product quality, labor performance and throughput across the early phases of manufacturing.

Purpose

As part of the organization’s operational growth strategy, plant leadership responsibilities have been divided across the Plant Superintendent and the Production Manager to strengthen operational oversight, increase accountability, and support continued business growth. This position works closely with Plant Superintendent to ensure alignment between production capacity, scheduling priorities, and downstream manufacturing execution.

Responsibilities

Operational Leadership

1. Lead day-to-day front-end manufacturing operations including fabrication, metal assembly, paint, prototype, and other upstream production activities.
2. Ensure production schedules and operational priorities are executed safely, efficiently, and on time.
3. Monitor workflow, labor utilization, equipment capacity, and production bottlenecks to maximize throughput.
4. Drive accountability for departmental performance related to safety, quality, productivity, downtime, scrap, and labor efficiency.
5. Maintain strong floor presence and provide hands-on leadership to supervisors, department leads, and hourly team members.
6. Coordinate with maintenance, quality, engineering, sourcing, and scheduling teams to resolve operational constraints.

Production Flow & Cross-Functional Coordination

1. Partner daily with the Plant Superintendent to ensure seamless production flow between manufacturing phases.
2. Work closely with scheduling and materials teams to ensure labor and production readiness aligns with customer demand and build plans.
3. Monitor shortages, material constraints, and workflow interruptions while escalating risks proactively.
4. Support capacity planning efforts by identifying operational limitations, labor needs, and process constraints.

Leadership & Team Development

1. Lead, coach, and develop production supervisors and frontline leadership personnel.
2. Establish clear expectations and accountability standards throughout assigned departments.
3. Support workforce development initiatives including cross-training, succession planning, and leadership development.
4. Assist in staffing decisions, onboarding, disciplinary actions, and performance management activities.

Continuous Improvement

1. Drive continuous improvement initiatives focused on operational efficiency, waste reduction, throughput improvement, and process standardization.
2. Partner with engineering and process improvement teams to implement new technologies, automation opportunities, and workflow enhancements.
3. Utilize operational data and KPIs to identify trends and implement corrective actions.

Safety & Compliance

1. Promote and enforce all company safety policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements.
2. Ensure assigned departments maintain compliance with quality standards, operational procedures, and company expectations.
3. Participate in incident investigations, corrective actions, and preventative improvement efforts.

Qualifications

Education & Experience

• Minimum of 5–10 years of manufacturing leadership experience required.
• Prior experience leading supervisors and large production teams in a manufacturing environment required.
• Experience in metal fabrication, industrial manufacturing, or high-mix production environments preferred.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Strong operational leadership and decision-making capabilities.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
• Strong understanding of production flow, labor planning, and manufacturing processes.
• Excellent communication and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Strong problem-solving and root cause analysis abilities.
• Experience with ERP systems, production scheduling coordination, and KPI-driven management.
• Ability to lead organizational change and drive accountability throughout operations.