Assistant Production Manager

Position Summary

The Assistant Production Manager supports the Production Manager in planning, coordinating, and overseeing daily manufacturing activities to ensure production goals are achieved safely, efficiently, and on schedule. This position provides hands-on leadership to production employees, helps maintain consistent work processes, supports employee training, and assists with resolving production, material, quality, and workflow issues.

The Assistant Production Manager works closely with Production Planning, Engineering, Quality & Safety, Warehouse, and other departments to ensure production processes are followed, production priorities are communicated clearly, and customer commitments are supported. The successful candidate will be a hands-on, data-driven leader who can identify problems, make sound decisions, hold employees accountable, and continuously improve production processes.

Key Responsibilities

Production Operations & Scheduling Assist the Production Manager in managing and coordinating daily and weekly production activities to meet established production targets and customer requirements. Monitor production progress and communicate production status, priorities, and potential delays to the appropriate departments.

Support the execution of production schedules and assist with adjusting priorities when operational issues arise. Help identify and resolve production bottlenecks, workflow issues, and other barriers to meeting production goals. Coordinate with the Production Planner to ensure work orders are properly released and production priorities are clearly communicated.

Assist in ensuring work orders are completed accurately, efficiently, and on schedule. Monitor production capacity, staffing, materials, and equipment availability and escalate issues when necessary. Standard Operating Procedures & Training Work with Engineering and other subject-matter experts to develop and maintain Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and Work Instructions (WIs) for production-related processes and tasks.

Ensure SOPs and WIs are practical, clear, current, and suitable for employee training and day-to-day reference. Lead and support training of production employees on approved SOPs, WIs, processes, and safety requirements. Coach and mentor production employees to promote consistency, accountability, productivity, and quality.

Monitor employee adherence to established procedures and address deviations appropriately. Identify areas where additional training, clarification, or process documentation is needed. Quality, Safety & Compliance Ensure production employees follow established safety procedures, company policies, SOPs, WIs, and applicable regulatory requirements.

Partner with Quality & Safety to identify and address quality, safety, and process-related concerns. Promote a culture of safety, quality, accountability, and continuous improvement throughout the production area. Assist with investigating production errors, quality issues, safety concerns, and process deviations. Support corrective and preventive actions when issues occur.

Materials & Warehouse Coordination Communicate with the Warehouse and Inventory Managers regarding material shortages, inventory issues, component availability, and other material-related concerns that may impact production. Escalate material shortages or discrepancies that could delay production. Assist with ensuring required components and materials are available when needed for scheduled production.

Work with Warehouse and Production Planning to minimize production interruptions caused by material availability. Performance Management & Accountability Monitor production employee performance and provide coaching and feedback as appropriate. Assist the Production Manager with establishing clear expectations and maintaining accountability for attendance, productivity, quality, safety, and adherence to procedures.

Identify recurring performance or process issues and communicate them to the Production Manager. Support the development and implementation of performance improvement initiatives. Production Metrics & Reporting Develop, maintain, and communicate Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) used to monitor and communicate production status on a daily basis.

Maintain accurate production records, reports, and performance data. Analyze production data to identify trends, inefficiencies, delays, and opportunities for improvement. Provide timely production updates to management. Use data and operational information to support informed decision-making. Continuous Improvement Identify opportunities to improve production efficiency, workflow, quality, safety, and productivity.

Assist with implementing process improvements and standardizing successful practices. Participate in continuous improvement initiatives and problem-solving activities. Apply lean manufacturing principles and other appropriate process-improvement methodologies. Promote a culture of accountability, ownership, problem-solving, and continuous improvement.

Equipment & Downtime Management Monitor equipment and production work areas for issues that could affect productivity or safety. Assist in addressing equipment problems and coordinating with the appropriate personnel to minimize downtime. Escalate recurring equipment or maintenance concerns to management. Help identify root causes of recurring production interruptions and recommend solutions.

Qualifications

7+ years of experience in manufacturing, production, or a related leadership role. Previous experience supervising, leading, training, or coordinating production employees preferred. Strong understanding of manufacturing and production processes. Knowledge of workplace safety requirements and manufacturing best practices.

Familiarity with Lean Manufacturing or continuous improvement principles. Strong leadership, communication, organization, and problem-solving skills. Strong analytical and data-driven decision-making skills. Ability to interpret production data, identify trends, and make operational recommendations. Ability to effectively prioritize and manage multiple tasks in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

Strong attention to detail and commitment to accuracy. Proficiency with Microsoft Office, particularly Excel, Word, and Outlook. Experience with production management, ERP, inventory, or work-order management systems is a plus. Ability to work effectively across departments and communicate with employees at all levels of the organization.

Strategic thinker with a strong focus on operational execution and continuous improvement. Core Competencies Leadership & Accountability Production Planning & Execution Problem Solving Communication Data Analysis & Decision-Making Employee Coaching & Development Quality & Safety Focus Continuous Improvement Organization & Time Management Cross-Functional Collaboration Attention to Detail Operational Excellence Physical & Work Environment Ability to work in a manufacturing and warehouse environment.

Ability to regularly walk, stand, and move throughout the production floor. Ability to communicate effectively with employees in an active manufacturing environment. Must be able to follow all applicable safety requirements and wear required personal protective equipment (PPE). May occasionally be required to work outside normal business hours based on production requirements.

Benefits

Competitive salary based on experience and qualifications. Health, dental, and vision insurance. Paid time off and company holidays. Career development and advancement opportunities. Equal Employment Opportunity We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all qualified individuals. Employment decisions are based on qualifications, business needs, and other legitimate job-related factors.

If you are a results-driven manufacturing professional with strong leadership, analytical, and problem-solving skills and a passion for production excellence, we encourage you to apply.