About the Role: The Production Manager is responsible for the direct supervision and leadership of the shop floor This is a hands-on role focused on managing the day-to-day activities of the production floor – overseeing welders, fabricators, assembly and painting personnel.
Responsibilities:
Operations & Manufacturing
- Oversee all daily plant operations of heavy manufacturing plant; welding, fabrication, assembly paint, maintenance, etc..
- Manage production schedules to meet customer delivery commitments while optimizing labor and equipment utilization.
- Drive continuous improvement initiatives using lean manufacturing principles to reduce waste, improve cycle time, and increase throughput.
Safety & Compliance
- Serve as the primary driver of safety culture transformation on the shop floor – model safe behaviors daily and hold all personnel accountable to a zero-compromise safety standard.
- Assess the current state of the safety program and develop a structured improvement plan with measurable goals, timelines, and ownership to address gaps in culture, behavior, and compliance.
- Build trust with the workforce by engaging employees directly in safety conversations, soliciting input on hazards and near-misses, and ensuring concerns are acted upon visibly and promptly.
- Implement and sustain proactive safety practices including daily pre-shift safety briefings, job hazard analyses (JHAs), behavior-based safety observations, and structured toolbox talks.
- Establish clear leading indicator metrics (near-miss reporting, hazard identification, safety observation rates) alongside lagging metrics (TRIR, DART) to track program progress and drive accountability.
- Lead thorough root cause analyses for all incidents and near-misses; develop corrective action plans and track to closure, sharing learnings across the shop floor.
- Partner with the Safety department to develop and deliver role-specific safety training programs that build competency and reinforce cultural expectations.
People & Team Leadership
- Recruit, hire, train, and develop a team of welders, fabricators, machinists, and support staff.
- Conduct regular performance reviews; provide coaching and disciplinary action as needed.
- Foster a collaborative and respectful work environment that promotes accountability and employee engagement.
- Coordinate with HR on workforce planning, compensation benchmarking, and labor relations.
Financial & Business Management
- Manage the plant operating budget; monitor costs, control variances, and identify savings opportunities.
- Prepare and present regular KPI reports (on-time delivery, scrap rate, safety metrics) to senior leadership.
- Evaluate capital equipment needs and develop business cases for plant investment.
Qualifications:
- Minimum 10 years of progressive manufacturing/fabrication experience, with at least 5 years in a plant or operations management role.
- OSHA 30-Hour General Industry or Construction certification (required within 90 days of hire).
- AWS Certified Welding Inspector (CWI) or demonstrated oversight experience with certified welding programs.
- Proven ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, weld procedures (WPS/PQR), and material test reports (MTRs).
- Strong leadership, communication, and organizational skills with experience managing teams of 25+ employees.
- Proficiency with ERP/MRP systems and standard MS Office applications.
Required Skills:
- Experience in heavy equipment manufacturing.
- Six Sigma Green Belt or Lean Manufacturing certification.
- Prior experience managing a multi-shift fabrication operation.
Pay range and compensation package
Competitive compensation package commensurate with experience, including:
- Competitive base salary
- Performance-based bonus
- Health, dental, and vision insurance
- 401(k) with company match
- Paid time off and company holidays
- Professional development and certification support
Equal Opportunity Statement
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or veteran status.
