Production Manager

Position Summary: The Production Manager is responsible for planning, directing, and coordinating all production activities within an aluminum, brass, and bronze foundry. This role ensures safe, efficient, and cost-effective manufacturing operations while meeting quality standards, production schedules, customer requirements, and regulatory compliance. The Production Manager leads supervisors and production personnel in melting, molding, core making, pouring, shakeout, finishing, and related foundry operations.

Essential Job Functions:

Production Management

• Plan, organize, and oversee daily foundry operations to achieve production schedules and customer delivery requirements.
• Create production schedules, communicate them to the affected employees, and ensure timely and efficient execution.
• Place orders for raw materials, production supplies, and outside processes needed to achieve the production schedule.
• Coordinate activities involving melting, alloy preparation, molding, pouring, casting, shakeout, cleaning, finishing, and shipping.
• Monitor production metrics and implement corrective actions to improve efficiency, throughput, scrap reduction, and on-time delivery.
• Ensure proper staffing levels and production workflow across all shifts.
• Collaborate with Engineering, Quality, Maintenance, and Sales departments to meet operational objectives.

Safety and Environmental Compliance

• Promote and maintain a strong safety culture throughout the facility.
• Ensure compliance with OSHA, EPA, environmental regulations, and company safety policies.
• Conduct safety audits, incident investigations, and corrective action programs.
• Lead safety training and ensure employees properly use personal protective equipment (PPE).

Quality Management

• Ensure all castings meet customer specifications and quality standards.
• Work closely with Quality Assurance personnel to address defects, nonconformances, and customer concerns.
• Monitor scrap rates and implement continuous improvement initiatives.
• Support quality systems and ISO 9001 certification.

Employee Leadership and Development

• Supervise production supervisors, team leaders, and hourly production employees.
• Conduct performance evaluations and provide coaching, training, and development opportunities.
• Manage employee relations issues in partnership with Human Resources.
• Foster employee engagement, accountability, teamwork, and continuous improvement.

Process Improvement

• Lead Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Analyze production processes to identify opportunities for cost reduction and productivity enhancement.
• Implement best practices for foundry operations, workflow optimization, and equipment utilization.
• Utilize production data and KPIs to drive operational performance.

Maintenance Coordination

• Partner with Maintenance personnel to ensure equipment reliability and minimize downtime.
• Participate in preventive and predictive maintenance programs.
• Support equipment upgrades, capital projects, and process automation initiatives.

Budget and Cost Control

• Assist in developing and managing departmental budgets.
• Monitor labor, material, energy, and operational costs.
• Identify opportunities to improve profitability through efficiency gains and waste reduction.

Occasional travel may be required for customer meetings, training, industry events, and supplier visits.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Industrial Technology, Business Management, or related field preferred. Equivalent combination of education and foundry management experience considered.
• Minimum 5 years of manufacturing experience in a metal casting, foundry, or heavy industrial environment.
• Minimum 3 years of supervisory or management experience.
• Experience with aluminum, brass, and bronze melting and casting operations preferred.
• Ability to read, write and speak Spanish is highly desired.
• Experience with Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement methodologies.
• Understanding of OSHA, EPA, and environmental compliance requirements.
• Proven leadership, team-building, and employee development skills.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities.
• Proficiency with ERP/MRP systems and Microsoft Office applications.

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible schedule
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Professional development assistance
• Referral program
• Tuition reimbursement
• Vision insurance

Education:

• Bachelor's (Preferred)

Experience:

• Foundry: 3 years (Required)
• Leadership: 2 years (Required)
• Production Scheduling: 1 year (Preferred)
• Team development: 1 year (Preferred)

Language:

• Spanish (Preferred)

Ability to Commute:

• Lannon, WI 53046 (Required)

Work Location: In person