Production and Operations Manager

Black Bear Talent is recruiting for a Production & Operations Manager to oversee daily manufacturing operations and ensure production schedules are met safely, efficiently, and to established quality standards.

This position works closely with department leads, sales, purchasing, and company leadership to coordinate workflow, optimize labor and resources, improve processes, and support overall operational performance and profitability.

The ideal candidate is a hands-on leader who maintains a consistent presence on the production floor, develops employees, establishes clear expectations, and promotes a culture of accountability, teamwork, continuous improvement, and safety.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

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Production Planning & Scheduling

• Develop, maintain, and manage the daily production schedule to meet customer commitments and established deadlines.
• Establish departmental priorities based on job requirements, material availability, labor capacity, and delivery expectations.
• Identify production bottlenecks, scheduling conflicts, and workflow inefficiencies, implementing timely adjustments to labor and resources.
• Lead weekly production planning meetings with purchasing and sales to review active jobs, upcoming orders, material requirements, and delivery timelines.
• Coordinate work across departments to ensure smooth transitions between production stages.

Floor Leadership & Daily Operations

• Maintain an active presence on the production floor throughout the workday, engaging with employees and department leads to monitor progress and resolve issues.
• Verify that daily tasks and production priorities are clearly communicated and executed.
• Provide direction, guidance, and support to department leads while promoting ownership of departmental performance.
• Troubleshoot operational obstacles and make timely decisions to minimize downtime, delays, and unnecessary disruptions.
• Develop a thorough understanding of production machinery, equipment, and processes to effectively support the team and identify operational improvement opportunities.

Employee Development & Performance Management

• Establish clear performance expectations for department leads and production employees.
• Conduct employee performance reviews and provide ongoing feedback, coaching, and development opportunities.
• Develop and maintain standard operating procedures (SOPs) for each production department.
• Establish and oversee a structured training program to build employee competency, cross-training, and operational flexibility.
• Support department leads in training employees, addressing performance concerns, and developing future leaders.
• Foster a positive, respectful, and accountable work environment that encourages communication, collaboration, and continuous learning.

Process Improvement & Operational Efficiency

• Identify and implement opportunities to streamline production processes, reduce waste, and improve productivity.
• Evaluate labor allocation, equipment utilization, material flow, and departmental workflow to maximize operational efficiency.
• Investigate recurring production issues, determine root causes, and implement corrective actions.

Quality Assurance

• Establish and enforce production quality standards in coordination with company leadership and relevant departments.
• Monitor product quality throughout manufacturing to ensure work meets customer specifications and company expectations.
• Track defects, rework, waste, and quality-related issues to identify trends and opportunities for improvement.
• Work with department leads to investigate quality concerns, implement corrective actions, and prevent recurring problems.
• Establish and maintain quality checkpoints throughout the manufacturing process to identify defects early and reduce rework.
• Monitor production practices and recommend improvements that support consistent product quality and on-time completion.

Safety & Compliance

• Partner with the Safety Team to maintain a safe working environment throughout all production departments.
• Ensure employees follow established safety procedures, equipment operating requirements, and applicable company policies.
• Participate in safety meetings, employee training, and workplace inspections as appropriate.
• Identify and address unsafe conditions and work practices promptly.
• Promote a culture in which employees take responsibility for workplace safety and hazard prevention.

Financial & Performance Management

• Develop an understanding of production costs, labor expenses, material waste, rework, and other factors affecting company profitability.
• Identify opportunities to control costs, improve resource utilization, and increase operational efficiency without compromising quality.
• Monitor key performance indicators (KPIs), including on-time completion, productivity, rework, waste, and other established operational metrics.
• Create and maintain reports and worksheets to track departmental and overall production performance.
• Analyze performance trends, communicate results to leadership, and develop action plans to address performance gaps.
• Support company initiatives designed to improve profitability, productivity, and customer satisfaction.

Communication & Cross-Department Collaboration

• Serve as the primary operational link between the sales team, purchasing, department leads, and the production floor.
• Communicate production priorities, job requirements, scheduling changes, and potential delays in a timely and clear manner.
• Collaborate with sales and purchasing to ensure production plans align with customer commitments and material availability.
• Encourage cooperation among department leads to resolve shared challenges and improve overall workflow.
• Escalate significant operational concerns, resource needs, and performance issues to company leadership.

Systems & Documentation

• Develop working proficiency in company systems, including QuickBooks, Salesforce, Smartsheet, and other relevant software.
• Maintain accurate production schedules, performance reports, training records, SOPs, and other operational documentation.
• Use available data to support production planning, decision-making, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Ensure production information is organized, accessible, and communicated to the appropriate personnel.

Qualifications

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• Previous experience in manufacturing, production management, operations supervision, or a related industrial environment.
• Demonstrated leadership skills and the ability to direct, coach, and develop employees.
• Strong organizational, scheduling, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities.
• Ability to identify production inefficiencies, troubleshoot issues, and implement effective corrective actions.
• Understanding of manufacturing workflow, quality control, workplace safety, and continuous improvement principles.
• Ability to interpret production data and use performance metrics to guide decisions.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to work effectively across departments.
• Proficiency with business and production software, or the ability to learn new systems quickly.
• Willingness and ability to work hands-on in a manufacturing environment and learn the machinery and processes used in the operation.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

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Performance will be evaluated using established company goals and measurable operational outcomes, including:

• On-Time Production: Percentage of jobs completed according to schedule.
• Productivity: Production output relative to available labor and resources.
• Quality: Rates of defects, rework, and production errors.
• Waste Reduction: Material waste and associated costs.
• Labor Efficiency: Effective allocation and utilization of production labor.
• Safety: Compliance with safety procedures and reduction of preventable incidents.
• Employee Development: Completion of training plans, cross-training, and performance reviews.
• Process Improvement: Successful implementation of initiatives that improve efficiency, quality, or cost effectiveness.
• Communication & Coordination: Effectiveness of production planning and collaboration across departments.

Working Conditions & Physical Requirements

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• Work primarily takes place in a manufacturing and production environment.
• Requires frequent movement throughout production departments and regular interaction with employees and department leads.
• Must be able to work around operating machinery, materials, and typical manufacturing noise while following all applicable safety requirements.
• May require standing, walking, and occasional physical activity associated with observing and supporting production operations.
• Schedule and additional physical requirements will be determined by the needs of the business.

Success in This Role

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Success as a Production & Operations Manager means creating a production environment where employees understand their responsibilities, department leads take ownership of results, schedules are realistic and consistently managed, quality and safety are priorities, and operational decisions are supported by measurable data.

The manager is expected to lead from the production floor, build strong working relationships across departments, develop the capabilities of the team, and continuously identify ways to improve efficiency, customer satisfaction, and company profitability.

At Black Bear Talent we’re not just about filling a space. We partner with you to find the right fill for your needs. Our number one goal is to find you the career candidate and building the relationship with the employer as your trusted source for staffing and direct hires

Pay: $75000.00 - $85000.00 / year

Job Type: fulltime

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday
• 8 hour shift

Education: No education required

Work location: On-site

Waynesboro.