Production Manager

Jacobs & Thompson; Toronto; On-site; CAD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Jacobs & Thompson is seeking an experienced Production Manager to lead manufacturing operations with a core focus on production planning, forecasting, scheduling, and overall facility management. The role requires strong leadership, expertise in production systems, and a proven track record in optimizing performance through proactive planning, continuous improvement, and cross-functional collaboration.

You will drive cost, safety, and quality improvements while delivering on-time production

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field is required.
• 5–10 years in manufacturing/production with 3+ years in a leadership role.
• Strong experience with production planning, forecasting, scheduling, and full plant operations.
• Solid understanding of capacity planning, OEE, and manufacturing KPIs.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and decision-making skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide direct leadership to all production-related activities across the facility.
• Ensure daily operations align with productivity, safety, quality, and cost goals.
• Develop and enforce SOPs for production processes.
• Lead shift supervisors and frontline staff to execute work orders.
• Collaborate with maintenance, quality, logistics, engineering, and EHS teams.

Skills

Leadership

Production planning

Forecasting

Scheduling

OEE & KPIs

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Engineering / Manufacturing / Operations Management or related field

Job description

We are seeking an experienced Production Manager to lead all facets of our manufacturing operations, with a core focus on production planning, forecasting, scheduling, and overall facility management. This role is critical in ensuring that manufacturing processes run efficiently, safely, and cost-effectively, while maintaining the highest standards of quality and customer satisfaction. The ideal candidate will possess strong leadership capabilities, in-depth knowledge of production systems, and a proven track record in optimizing manufacturing performance through proactive planning, continuous improvement, and cross-functional collaboration.

Key Responsibilities

1. Production Management

• Provide direct leadership and oversight to all production-related activities across the facility.
• Ensure daily manufacturing operations align with company objectives for productivity, safety, quality, and cost.
• Develop and enforce standard operating procedures (SOPs) for production processes.
• Lead shift supervisors, production leads, and frontline staff to ensure smooth execution of work orders.
• Collaborate with maintenance, quality, logistics, engineering, and EHS teams to ensure seamless operations.

2. Production Planning & Scheduling

• Develop and execute detailed short-, mid-, and long-term production plans based on customer demand, order backlog, and resource availability.
• Translate sales forecasts and customer orders into master productionschedules (MPS) and material requirements plans (MRP).
• Prioritize and allocate resources to meet production targets, minimize downtime, and ensure on-time delivery.
• Monitor production progress daily and adjust plans proactively in response to bottlenecks, breakdowns, or material shortages.

3. Facility & Operations Oversight

• Ensure that facility infrastructure, equipment, and tools are maintained, serviced, and upgraded as needed to support uninterrupted operations.
• Ensure adherence to all workplace safety standards, emergency protocols, and environmental regulations.
• Partner with the Maintenance team to establish preventive maintenance programs and reduce unplanned downtime.

4. Staff Management & Leadership

• Supervise and mentor a team of supervisors, leads, and production personnel.
• Manage workforce planning, scheduling, and labor utilization to ensure adequate staffing levels.
• Drive employee engagement, accountability, and performance management initiatives.
• Provide coaching, training, and development opportunities to enhance workforce capability and morale.
• Ensure compliance with labor policies, health & safety regulations.

5. Quality Assurance & Continuous Improvement

• Champion quality in every phase of the production process, ensuring compliance with company and industry standards.
• Work closely with Quality Assurance to monitor production output and minimize non-conformance.
• Utilize Lean Manufacturing, Kaizen, Six Sigma, or other continuous improvement tools to drive operational excellence.
• Lead root cause analysis and corrective action (RCCA) efforts to address production issues or quality defects.

6. Cost Management & Efficiency Optimization

• Monitor and control production costs including labor, materials, waste, and overtime.
• Drive productivity improvements and cost-saving initiatives without compromising safety or product quality.
• Analyze production KPIs (OEE, scrap rate, yield, lead time, etc.) and identify opportunities for improvement.

7. Reporting & Communication

• Prepare and present operational performance reports, including KPIs, to senior management.
• Communicate production updates, changes, and issues to internal stakeholders in a timely manner.
• Coordinate with Procurement, Inventory Control, Sales, and Logistics to align production with demand and supply chain operations.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Operations Management, or related field.
• 5–10 years of progressive experience in a manufacturing/production environment, with at least 3 years in a leadership role.
• Strong experience with production planning, forecasting, scheduling, and full plant operations.
• Strong understanding of capacity planning, OEE, and manufacturing KPIs.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and decision-making skills.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.