Production Manager

Confidentiel; Fatih; On-site; TRY 700,000 - 950,000; Full time

Job summary

Confidentiel is seeking a Production Manager to lead production operations and foster a culture of operational excellence and continuous improvement in a high-volume manufacturing setting.

The role emphasizes lean methods, data-driven decision-making, and collaboration with cross-functional teams to optimize safety, quality, delivery and costs.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Mechatronics or related engineering discipline.
• Minimum 8–10 years of production experience in high-volume manufacturing.
• At least 3–5 years of managerial experience leading production teams.
• Proven project experience in lean manufacturing, continuous improvement and operational excellence.

Responsibilities

• Manage daily, weekly and monthly production activities to meet safety, quality, delivery, productivity and cost targets.
• Monitor KPI performance: OEE, labor productivity, cycle times, scrap, rework, downtime, capacity utilization.
• Analyze production performance, identify root causes of losses and implement sustainable improvements.
• Optimize workforce, equipment and capacity utilization across lines.
• Coordinate with Planning, Quality, Maintenance, Engineering and Logistics to achieve targets.
• Develop daily performance management culture with visual management and structured problem-solving.
• Embed lean principles and lead 5S, Kaizen, Standard Work, Visual Management, SMED, TPM, VSM.

Skills

Lean manufacturing

5S

Kaizen

SMED

TPM

Standard Work

Root cause analysis

Problem-solving

Change management

Data-driven decision making

Team leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

Bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering

Bachelor's degree in Mechatronics Engineering

Related engineering discipline

Tools

Excel

Power BI

ERP/MES systems

Job description

We are looking for a Production Manager to lead production operations and drive the development of an operational excellence and continuous improvement culture within our global, growth-oriented company operating in the manufacturing industry.

Position Purpose

Effectively manages production operations in line with occupational health and safety, quality, delivery, productivity and cost targets, driving operational excellence through lean manufacturing principles, data-driven decision-making and a continuous improvement mindset.

Ensures sustainable productivity improvements, reduces operational losses and optimizes costs across production processes, while prioritizing employee safety, ergonomics, engagement and development.

Continuously enhances the factory's competitiveness by closely monitoring new production technologies, digitalization opportunities and industry best practices, and implementing applicable innovations.

Key Responsibilities

1. Production Management and Operational Performance

• Manage daily, weekly and monthly production activities in line with occupational health and safety, quality, delivery, productivity and cost targets.
• Regularly monitor key performance indicators such as OEE, labor productivity, cycle times, scrap, rework, downtime and capacity utilization.
• Analyze production performance using data, identify the root causes of operational losses and develop sustainable improvement actions.
• Optimize the utilization of workforce, equipment and production capacity across production lines.
• Ensure effective coordination with Planning, Quality, Maintenance, Engineering and Logistics departments to achieve production targets.
• Develop a culture of daily performance management, visual management and structured problem‑solving.

2. Lean Manufacturing and Continuous Improvement

• Embed lean manufacturing principles into production processes and daily management practices.
• Lead the effective implementation of methodologies such as 5S, Kaizen, Standard Work, Visual Management, SMED, TPM, VSM and structured problem‑solving techniques.
• Identify continuous improvement opportunities on the shop floor and lead projects that deliver measurable results.
• Conduct line balancing, bottleneck analysis, cycle time improvement and workforce optimization activities.
• Systematically analyze production losses and develop initiatives to eliminate waste.
• Measure the impact of improvement projects in terms of productivity, capacity, quality and cost, ensuring that improvements are sustained.
• Integrate continuous improvement into the daily working culture of the entire production organization rather than limiting it to individual projects.

3. Occupational Health and Safety, 5S and Ergonomics

• Prioritize occupational health and safety across all production activities and establish a strong safety culture.
• Ensure the proactive identification of risks, encourage near‑miss reporting and implement preventive actions.
• Conduct regular shop floor observations and safety audits to ensure compliance with safe working standards.
• Manage 5S practices not merely as housekeeping activities, but as fundamental elements of workplace safety, quality, productivity and operational discipline.
• Develop projects to improve employee ergonomics and reduce physical strain, repetitive movements and ergonomic risks.
• Develop solutions that improve production efficiency while enhancing employee safety, ergonomics and working conditions.
• Make safe and ergonomic working environments key evaluation criteria for all improvement and investment projects.

4. Data‑Driven Management, Productivity and Cost Improvement

• Base decision‑making processes on objective data, performance indicators and analytical assessments.
• Analyze production costs and identify improvement opportunities in labor, material losses, energy consumption and other operational expenses.
• Prioritize and implement productivity‑enhancing and cost‑reduction projects, and measure their financial impact.
• Improve labor productivity without compromising employee safety, ergonomics or product quality.
• Effectively manage KPI‑based performance monitoring and daily shop floor meetings.
• Establish a disciplined approach to data‑driven root cause analysis, action planning and verification of results across production processes.
• Regularly report planned versus actual benefits achieved through improvement projects.

5. Innovation, Technology and Operational Development

• Closely monitor the latest developments and industry best practices in production technologies, automation, digitalization and Industry 4.0.
• Research and evaluate the applicability of new production methods, equipment and technologies to existing processes.
• Identify opportunities where technologies such as artificial intelligence, data analytics, digital performance monitoring, automation and smart manufacturing systems can contribute to operational efficiency.
• Research successful practices both within and outside the industry and develop innovative solutions that can be adapted to the factory.
• Conduct feasibility studies, cost‑benefit analyses and return on investment (ROI) assessments for the implementation of new technologies.
• Develop innovative projects to reduce manual operations, ergonomic risks, quality losses and process inefficiencies.
• Collaborate with Engineering, Maintenance, Quality and other relevant departments, leading the implementation of new technologies and improvement projects.
• Promote practical solutions such as low‑cost automation, fixture improvements, digital data collection and process optimization.
• Foster a production culture that continuously challenges existing methods and encourages openness to change, learning and innovative ideas.

6. Team Management and Employee Development

• Establish a management approach that values blue‑collar employees’ opinions, listens to their feedback and actively involves them in improvement initiatives.
• Demonstrate visible, accessible, fair and role‑model leadership on the shop floor.
• Develop the competencies of production teams, encourage multi‑skilling and invest in employee development.
• Encourage improvement suggestions from employees and ensure their implementation.
• Strengthen teams’ problem‑solving and continuous improvement capabilities.
• Foster a production culture based on high performance, discipline, mutual respect and teamwork.
• Create a working environment that supports employee engagement and motivation through open communication.

Qualifications and Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Mechatronics Engineering or a related engineering discipline.
• Minimum 8–10 years of production experience, preferably in automotive, white goods, HVAC or similar high‑volume manufacturing industries.
• At least 3–5 years of managerial experience leading production teams.
• Proven project experience in lean manufacturing, continuous improvement and operational excellence practices.
• Strong knowledge and hands‑on experience in 5S, Kaizen, SMED, TPM, Standard Work and problem‑solving techniques.
• Experience in analyzing OEE, labor productivity, capacity, cost and quality KPIs.
• Proficiency in Excel and preferably Power BI, ERP/MES systems.
• Strong awareness of occupational health and safety and ergonomics.
• Interest in new production technologies, automation and digitalization, with a proactive approach to following developments in these areas.
• Ability to translate technological innovations into operational needs and turn them into practical projects.
• Previous involvement in digitalization, automation or technological transformation projects within production environments is preferred.
• Strong analytical thinking, root cause analysis and problem‑solving skills.
• Competence in change management, innovative thinking and implementation of new practices.
• Strong communication, team management and shop floor leadership skills.
• Good command of English.

Leadership Profile We Are Looking For

• Data‑driven: Makes decisions based on actual performance data rather than assumptions.
• Lean‑minded: Identifies operational losses and focuses on eliminating waste.
• Shop floor‑oriented: Spends a significant amount of time on the shop floor to understand problems firsthand and drive solutions at the source.
• People‑oriented: Values blue‑collar employees and prioritizes their safety, ergonomics and development.
• Results‑driven: Translates improvement initiatives into measurable productivity gains and cost savings.
• Innovative and growth‑oriented: Embraces new ideas, continuously seeks better ways of working and demonstrates openness to change and development.