2nd Shift Production Manager — Lead 400+ Team & Ops Excellence

Sterling Engineering; Vernon Hills (IL); On-site; USD 115,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Sterling Engineering in Vernon Hills, IL seeks an experienced Production Manager to lead a large 2nd Shift operation. You will oversee ~400 employees across six lines, guiding six Supervisors and improving efficiency, reliability, and performance.

The role requires hands-on floor leadership, strong cross-functional collaboration with Engineering, Maintenance, Quality and HR, and a focus on continuous improvement. Training on 1st shift will precede the 2nd shift transition.

Qualifications

• 7+ years in progressive manufacturing or production leadership.
• Experience overseeing large-scale operations and multiple lines.
• Experience managing through supervisors rather than direct staffing.
• Background in scheduling, labor utilization, and KPI management.
• Lean/continuous improvement experience preferred.
• High-volume manufacturing experience; medical device experience not required.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership for 2nd Shift manufacturing operations serving ~400 employees.
• Directly develop six Production Supervisors and ensure accountability across lines.
• Drive improvements in efficiency, reliability, and production performance.
• Set expectations and performance standards for supervisors and frontline leaders.
• Maintain a visible presence on the production floor and engage with teams.
• Monitor daily performance against schedules, goals, and customer demand.
• Identify bottlenecks, downtime, staffing and equipment issues; address root causes.
• Lead problem solving and corrective actions to improve reliability.
• Review KPIs and implement corrective actions when needed.
• Foster best-practice alignment across lines and sites.
• Optimize staffing and labor utilization per production needs.
• Coach Supervisors to strengthen leadership and accountability.
• Promote ownership, safety, quality, and continuous improvement culture.
• Collaborate with Engineering, Maintenance, Quality, Supply Chain, HR.
• Ensure smooth handoffs between 1st and 2nd Shift.
• Support employee engagement and development across the shift.

Skills

Leadership

Shift management

Operations leadership

Lean manufacturing

Data-driven decision making

Cross-functional collaboration

Employee development

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering or related field

Job description

Sterling Engineering in Vernon Hills, IL seeks an experienced Production Manager to lead a large 2nd Shift operation. You will oversee ~400 employees across six lines, guiding six Supervisors and improving efficiency, reliability, and performance.

The role requires hands-on floor leadership, strong cross-functional collaboration with Engineering, Maintenance, Quality and HR, and a focus on continuous improvement. Training on 1st shift will precede the 2nd shift transition.