Hands-On Production Lead: Path to Plant Manager

ITW; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 105,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

ITW, a leading diversified industrial company, seeks a hands-on Production Manager for our Chicago-area facility. You will lead first-shift production directly and guide supervisors across second and third shifts, ensuring safety, quality, on‑time delivery and cost targets.

You will build an engaged frontline team on the shop floor, manage staffing and resources, and use daily performance data to drive improvements.

Qualifications

• Three+ years of direct manufacturing leadership experience.
• Experience managing daily production priorities, staffing, labor, and operational metrics.
• A practical approach to lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, quality, and standard work.
• Hands-on leadership style that builds team engagement and accountability on the production floor.
• Ability to drive execution, solve problems, and improve processes across shifts and functions.
• An understanding of how labor, scrap, and other production costs affect financial results; interest in broader leadership responsibilities.

Responsibilities

• Lead first-shift production directly and guide the Production Supervisors for second and third shifts.
• Build an engaged, accountable team through visible shop-floor leadership and coaching.
• Deliver the production plan by managing staffing, labor, overtime, and resources while improving schedule stability.
• Own safety, quality, delivery, productivity, and cost results for assigned production areas.
• Improve line performance by reducing downtime, scrap, changeover losses, in partnership with other functions.
• Support broader plant priorities and readiness for expanded responsibility.

Skills

Manufacturing leadership

Operations management

Lean manufacturing

Problem solving

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in operations, engineering, business

Job description

ITW, a leading diversified industrial company, seeks a hands-on Production Manager for our Chicago-area facility. You will lead first-shift production directly and guide supervisors across second and third shifts, ensuring safety, quality, on‑time delivery and cost targets.

You will build an engaged frontline team on the shop floor, manage staffing and resources, and use daily performance data to drive improvements.