Manager Production

Solar Turbines; Wamego (KS); On-site; USD 89,000 - 134,000; Full time

Job summary

Caterpillar Inc. in the United States is seeking a production-focused professional to lead daily operations and drive continuous improvement on the manufacturing floor. You will supervise line workers, coordinate cross-team activities, and ensure adherence to safety and quality standards.

The role emphasizes documentation, training, and process optimization to meet production targets with a strong safety culture. Relocation and onsite presence are noted benefits for the right candidate.

Qualifications

• Analytical thinking to identify root causes and propose solutions.
• Knowledge of basic problem-solving tools and data interpretation.
• Ability to recognize bottlenecks and improve processes.
• Understanding of safety and quality principles in manufacturing.
• Experience with standard operating procedures and compliance.

Responsibilities

• Create reports on production processes, tools, performance, and inventory; share with managers and suggest safety, productivity and quality improvements.
• Prepare, maintain, and update documentation for operating procedures and safety/quality standards; ensure compliance.
• Supervise daily production line activities, assign tasks, coordinate teams, ensure safety and monitor performance.
• Train new hires, manage scheduling and conflicts, monitor safety, and promote collaborative communication.

Skills

Analytical Thinking

Planning & Organizing

Process Improvement

Performance Management

Manufacturing Operations

Manufacturing Safety

Manufacturing Standards

Production Training

Education

Degree or equivalent experience

Job description

Career Area:

Manufacturing

Job Description:

Your Work Shapes the World at Caterpillar Inc.

When you join Caterpillar, you’rejoining a global team who cares not just about the work we do – but also about each other. We are the makers, problem solvers, and future world builders who are creating stronger, more sustainable communities. We don’tjust talk about progress and innovation here – we make it happen, with our customers, where we work and live. Together, we are building a better world, so we can all enjoy living in it.

Responsibilities

• Creating reports and records of production processes, tools issues performance, and inventory; sharing them with managers and providing suggestions to improve safety, productivity and quality.
• Preparing, maintaining, and updating documentation related to operating procedures and safety and quality standards; ensuring all processes and products meet desired safety and quality standards.
• Supervising and directing the daily activities of production lines workers, assigning tasks, ensuring coordination between different teams, ensuring their safety and monitoring their performance.
• Training new hires, managing scheduling and work conflicts, monitoring safety, and promoting internal communication to create a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement.

Degree Requirement

Degree or equivalent experience desired

Skill Descriptors

Analytical Thinking: Knowledge of techniques and tools that promote effective analysis; ability to determine the root cause of organizational problems and create alternative solutions that resolve these problems.

Level Working Knowledge:

• Approaches a situation or problem by defining the problem or issue and determining its significance.
• Makes a systematic comparison of two or more alternative solutions.
• Uses flow charts, Pareto charts, fish diagrams, etc. to disclose meaningful data patterns.
• Uses logic and intuition to make inferences about the meaning of the data and arrive at conclusions.
• Identifies the major forces, events, and people impacting and impacted by the situation at hand.

Planning and Organizing

Knowledge of the process of planning and arranging tasks and resources; ability to plan and organize both time and resources to get things completed while structuring and maintaining work in a systematic and highly methodical way.

Level Working Knowledge:

• Raises awareness of potential bottlenecks and disruptions to the schedule.
• Breaks tasks into manageable steps that can be incorporated into a personal work plan.
• Escalates concerns over competing or conflicting priorities.
• Monitors progress continuously and adjusts tactics for handling situations on a case-by-case basis.
• Creates action plans that ensure the accomplishment of responsibilities.

Process Improvement

Understanding and insight into evaluating current product quality and production methods and ability to maintains focus on the continuous improvement of processes, products and services.

Level Working Knowledge:

• Defines the critical workflow for executing key processes.
• Identifies process problems that limit performance.
• Implements methods for improving and establishing controls for critical processes.
• Focuses on the most significant problems to maximize efficiency gains.
• Surfaces systemic problems to be addressed at the organizational level.

Performance Management

Knowledge of successful performance management techniques; ability to apply organization’s performance management system, practices, and tools to developing and improving individual, team, and organizational performance.

Level Working Knowledge:

• Identifies opportunities to enhance performance, e.g., practice assignments, training, shadowing.
• Ensures performance goals, checkpoints, and feedback focus on behaviors.
• Provides documented input to formal performance review conducted by manager.
• Observes individual performance and provides fair and objective feedback.
• Uses formal and informal rewards and recognition programs for employees.

Manufacturing Operations

Knowledge of manufacturing operations; ability to perform day-to-day operations of a manufacturing plant or facility for products.

Level Extensive Experience:

• Monitors organizational adherence to policies and procedures.
• Facilitates communications across departments to ensure a smooth workflow in the plant or facility.
• Evaluates the risks and safety hazards present in manufacturing operations.
• Recommends key industry benchmarks of manufacturing operations and relates to own organization.
• Supervises daily operations to ensure production targets and forecasts are achieved.
• Employs tools and techniques for anticipating demand and assuring capacity.

Manufacturing Safety

Knowledge of manufacturing safety; ability to identify work-related hazards and perform necessary activities to meet regulatory requirements for the safety and protection of workers, environment and site.

Level Extensive Experience:

• Consults on the use of new tools and techniques for safety protection.
• Performs safety inspections to assure compliance with OSHA requirements.
• Designs and implements emergency response processes and procedures.
• Promotes workplace safety among supervisors and workers; communicates safety rules and regulations.
• Assesss and reports unusual or new safety hazards or violations; initiates corrective action.
• Ensures that all employees and contractors comply with relevant safety policies and regulations.

Manufacturing Standards, Procedures and Policies

Knowledge of organizational standards, procedures and policies in manufacturing activities; ability to plan, guide, and monitor manufacturing processes for compliance.

Level Basic Understanding:

• Discusses the relevance of standards for a manufacturing environment.
• Researches process and product blueprints for own area.
• Describes and follows all policies, standards and procedures.
• Obtains documentation and information on standards and their usage.

Production Training

Knowledge of approaches, tools and techniques for delivering formal and informal training on the safe and efficient operation of production machinery; ability to conduct effective formal and situation-specific training.

Level Working Knowledge:

• Prepares lesson plans and materials for upcoming training sessions.
• Documents the production process and writes user manuals detailing production machinery operation.
• Instructs staff in the basic set-up and operation of production machinery.
• Schedules and executes training sessions for production employees.
• Maintains records documenting employees’ successful completion of production training programs.

Minimum Qualifications

• Production manager or leadership experience
• Experience in a manufacturing environment

Preferred Qualifications

• Some welding experience is preferred.

This Job Description is intended as a general guide to the job duties for this position and is intended for the purpose of establishing the specific salary grade. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as an exhaustive summary of all responsibilities, duties and effort required of employees assigned to this job. At the discretion of management, this description may be changed at any time to address the evolving needs of the organization. It is expressly not intended to be a comprehensive list of “essential job functions” as that term is defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Summary Pay Range

$89,210.00 - $133,810.00

Compensation and benefits offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, job level, market location,job-related knowledge, skills, individual performance and experience. Please note that salary is only one component of total compensation at Caterpillar.

Benefits

Subject to plan eligibility, terms, and guidelines. This is a summary list of benefits.

• Medical, dental, and vision benefits*
• Paid time off plan (Vacation, Holidays, Volunteer, etc.)*
• 401(k) savings plans*
• Health Savings Account (HSA)*
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)*
• Health Lifestyle Programs*
• Employee Assistance Program*
• Voluntary Benefits and Employee Discounts*
• Career Development*
• Incentive bonus*
• Disability benefits
• Life Insurance
• Parental leave
• Adoption benefits
• Tuition Reimbursement

* These benefits also apply to part-time employees

This position requires working onsite five days a week.

Relocation is available for this position.

Visa Sponsorship is not available for this position.

Posting Dates

Any offer of employment is conditioned upon the successful completion of a drug screen.

Caterpillar is an Equal Opportunity Employer, Including Veterans and Individuals with Disabilities. Qualified applicants of any age are encouraged to apply.