Night Shift Production Manager - Battery Assembly Leader

Panasonic Energy Corporation of North America; De Soto (KS); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

401(k) plan

Paid time off

Tuition reimbursement

On-site cafeterias

Job summary

Panasonic Energy Corporation of North America in De Soto, Kansas, is expanding a lithium‑ion battery factory and seeking a Production Manager to lead multiple 24/7 production lines. You will drive safety, quality, cost, delivery, and productivity while delivering end-to-end manufacturing performance and Lean initiatives.

Responsibilities include coaching Production Supervisors, optimizing capacity and labor, and ensuring standardized work.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of progressive manufacturing leadership experience in a high-volume, 24/7 production environment.
• Demonstrated success owning safety, quality, cost, and delivery performance metrics
• Strong data‑driven decision‑making capability and financial acumen
• Working knowledge of Lean manufacturing, 6S, structured problem‑solving, and continuous improvement methodologies
• Experience with ERP/MES systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle, FactoryTalk)
• Ability to influence cross‑functional partners without direct authority
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)
• Must have working‑level knowledge of the English language, including reading, writing, and speaking English
• Alignment to Panasonic’s seven (7) core principles (contribution to society, fairness and honesty, cooperation and team spirit, untiring effort for improvement, courtesy and humility, adaptability, gratitude)

Responsibilities

• Own manufacturing performance across assigned production lines, ensuring achievement of safety, quality, cost, delivery, and productivity targets
• Manage departmental operating expenses and support annual budget planning processes
• Lead and develop Production Supervisors to ensure effective daily execution of production plans
• Ensure capacity planning, labor optimization, and resource allocation align with production demand
• Drive adherence to standardized work, operating procedures, and operational controls
• Serve as escalation point for line-level operational, quality, and people-related issues
• Translate plant-level strategy into actionable production plans and performance expectations
• Drive Lean manufacturing, 6S, and continuous improvement initiatives across assigned areas
• Lead structured problem-solving efforts to eliminate chronic losses and improve operational stability
• Monitor and analyze SQDCP metrics, identifying trends and deploying countermeasures
• Champion cost reduction and productivity improvement initiatives
• Develop, coach, and evaluate Production Supervisors and other direct reports
• Build leadership capability and succession pipelines within the production organization
• Partner with HR on workforce planning, employee engagement, and performance management
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement
• Lead change management initiatives within assigned manufacturing areas
• Collaborate with Engineering, Quality, Maintenance, Supply Chain, and EHS to ensure operational alignment
• Participate in PFMEA reviews, capacity planning discussions, and new product/process introductions
• Ensure effective implementation of control plans and process controls
• Provide performance updates and operational insights to senior leadership
• Ensure safe manufacturing operations by enforcing compliance with safety standards and EHS requirements
• Drive proactive risk identification and mitigation across production lines
• Ensure defects are contained at the source and systemic quality issues are resolved
• Oversee root cause investigations and ensure sustainable corrective actions are implemented
• Maintain compliance with regulatory, environmental, and operational standards
• Provide direct leadership to Production Supervisors and indirectly oversee hourly production personnel across assigned lines
• Responsible for performance management, workforce planning, leadership development, and organizational effectiveness within assigned areas

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Business Administration, or a related technical field

Master’s degree (MBA or MS) in a related discipline

Lean Six Sigma Certification (Green Belt or higher)

OSHA 30-Hour General Industry certification

Tools

SAP

Oracle

FactoryTalk

Job description

Panasonic Energy Corporation of North America in De Soto, Kansas, is expanding a lithium‑ion battery factory and seeking a Production Manager to lead multiple 24/7 production lines. You will drive safety, quality, cost, delivery, and productivity while delivering end-to-end manufacturing performance and Lean initiatives.

Responsibilities include coaching Production Supervisors, optimizing capacity and labor, and ensuring standardized work.