Production Control Manager

TRAK Group; Fairfield (OH); On-site; USD 85,000 - 115,000; Full time

Job summary

TRAK Group is hiring a Production Control Manager in Fairfield, OH to oversee production planning, scheduling, inventory control, and material flow. The role requires coordinating with manufacturing teams to meet customer demand and drive continuous improvement.

The ideal candidate has 6+ years in manufacturing with APICS certification, strong Kanban/JIT knowledge, and proven leadership of both salaried and hourly staff. This is an in-office, first-shift opportunity.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or technical degree or equivalent experience.
• 6+ years of manufacturing experience.
• 2+ years of management experience.
• APICS Certification required.
• Strong knowledge of production planning, scheduling, inventory control, and quality systems.
• Experience managing manufacturing inventory systems.
• Knowledge of Kanban and Just-in-Time (JIT) manufacturing.
• Experience performing production capacity analysis.
• Knowledge of material flow, WIP management, and inventory optimization.
• Demonstrated ability to lead continuous improvement and operational efficiency initiatives.
• Experience leading projects from concept through implementation.
• Strong analytical, troubleshooting, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to manage and develop salaried and hourly employees.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and sense of urgency.
• Ability to collaborate effectively across manufacturing and operational departments.

Responsibilities

• Lead daily production control activities, including scheduling, sequencing, and material flow.
• Develop and maintain master production plans aligned with demand and capacity.
• Optimize scheduling, WIP control, inventory management, and delivery performance.
• Coordinate materials and resources to meet customer requirements.
• Oversee planning for new vehicle program launches.
• Analyze capacity to identify efficiency improvements.

Skills

Production planning

Scheduling

Inventory control

Kanban / JIT

Lean manufacturing

Team leadership

Analytical thinking

Education

Bachelor's or technical degree

Tools

TSS MRP system

MRP systems

Job description

Production Control Manager

Setting/Hours: 100% In-Office | First Shift
Location: Fairfield, Ohio
Trak group is partnering with a growing automotive manufacturing client seeking an experienced Production Control Manager to oversee production planning, scheduling, inventory management, and material flow operations.

Responsibilities

Production Planning & Control Lead daily production control activities, including scheduling, sequencing, and material flow. Develop and maintain production master plans aligned with customer demand and manufacturing capacity. Optimize production scheduling, work-in-process (WIP) control, inventory management, and delivery performance. Ensure effective coordination of materials and production resources to meet customer requirements. Oversee production planning and scheduling activities for new vehicle program launches. Analyze production capacity and identify opportunities to improve manufacturing efficiency.

Lean Manufacturing & Continuous Improvement

Implement and maintain Kanban systems to support Just-in-Time (JIT) manufacturing. Identify opportunities to reduce waste, optimize inventory levels, and improve material flow. Support Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement initiatives. Improve production layouts, work breakdown structures, and rework processes. Lead cross-functional improvement projects focused on: Line balancing, Cycle time reduction, Inventory optimization, Production flow improvements, Waste reduction, Support digital transformation initiatives utilizing the TSS MRP system. Drive process improvements that increase productivity, reduce costs, and improve operational performance.

Team Leadership & Performance Management

Lead, coach, and develop salaried and hourly production control team members. Establish clear expectations, priorities, and accountability across the department. Provide ongoing coaching, training, and performance management. Collaborate with Manufacturing, Quality, Supply Chain, and Operations teams to achieve plant objectives. Lead projects from initial concept through successful implementation. Monitor and report key performance indicators, including: On-time delivery performance, Short shipments, Labeling accuracy, Productivity, Identify performance gaps and implement corrective actions to achieve operational goals.

Must-Haves

• Bachelor's Degree, Technical Degree, or equivalent experience.
• 6+ years of recent manufacturing experience.
• 2+ years of management experience.
• APICS Certification required.
• Strong knowledge of production planning, scheduling, inventory control, and quality systems.
• Experience managing manufacturing inventory systems.
• Strong understanding of Kanban methodologies and Just-in-Time (JIT) manufacturing.
• Experience performing production capacity analysis.
• Knowledge of material flow, WIP management, and inventory optimization.
• Demonstrated ability to lead continuous improvement and operational efficiency initiatives.
• Experience leading projects from concept through implementation.
• Strong analytical, troubleshooting, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to manage and develop salaried and hourly employees.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and sense of urgency.
• Ability to collaborate effectively across manufacturing and operational departments.

Preferred

• Metal stamping manufacturing experience.
• Knowledge of the Toyota Production System (TPS).
• Previous experience working for a Toyota supplier.
• Experience supporting automotive new vehicle program launches.
• Experience implementing or improving Kanban systems.
• Familiarity with TSS MRP systems.
• Experience leading line balancing, cycle time reduction, and inventory improvement projects.
• Background supporting digital transformation and manufacturing process optimization.