Production Leader: Lean Ops, Safety, & Team Growth

Polywater; Stillwater (MN); On-site; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

ESOP

Competitive 401(k) with company match

Profit sharing opportunities

Health, Dental, Vision, Life, & Disabl

Health Savings Account (HSA)

Paid Holidays

Job summary

Polywater in Stillwater, MN is seeking a Production Manager to lead and develop our production team in a multi-work-center chemical packaging facility. You will ensure safe, efficient, and cost-effective manufacturing and packaging while meeting quality and delivery requirements.

You will drive continuous improvement through Lean, 5S, and root-cause analysis, manage a workforce of about 30, coordinate with internal teams, and uphold OSHA and regulatory safety standards.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Operations Management, Manufacturing, Engineering, Business, or related field preferred.
• 10+ years of manufacturing or packaging leadership experience.
• Experience in chemical packaging, blending, filling, or related process industries preferred.

Responsibilities

• Directs and develops a 30-person production workforce by setting clear performance expectations and creating a high-performing team.
• Leads Lean Manufacturing, 5S, visual management, and problem-solving to support operational excellence.
• Maintains safety by ensuring OSHA, environmental compliance and promoting safe practices across all operations.
• Conducts audits, risk assessments, incident investigations, training, and corrective actions to improve safety.
• Ensures products meet specifications and quality standards by following procedures and quality systems.
• Partners with Quality, Engineering, Purchasing, Maintenance, and R&D to address non-conformances and drive corrective actions.
• Manages daily production scheduling, labor, and workflow to meet delivery commitments and maximize throughput.
• Coordinates with Planning, Purchasing, Maintenance, Warehouse, and Quality to address bottlenecks and communicate priorities.
• Manages labor, material usage, staffing, and expenses to hit budget objectives.
• Drives continuous improvement through waste reduction, process optimization, and automation opportunities.
• Leads and develops Area Supervisors, Leads, and Operators with training resources.
• Fosters accountability, teamwork, and continuous learning through performance management and cross-training.

Skills

Leadership

Safety Management

Lean Manufacturing

Problem Solving

Communication

Operations Management

ERP Systems

Team Development

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

ERP systems

Production scheduling

Job description

Polywater in Stillwater, MN is seeking a Production Manager to lead and develop our production team in a multi-work-center chemical packaging facility. You will ensure safe, efficient, and cost-effective manufacturing and packaging while meeting quality and delivery requirements.

You will drive continuous improvement through Lean, 5S, and root-cause analysis, manage a workforce of about 30, coordinate with internal teams, and uphold OSHA and regulatory safety standards.