Production Manager

Bil-Jax; Archbold (OH); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Haulotte North America Manufacturing LLC in Archbold, Ohio, seeks a Production Manager to lead all manufacturing operations, driving safety, quality, delivery, and cost performance in a low-volume, high-mix environment.

You will champion Lean Manufacturing, oversee supervisors and team leaders, and collaborate with the Haulotte Group to standardize processes and share best practices across plants.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations Management, or equivalent experience.
• Minimum of 8 years of progressive manufacturing leadership experience.
• Proven experience leading production teams in a manufacturing environment.
• Demonstrated success implementing Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Lead daily production activities to ensure safety, quality, delivery, and productivity targets are achieved.
• Develop and maintain the Master Production Schedule aligning resources with requirements.
• Optimize utilization of labor, materials, equipment, and plant capacity.
• Coordinate activities across Production, Supply Chain, Engineering, Quality, Maintenance and HR.
• Monitor KPIs and implement corrective actions as needed.
• Promote a strong safety culture and compliance with safety requirements.

Skills

Leadership

Lean manufacturing

Operational excellence

Production planning

Scheduling

Problem solving

Strategic thinking

Change management

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering/Manufacturing/Operations

Job description

Haulotte North America Manufacturing LLC

Archbold, Ohio

Position Summary

The Production Manager is responsible for leading all manufacturing operations, ensuring the safe, efficient, and cost-effective production of Haulotte's aerial work platforms, including boom lifts, electric scissor lifts, and telescopic lifting equipment. The role is accountable for achieving plant objectives related to safety, quality, delivery, productivity, cost performance, and employee development. As a member of the Plant Steering Committee, the Production Manager plays a critical role in establishing and executing the facility's operational and strategic priorities. This position provides leadership and direction to production supervisors, team leaders, and manufacturing employees while promoting a culture built on accountability, teamwork, employee engagement, and operational excellence. The Production Manager serves as a champion of Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement initiatives, driving sustainable process improvements within a low-volume, high-mix manufacturing environment. This role is responsible for optimizing production processes, improving efficiency, reducing waste, and enhancing product quality while maintaining a strong focus on customer satisfaction. In addition, the Production Manager collaborates with manufacturing leaders throughout the Haulotte Group's global network of production facilities to share best practices, standardize manufacturing processes, and support the ongoing development of world-class manufacturing systems.

Key Responsibilities

Operations Leadership

• Lead daily production activities to ensure safety, quality, delivery, and productivity targets are achieved.
• Develop, deploy, and maintain the Master Production Schedule while ensuring resources are aligned with business requirements.
• Optimize the utilization of labor, materials, equipment, and plant capacity.
• Coordinate activities across Production, Supply Chain, Engineering, Quality, Maintenance, and Human Resources.
• Monitor operational performance through KPIs and implement corrective actions when necessary.
• Ensure compliance with all safety requirements and promote a strong safety culture.

Lean Manufacturing & Continuous Improvement

• Lead the deployment of Lean Manufacturing principles throughout the production organization.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives focused on waste elimination, quality improvement, productivity gains, lead-time reduction, and process stability.
• Promote structured problem-solving and root cause analysis methodologies.
• Develop and sustain standards, visual management practices, and operational excellence initiatives.
• Challenge existing practices and drive a culture of continuous improvement at all levels of the organization.
• Lead, coach, and develop supervisors, team leaders, and production employees.
• Build a high-performance culture based on accountability, teamwork, communication, and mutual respect.
• Ensure effective training and development plans are in place.
• Promote employee engagement and maintain positive employee relations.
• Support succession planning and talent development.

Strategic Leadership

• Actively contribute as a member of the Plant Steering Committee.
• Participate in the development and execution of the plant strategic roadmap.
• Support decisions related to investments, capacity planning, organizational development, and operational performance.
• Collaborate with production leaders across the Haulotte Group.
• Share best practices and lessons learned between manufacturing sites.
• Support Group industrial initiatives and roadmap deployment.
• Contribute to the harmonization and standardization of manufacturing processes, KPIs, and management practices across plants.
• Participate in the preparation and management of the production budget.
• Monitor and control labor, manufacturing, and inventory-related costs.
• Identify and implement opportunities to improve plant efficiency and business performance.

Qualifications

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations Management, or equivalent experience.
• Minimum of 8 years of progressive manufacturing leadership experience.
• Proven experience leading production teams in a manufacturing environment.
• Demonstrated success implementing Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Leadership and people development
• Lean Manufacturing and Operational Excellence
• Production Planning and Scheduling
• Problem Solving and Root Cause Analysis
• Strategic Thinking
• Change Management
• Strong Communication and Collaboration Skills
• Ability to operate effectively in a matrix organization

Success Profile

The ideal candidate is a hands-on leader who balances strategic thinking with operational execution. You will develop people, drive change, and creating sustainable improvements while maintaining focus on safety, quality, customer satisfaction, and business performance. You will lead from the shop floor, build strong relationships across functions, and actively contribute to the long-term success of the Archbold facility and the Haulotte Group.