Production Manager

Sterling Engineering; Wood Dale (IL); On-site; USD 95,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

401(k)

Paid Time Off

Paid Holidays

Life Insurance

Additional company-sponsored benefits

Job summary

Sterling Engineering is seeking an experienced Production Manager to oversee daily manufacturing operations in Wood Dale, IL. This hands-on leader will manage electrical, electromechanical, and custom industrial product assembly across multiple lines and customer specs.

Responsibilities include production scheduling, staffing, QA, Lean initiatives, and mentoring supervisors and hourly staff. Direct hire with a strong focus on improving throughput, reducing scrap, and meeting delivery goals.

Qualifications

• Experience as Production Manager or similar manufacturing leadership role.
• Experience in electrical/electromechanical or custom industrial product manufacturing.
• Hands-on leadership in multi-product environments with varying customer requirements.
• Strong knowledge of scheduling, labor planning, workflows and processes.
• Experience leading supervisors and hourly staff; proven productivity gains.

Responsibilities

• Oversee daily manufacturing operations: scheduling, staffing, workflow, quality and on-time delivery.
• Lead teams in environments with mechanical and/or electrical assembly.
• Prioritize across product lines and changing customer requirements.
• Resolve bottlenecks, equipment issues, and material shortages.
• Improve labor utilization, throughput, scrap reduction and lead times.
• Mentor supervisors, team leads and manufacturing employees.
• Collaborate with Engineering and Quality to resolve assembly issues and improve manufacturability.
• Support new product introductions and process improvements.
• Monitor KPIs: productivity, quality, scrap, labor efficiency and delivery.
• Drive Lean and continuous improvement; ensure OSHA and safety compliance.
• Manage performance, training, coaching and accountability.

Skills

Lean Manufacturing

Leadership

Problem Solving

Communication

Team Building

Process Improvement

Quality Assurance

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations Management, Business, or related field

Job description

Sterling Engineering is partnering with an established manufacturer of industrial heating and temperature sensing products to hire an experienced Production Manager to oversee daily manufacturing operations. We are seeking a hands-on manufacturing leader with experience in electrical, electromechanical, or custom industrial product manufacturing. This position requires someone who understands the challenges of managing production in an environment where products may vary by customer specifications, production volumes, and assembly requirements.

Location: Wood Dale, IL 60191

Employment Type: Direct Hire

Schedule: 1st Shift

Compensation: $95,000 to $110,000 annually

Benefits: Medical, Dental, Vision, 401(k), Paid Time Off, Paid Holidays, Life Insurance, and additional company-sponsored benefits.

Responsibilities:

• Oversee daily manufacturing operations, including production scheduling, staffing, workflow, quality, and on-time delivery.
• Lead production teams in a manufacturing environment involving mechanical and/or electrical assembly.
• Manage production priorities across multiple product lines, customer orders, and changing manufacturing requirements.
• Identify and resolve production bottlenecks, equipment issues, material shortages, and workflow inefficiencies.
• Improve labor utilization, production throughput, scrap reduction, and manufacturing lead times.
• Develop and mentor production supervisors, team leads, and manufacturing employees.
• Partner with Engineering and Quality to resolve product assembly issues, improve manufacturability, and implement process changes.
• Support new product introductions, manufacturing process improvements, and equipment upgrades.
• Monitor production KPIs, including productivity, quality, scrap, labor efficiency, and on-time delivery.
• Drive Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Ensure compliance with OSHA regulations, quality standards, and company safety procedures.
• Manage employee performance, training, coaching, and accountability.

Qualifications:

• Previous experience as a Production Manager, Manufacturing Manager, or similar manufacturing leadership role.
• Experience in electrical, electromechanical, mechanical assembly, or custom industrial product manufacturing strongly preferred.
• Hands-on experience managing production operations in a manufacturing environment with multiple products or varying customer requirements.
• Strong understanding of production scheduling, labor planning, workflow management, and manufacturing processes.
• Experience leading supervisors, team leads, and hourly production employees.
• Demonstrated ability to improve productivity, reduce scrap, and resolve manufacturing inefficiencies.
• Ability to work closely with Engineering, Quality, and Supply Chain teams.
• Knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, continuous improvement, and production KPIs.
• Strong communication, leadership, and problem-solving skills.
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations Management, Business, or a related field preferred.
• Bilingual English/Spanish is a plus.

Sterling Engineering is an Equal Opportunity Employer and considers all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.