Production Manager - Lean Manufacturing Leader

Corning Inc.; Hickory (NC); On-site; USD 121,000 - 166,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonuses & incentives

Pension plan

Health benefits

Paid parental leave

Employee recognition

Job summary

Corning Inc. in Hickory, NC seeks a Production Manager to lead a manufacturing operations department focused on safety, quality, delivery, cost, and productivity.

You will provide both strategic and day-to-day leadership to production teams, ensuring operational excellence and alignment with plant priorities. The role requires a Bachelor’s degree in engineering or a technical field, at least five years in manufacturing, and three to five years of supervisory experience.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or technical field.
• Minimum 5 years in manufacturing or operations.
• 3–5 years of leadership or supervisory experience in a manufacturing environment.
• Strong safety and performance focus.
• Proven ability to lead, develop, and motivate teams while delivering results.
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills using data and operational metrics.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills across all levels of the organization.
• Strong organizational, planning, and execution skills.
• Lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, or continuous improvement experience.
• Experience supporting new product introduction, equipment start-up, or process transfers into manufacturing.
• Exposure to multiple equipment platforms or manufacturing processes.
• Coaching and talent development.
• Accountability and performance management.
• Cross-functional collaboration.
• Conflict resolution and decision-making

Responsibilities

• Lead department operations to achieve safety, quality, delivery, cost, and productivity targets.
• Foster and maintain a safe work environment, ensuring compliance with all safety, environmental, and company standards.
• Provide leadership and direction to production teams and supervisors, including coaching, performance management, and development.
• Plan and allocate labor, equipment, and materials to meet production demand and operational priorities.
• Monitor and improve equipment and process performance, including uptime, yield, and overall equipment effectiveness.
• Lead resolution of operational issues through data-driven problem solving and cross-functional collaboration.
• Support new product introduction, equipment installation, and start-up activities to ensure successful transition into manufacturing.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives focused on productivity, efficiency, and cost reduction.
• Manage departmental budgets, spending, and resource utilization to meet financial and operational targets.
• Communicate operational performance, priorities, and risks to plant leadership and key stakeholders.
• Ensure workforce readiness, staffing alignment, and capability development to meet current and future business needs.

Skills

Leadership

Safety focus

Problem solving

Communication

Data-driven decisions

Team development

Cross-functional collaboration

Conflict resolution

Organizational skills

Lean manufacturing

Six Sigma

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or technical discipline

Tools

Excel

ERP systems

MES

Statistical analysis

Data visualization tools

Job description

Corning Inc. in Hickory, NC seeks a Production Manager to lead a manufacturing operations department focused on safety, quality, delivery, cost, and productivity.

You will provide both strategic and day-to-day leadership to production teams, ensuring operational excellence and alignment with plant priorities. The role requires a Bachelor’s degree in engineering or a technical field, at least five years in manufacturing, and three to five years of supervisory experience.