Production Supervisor

Panasonic Avionics Corporation; De Soto (KS); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Panasonic Energy is seeking a Production Supervisor to join their team in De Soto, Kansas. This pivotal role involves leading shift operations in a high-volume environment, ensuring safety and quality standards while driving continuous improvement initiatives. Passionate individuals interested in sustainable energy solutions are encouraged to apply.

Benefits

Comprehensive healthcare options

401K retirement program with company match

Annual bonus program

Employee assistance programs

Educational Assistance & Reimbursement Program

Qualifications

• 5+ years of supervisory experience in a high-volume manufacturing environment.
• Knowledge of Lean and 6S practices is essential.
• Effective communication and decision-making skills are critical.

Responsibilities

• Lead safe and efficient shift operations in manufacturing.
• Ensure safety standards and compliance are met.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives.

Skills

Team Leadership

Problem-Solving

Lean Manufacturing

Decision-Making

Effective Communication

Self-motivated

Education

Associate’s degree in a technical discipline

Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration or related field

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Overview

Do you want to join a team that's changing the world? Do you have a strong background as a Production Supervisor? Then we're looking for you! Check out the job description and apply now! Put your skills to meaningful use, gain unique experience, and work with world-class team members with diverse backgrounds and expertise who share the same vision. Join the PECNA team today!

Responsibilities

Meet the Recruiter: Anh Martin

Summary:

Join us at Panasonic Energy as we expand to De Soto, Kansas, where we’re building the world’s largest lithium-ion battery factory. This is an exciting opportunity to grow your career while contributing to the future of electric vehicles. As part of our team, you’ll help push the limits of battery technology, enhancing performance and efficiency in sustainable transportation.

Our state-of-the-art facility, just outside the Kansas City Metro, will be a hub for innovation in green energy solutions. If you're passionate about sustainability and eager to contribute to the electric vehicle revolution, we invite you to be part of our dynamic team. Join us and make a meaningful impact on the future of energy and transportation.

Job Summary:

As a Production Supervisor, you will lead safe and efficient shift operations in a high-volume manufacturing environment. You will ensure adherence to standardized work practices, support employee training and development, and uphold safety and quality standards. Collaborating with cross-functional teams, you will drive continuous improvement initiatives and resolve production issues to meet plant goals. This role is critical to achieving operational excellence in safety, quality, delivery, cost, and people development (SQDCP).

Essential Duties:

Safety & Compliance:

• Ensure a safe work environment by enforcing safety standards and practices
• Train employees on safe work methods and proper use of PPE
• Participate in and support PFMEA and risk mitigation activities in collaboration with Manufacturing Process Engineers
• Support implementation and compliance of control plans throughout production

Production Operations:

• Lead daily shift operations to meet production targets and delivery timelines
• Develop, maintain, and ensure adherence to Standardized Work Instructions (SWIs)
• Plan and assign work schedules, tasks, and priorities for team members

Quality Assurance:

• Monitor production processes to ensure quality standards are met at every stage
• Prevent defects from progressing past team workstations or leaving the facility
• Investigate root causes and implement corrective actions for quality issues

People Development & Leadership:

• Train and onboard new employees on SOPs, SWIs, and safety protocols
• Coach, mentor, and guide team members to improve performance and engagement
• Collaborate with HR and leadership on employee relations and performance issues

Continuous Improvement:

• Drive Lean manufacturing and 6S initiatives to improve efficiency and reduce waste
• Support plant-wide initiatives focused on SQDCP metrics
• Participate in issue resolution, data-driven decision-making, and process improvement activities

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Requirements:

• To ensure health and safety in the workplace and protect our employees, PPE may be required, including a full Tyvek suit, safety shoes, gloves, safety glasses, face mask, and a full hazmat suit with a respirator. Respirator fit test will be required based on functional area.

The foregoing description is not intended and should not be construed to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, skills and efforts or work conditions associated with the job. It is intended to be an accurate reflection of the general nature and level of the job.

Qualifications

Requirements - Required and/or Preferred:

Education:

• Required: Associate’s degree in a technical discipline (e.g., Industrial Technology, Manufacturing Technology, Engineering Technology), or equivalent combination of education and relevant supervisory experience in a manufacturing environment
• Preferred: Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Operations Management, Industrial Engineering, or a related field

Essential Qualifications:

• 5+ years of supervisory experience in high-volume, 24/7 manufacturing
• Strong team leadership in high-volume environments
• Knowledge of Lean, 6S, and continuous improvement practices
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills
• Effective communicator; works well independently and with cross-functional teams
• Must be resilient, self-motived and able to work well under pressure
• Proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)
• Must have working-level knowledge of the English language, including reading, writing, and speaking English
• Alignment to Panasonic’s seven (7) core principles (contribution to society, fairness and honesty, cooperation and team spirit, untiring effort for improvement, courtesy and humility, adaptability, gratitude

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in lithium-ion, electronics, chemical, or regulated manufacturing environments
• Familiarity with PFMEA, control plans, and root cause analysis
• ERP/MES system experience (e.g., SAP, Oracle, FactoryTalk)
• Strong understanding of SQDCP metrics and operational KPIs
• Bilingual or multilingual capabilities (e.g., Japanese, Spanish)

Preferred Certification(s):

• Six Sigma certification (Green Belt or higher)
• OSHA 30-Hour General Industry certification

Physical Demands:

Physical Activities: Percentage of time (equaling 100%) during the normal workday the employee is required to:

• Sit: 40%
• Walk: 30%
• Stand: 20%
• Lift: 10%

Required Lifting and Carrying: Not required (0%), Occasional (1-33%), Frequent (34-66%), Continuous (67-100%)

For this position, the required frequency is:

• Up to 10 lbs.: Occasional
• Up to 20 lbs.: Occasional
• Up to 35 lbs.: Occasional
• Team-lift only (over 35 lbs.): Not Required

Benefits & Perks - What's In It For You:

Panasonic Energy prioritizes total well-being and offers comprehensive benefits options to support physical, emotional, financial, social, and environmental health:

• Highly inclusive and class-leading healthcare options to include family planning, mental health, and pet insurance
• Employee assistance programs that support total well-being with complimentary session offered each and every month
• Company-matched and fully vested 401K retirement program that starts immediately from date of enrollment
• Annual bonus program, High5 employee recognition and awards platform, quarterly and annual employee recognition
• Simplified access to self-guided and representative-supported short and long-term financial wellness and retirement planning
• Educational Assistance & Reimbursement Program
• Diversity, equity, and inclusion programs and associated employee resource groups that promote representation and belonging
• Leadership, career, and mentorship development programs opportunities at all levels across the organization
• Collaborative and motivating culture routed in continuous personal and professional growth and much more.

Where You'll Be:

For our onsite roles, Panasonic Energy is committed to fostering an ideal working environment that goes beyond the conventional. We understand the significance of moments that matter in your onsite experience, and we prioritize creating a workspace that not only promotes productivity but also ensures a fulfilling and positive work atmosphere. Join us at Panasonic Energy, where your onsite presence is valued, and we strive to make each moment count in your professional journey.

Who We Are:

Meet Panasonic Energy! At Panasonic Energy, you'll do work that matters as we are dedicated to transforming the world through the acceleration of sustainable energy. By producing safe, high-quality lithium-ion batteries, you become part of a team that plays a crucial role increating technologies that move us.

This is an exciting time to join us as we expand our operations to De Soto, Kansas and build the world's largest lithium-ion battery factory. We will provide you with the opportunity to experience career growth in more ways than one.

As an innovative thinker, you'll thrive here, as we continually push the boundaries of lithium-ion battery technology and production capabilities to enhance efficiency and performance in EVs.

Being part of Panasonic Energy means positively contributing to society, aligning with our commitment to building a better world through sustainable energy solutions.

We care about what you care about, fostering an environment where your contributions make a meaningful impact on the future of energy and transportation. Join us and be part of a team that values your work, encourages innovation, and actively contributes to a positive societal impact.

In addition to an environment that is as innovative as our products, we offer competitive salaries and benefits.

We Take Opportunity Seriously:

At Panasonic Energy, we are committed to a workplace that genuinely fosters inclusion and belonging. Fairness and Honesty have been part of our core values for more than 100 years and we are proud of our diverse culture as an equal opportunity employer.

We understand that your career search may look different than others and embrace the professional, personal, educational, and volunteer opportunities through which people gain experience. If you are actively looking or starting to explore new opportunities, submit your application!

Supplemental Information:

Pre-employment drug testing is required.

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by law. All qualified individuals are required to perform the essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation.

Due to the high volume of responses, we will only be able to respond to candidates of interest. All candidates must have valid authorization to work in the U.S. without restriction.

Thank you for your interest in Panasonic Energy of North America.

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