Production Supervisor, Electrode - D Shift

Panasonic Corporation of North America; De Soto (KS); On-site; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Retirement plan

Paid time off

Tuition reimbursement

Wellbeing programs

Job summary

Panasonic Energy is expanding its De Soto, Kansas facility and seeks a Production Supervisor to lead 24/7 shift operations in a high-volume manufacturing environment. You will ensure safety, quality, delivery, and cost targets while applying Lean practices and standardized work.

You will mentor and develop technicians, collaborate with engineering and HR, and drive continuous improvement initiatives across the line. This role includes a strong focus on safety and operational excellence.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of progressive leadership experience in a high-volume, 24/7 manufacturing environment.
• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Operations Management, Industrial Engineering, or related field is preferred.
• Six Sigma Green Belt or higher is desirable.
• OSHA 30-Hour General Industry certification is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead daily shift operations to achieve production, quality, cost, and delivery targets.
• Ensure development and adherence to Standardized Work Instructions (SWIs).
• Plan and assign work schedules, tasks, and priorities for team members.
• Drive Lean, 6S, and SQDCP metrics across the plant.

Skills

Leadership

Lean manufacturing

Problem solving

Communication

Education

Associate degree in technical discipline

Bachelor’s degree (preferred)

Tools

Microsoft Office

SAP

Oracle

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! 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

Production Supervisor

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

The Production Supervisor leads safe, efficient shift operations in a high-volume, 24/7 manufacturing environment to consistently achieve production, quality, cost, and delivery targets. This role ensures adherence to standardized work, Lean manufacturing principles, and SQDCP performance metrics while fostering a culture of accountability, engagement, and continuous improvement. The Production Supervisor serves as the primary escalation point for shift-level operational issues, develops team capability, drives cross-functional problem-solving, and ensures compliance with safety, quality, and operational standards. Through strong leadership and data-driven decision-making, this position delivers measurable operational results and builds a high-performing team.

Essential Duties

Functional Leadership & Operations

• Lead daily shift operations to achieve production, quality, cost, and delivery targets
• Ensure development, maintenance, and strict adherence to Standardized Work Instructions(SWIs)
• Plan and assign work schedules, tasks, and priorities for team members

Strategic Alignment & Continuous Improvement

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

Team Development & Knowledge Sharing

• 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

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Stakeholder Engagement

• Participate in and contribute to PFMEA and risk mitigation activities in collaboration with Manufacturing Process Engineers
• Support implementation and compliance of control plans throughout production

Quality, Safety, Compliance, & Risk Management

• Ensure a safe work environment by enforcing safety standards and practices
• Train employees on safe work methods and proper use of PPE
• Monitor production processes to ensure quality standards are met at every stage
• Ensure defects are contained at the point of origin and do not progress downstream or reach the customer
• Investigate root causes and implement corrective actions for quality issues

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Provide direct supervision to Skilled Machine Technicians, including work assignment, performance oversight, training, and adherence to safety and operational standards

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Requirements

• To ensure the health and safety in the workplace and for the protection of our employees, wearing PPE is a possibility and may include equipment such as a full Tyvek suit, safety shoes, gloves, safety glasses, face mask, bump cap, and a full hazmat suit that includes a respirator.

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, Certifications, and Licenses

Required

• Associate’s degree in a technical discipline (e.g., Industrial Technology, Manufacturing Technology, Engineering Technology). Relevant work experience may be substituted for required education.

Preferred

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Operations Management, Industrial Engineering, or a related field
• Six Sigma certification (Green Belt or higher)
• OSHA 30-Hour General Industry certification

Essential Qualifications

• 3+ years of progressive leadership experience in a high-volume, 24/7 manufacturing environment, or 2+ years of experience as a PECNA Process Lead
• 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-motivated, and able to perform effectively 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

• 5+ years of progressive leadership experience, including direct oversight of hourly staff, in a 24/7, high-volume, lithium-ion, electronics, chemical, or regulated manufacturing environment with demonstrated success improving safety, quality, and productivity metrics
• 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)

Physical Demands

Physical Activities

• Sit: 10%
• Walk: 50%
• Stand: 40%

Required Lifting and Carrying

Rare (<1%), Occasional (1-33%), Frequent (34-66%), Continuous (67-100%)

• Up to 10 lbs.: Continuous
• Up to 20 lbs.: Frequent
• Up to 35 lbs.: Frequent
• Team-lift only (over 35 lbs.): Occasional

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:

• Health Benefits – Offering medical, dental, vision, prescription plans, plus Health Savings Account and Flexible Spending Account options.
• Voluntary Benefits – Life, accident, critical illness, disability, legal, identity theft, and pet insurance.
• Panasonic Retirement Savings & Investment Plan (PRSIP) – 401(k) plan with company matching contributions and immediate vesting.
• Paid Time-Off Benefits – Vacation, holidays, personal days, sick leave, volunteer, and parental & caregiver leave.
• Educational Assistance – Tuition reimbursement for job-related courses after six months of service.
• Health Management and Wellbeing Programs –Lifestyle Spending Account, EAP, virtual health management, chronic condition, neurodiversity, tobacco cessation, substance abuse support, and life stage and fertility resources. Available to eligible employees starting the first day of the month following your start date. Eligibility for each benefit may vary based on employment status, location, and length of service.
• Employee Recognition Program – High5 employee recognition and