Senior Production Manager

Workstream; Waynesboro (VA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Black Bear Talent seeks a Senior Production Manager to lead two facilities, overseeing production, warehousing, fulfillment, and maintenance to ensure safety, quality, and on-time delivery.

You will coach Production, Shipping, and Maintenance managers, drive continuous improvement through Kaizen and Six Sigma, and partner with Quality to sustain ISO 9001 standards. This role requires strong cross-functional leadership and data-driven decision making.

Qualifications

• Proven track record of driving operational performance in manufacturing.

Responsibilities

• Lead daily production, warehousing, and maintenance across two facilities to hit safety, quality, delivery, and output targets.
• Hold site leaders accountable for performance metrics and schedules.
• Coordinate between facilities and departments to eliminate delays and improve flow.
• Foster a high-performance culture focused on safety and continuous improvement.
• Drive Kaizen and Six Sigma initiatives to increase throughput and reduce waste.
• Develop and coach site leaders to independently manage their functions.
• Ensure ERP data accuracy and use ERP for production decisions.
• Establish clear performance expectations across both sites.

Skills

Operational leadership

Manufacturing engineering

ERP/MRP systems

Team leadership

Workforce planning

Equipment reliability

Quality management systems

Analytical skills

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Operations Management or related field

Tools

ERP/MRP software

Job description

Black Bear Talent is seeking a Senior Production Manager for a multi-site manufacturing operation. This role provides strategic and operational leadership across production, warehousing, fulfillment, and maintenance functions to ensure safe, efficient, and high-quality output while continuously improving throughput, cost performance, and delivery reliability. The Senior Production Manager will provide direct leadership to the Production Managers, Shipping and Receiving Managers, and Maintenance Managers across each facility, ensuring teams are aligned, accountable, and focused on achieving measurable operational results.

Key Responsibilities

Operational Leadership & Performance

• Lead daily production, integration, warehousing, and fulfillment activities across two facilities to achieve safety, quality, delivery, and output targets
• Hold site leaders accountable for performance metrics, operational discipline, and execution against production schedules
• Drive alignment between facilities and departments (Quality, Planning, R&D, Procurement, HR, and others) to eliminate delays and improve operational flow
• Foster a high-performance culture focused on safety, quality, and continuous improvement

Process & Productivity Improvement

• Improve manufacturing efficiency by optimizing production lines, workflows, and material flow
• Apply Kaizen and Six Sigma principles to improve process efficiency, quality, and repeatability in manufacturing and operational environments
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives that increase throughput, reduce waste, and improve labor and equipment utilization
• Identify and eliminate production bottlenecks, process inefficiencies, and workflow gaps
• Standardize processes and implement documented best practices across both facilities
• Lead workforce planning to ensure staffing levels and skills align with production demands and growth objectives
• Develop strong site leadership by coaching managers to independently lead their functional areas
• Establish clear performance expectations and accountability across both sites

Operational Systems & Metrics

• Ensure effective use of the company’s ERP system to maintain accurate production, inventory, and fulfillment data
• Monitor labor performance, overtime, and productivity to ensure efficient use of resources
• Track, analyze, and act on key performance indicators (KPIs) to drive measurable operational improvement

Facility & Equipment Reliability

• Ensure equipment uptime and facility readiness through proactive maintenance planning and execution
• Maintain operational compliance with company standards and defense industry requirements

Quality & Compliance

• In collaboration with the Quality Manager, ensure operations support the company’s Quality Management System and maintain compliance with ISO 9001 standards
• Reinforce process discipline, corrective action execution, and continuous improvement initiatives across both sites
• Perform other duties as assigned by executive leadership

QUALIFICATIONS

Required Qualifications

• Proven track record of driving operational performance in an industrial or manufacturing environment
• Strong industrial or manufacturing engineering experience, including improving or scaling manufacturing lines
• Experience using ERP or MRP systems to manage production visibility, inventory accuracy, and operational decision-making
• Demonstrated success leading multiple teams or departments with measurable performance outcomes
• Proven ability to lead leaders, manage workforce planning, and build high-performing teams
• Experience overseeing equipment reliability, facilities, and maintenance operations
• Working knowledge of structured quality systems in a manufacturing environment
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and organizational skills
• Excellent communication and cross-functional leadership abilities

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Operations Management, Business, or a related field
• 5+ years of operational leadership experience
• Experience working within an ISO 9001-certified Quality Management System
• Familiarity with Lean, Kaizen, and Six Sigma methodologies; Green Belt certification or equivalent experience desired.