Production Support Manager

Position: Production Support Manager

Location: Sacramento, CA (On-Site)

Worksite Address: Sacramento, CA facility (Relocation Package Available)

Duration: Direct Placement / Full-Time Permanent

Pay Rate: $140,000 – $165,000 base 10% annual incentive bonus (relocation package available for out-of-area candidates)

Work Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM (On-Site)

Target Start Date: ASAP

Company Overview

This client is a global leader in the design and manufacturing of complex rail vehicles and transportation systems, operating large-scale production facilities across North America. With thousands of employees on-site, this organization builds mission-critical transportation infrastructure that moves people across major metropolitan areas. The company is currently undergoing a significant operational and cultural transformation, investing in new technologies, process improvements, and strategic leadership to modernize its production support functions. This client values servant leadership, operational excellence, and long-term employee development, and offers a highly collaborative environment with strong growth potential.

Must-Haves

• Bachelor's degree in a technical discipline (engineering, industrial management, or related field) or equivalent combination of education and experience
• 5–10 years of maintenance management experience within a manufacturing or heavy industrial environment
• Proven experience leading maintenance teams responsible for complex production equipment, including electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, and PLC-controlled systems
• Demonstrated background managing preventive and predictive maintenance programs
• Experience supporting production operations through equipment repair, installation, and ongoing maintenance activities
• Strong people leadership experience managing direct labor teams, including performance development and accountability
• Experience with CMMS platforms and maintenance planning systems
• Background in cost management, supply management, and budget ownership in an industrial setting
• Experience working within a large-scale organization (2,000 employees or equivalent complexity) with multiple internal stakeholders
• Proven ability to drive change management and cultural transformation within established, long-tenured teams
• Strong strategic planning skills, including the ability to build budgets, develop multi-year roadmaps, and evaluate technology investments
• Excellent collaboration and communication skills across cross-functional production and leadership teams

Plusses

• Background in rail manufacturing or experience at companies such as Union Pacific, Stadler, Alstom, Progress Rail (Caterpillar), Kinkisharyo, Amtrak, LA Metro, SF Muni, or similar rail manufacturers or operators
• Experience in automotive, aerospace, or other large-scale industrial equipment manufacturing environments
• Willingness to relocate to Sacramento, CA (relocation package available)

Day-to-Day

The ideal candidate is a hands-on manufacturing leader with a strong maintenance background and proven experience managing technical teams in a heavy industrial environment — ideally with exposure to the rail industry. This individual will oversee three distinct production support functions — equipment maintenance, tool crib operations, and internal transportation — while leading a team of approximately 15 or more employees (exact headcount to be confirmed). Reporting to senior plant leadership, this person will partner closely with production managers and cross-functional stakeholders to ensure manufacturing operations remain safe, efficient, and on schedule. Beyond day-to-day operational execution, this role is central to a broader organizational transformation — the right candidate will bring a strategic mindset, a passion for process improvement, and the interpersonal skills needed to lead a long-tenured team through meaningful cultural and operational change.

Responsibilities

• Oversee and unify three production support functions: tool crib/supply management, internal transportation operations, and equipment maintenance
• Lead, develop, and hold accountable a team of direct labor employees across all three functional areas
• Manage a multi-million dollar tool crib and supply budget, including cost control, vendor relationships, and procurement planning
• Develop and execute preventive and predictive maintenance programs to maximize equipment uptime and reduce unplanned downtime
• Coordinate safe movement of rail vehicles and large-scale equipment throughout the production facility using specialized transport equipment
• Partner with production leadership to ensure all support functions are aligned with manufacturing schedules and operational priorities
• Drive cultural transformation within the team by shifting from a reactive "firefighting" approach to a proactive, planning-driven operational model
• Evaluate and implement technology solutions, software tools, and process improvements to reduce people dependency and increase efficiency
• Build and manage departmental budgets, capital equipment plans, and multi-year operational roadmaps
• Establish and maintain performance metrics, KPIs, and accountability structures across all three functional teams
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders, including production managers, safety teams, and senior leadership, to align priorities and resolve operational challenges
• Support candidate onboarding, team development, and succession planning within the production support organization