Production Manager – Assembly (Mechanical/Electrical) & Continuous Improvement

Location: Kent, WA - on-site 5 days/week

Schedule: 4x10s (Mon-Thurs). The last Friday and Saturday of each month are typically worked, resulting in ~2 additional workdays that week. As a salaried role, flexibility is required to support production needs.

KORE1, a nationwide provider of staffing and recruiting solutions, has an immediate opening for a Production Manager – Assembly (Mechanical/Electrical) & Continuous Improvement

Production Manager who can analyze our current production processes and create the best methods for day-to-day manufacturing operations. The Production Manager is responsible for operator assembly, warranty and spares support and leads the safety committee. This includes day to day oversight of operator fulfillment, optimizing assembler assignments, trouble shooting, and process improvement. This role interfaces with the business regarding all production activities, project management of custom equipment orders, and metrics reporting. The production manager will be responsible for overseeing the production department, establishing manufacturing best practices with a focus on lean manufacturing, and setting a culture of continuous improvement throughout the production team.

This role interfaces with the business on all production activities, including project management of custom equipment orders and metrics reporting. The Production Manager is responsible for overseeing the production department, establishing manufacturing best practices with a focus on lean manufacturing, and setting a culture of continuous improvement across the production team.

This role interfaces with the business on all production activities, including project management of custom equipment orders and metrics reporting. The Production Manager is responsible for overseeing the production department, establishing manufacturing best practices with a focus on lean manufacturing, and setting a culture of continuous improvement across the production team.

This is a highly hands-on leadership role focused on stabilizing and improving a production environment undergoing active change, including new product introduction, evolving processes, and team structure adjustments. The Production Manager will play a critical role in increasing throughput, reducing downtime, and establishing operational discipline across the production floor.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Responsible for operator assembly, warranty, and spares support, and leads the safety committee
• Day-to-day oversight of operator fulfillment, including optimizing assembler assignments, troubleshooting production issues, and driving process improvement
• Analyze current production processes and develop optimal methods for day-to-day manufacturing operations, including identifying inefficiencies and implementing process improvements directly on the floor
• Interface with the business on all production activities, including project management of custom equipment orders and metrics reporting
• Oversee the production department and establish manufacturing best practices with a focus on lean manufacturing and continuous improvement
• Set and reinforce a culture of continuous improvement across the production team, including implementing methodologies such as 5S, standard work, and visual management
• Establish, define, and manage KPIs (e.g., throughput, labor efficiency, downtime, on-time delivery), including building reporting cadence and performance tracking where not fully defined today
• Own and manage existing KPIs including daily completion rate (via ERP), quality alert closure/aging, overtime reduction, and First Pass Yield (FPY), while improving data accuracy and accountability across the team
• Develop and implement additional KPIs such as work instruction adherence (pass/fail) and operator return rate
• Identify and resolve operational constraints across staffing, material flow, scheduling, and line balancing
• Partner with Operations leadership to drive measurable improvements in throughput and reductions in downtime, particularly planning and material-related inefficiencies
• Lead ongoing operational changes, including evolving team structure (e.g., transitioning leads into supervisory roles)
• Manage team performance, including coaching, development, accountability, and leading difficult conversations as needed
• Analyze production data and adjust staffing, priorities, and workflows accordingly, including providing recommendations on headcount, layout, and resource allocation
• Drive quality accountability through root cause analysis and timely closure of quality alerts (target: within 5 business days)
• Ensure adherence to safety, quality, and operational standards, including leading safety initiatives and supporting proactive safety programs

Team & Environment:

• Team consists of long-tenured employees (many with 15-20 years of experience)
• Collaborative, team-oriented environment with strong institutional knowledge
• Organization is undergoing active operational changes (new product lines, process updates, team structure evolution)
• Requires a hands-on, high-energy leader who can integrate with the team while driving operational improvement and change

Purpose

• Build and develop the production team
• Establish and manage KPIs
• Drive higher throughput and continuous improvement while maintaining safety and quality standards
• Own and lead continuous improvement efforts end-to-end, including identifying inefficiencies, implementing process improvements, and driving operational success across the production floor

What are are looking for:

• Bachelor's degree is preferred; in lieu of a degree, candidates must have strong, relevant production assembly leadership experience
• Experience in structured assembly environments (e.g., medical device, aerospace, or complex electronics) involving mechanical and/or electrical assembly is required
• New product introduction (NPI) experience and engineering change management experience
• Knowledge of ISO quality standards
• Proven ownership of continuous improvement initiatives, including defining, implementing, and sustaining improvements across the production floor
• Hands-on experience leading Lean initiatives, including 5S, standard work, visual management, and related methodologies
• Track record of driving measurable improvements in throughput, downtime, labor efficiency, and overall operational performance
• Lean / Six Sigma certifications or equivalent training are a plus
• 6-8 years of progressive, hands-on production leadership experience (e.g., Lead → Supervisor → Manager), coming from a hands-on background in structured assembly environments; preferably leading teams of 20
• Experience operating in environments undergoing change (e.g., new product introduction, process changes, scaling operations) and improving or establishing KPI-driven reporting
• Strong leadership capabilities including performance management, coaching, leading difficult conversations, rebuilding or enhancing teams, and holding individuals accountable
• Proven ability to lead within a tenured workforce while driving alignment and change
• Ability to manage competing priorities across production, facilities, HR, and vendor needs
• Proven ability to multi-task, set priorities, and drive execution across multiple initiatives
• Experience establishing, owning, and driving KPIs and reporting frameworks to manage team performance and operational output
• Demonstrated ability to improve financial performance, specifically in manufacturing utilization and efficiency
• Strong analytical mindset with the ability to define problems, collect and analyze production data and staffing levels, and draw valid conclusions
• Ability to provide data-driven recommendations on staffing, layout, and process flow
• Experience with ERP systems (e.g., NetSuite), reporting tools, MS Office (Word, Excel, Outlook), and delivering clear production metrics and presentations
• Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals
• Ability to read and interpret technical drawings and schematics
• Capable of working with mathematical concepts such as probability, statistical inference, and fundamentals of geometry and trigonometry
• Customer-focused mindset with strong communication skills
• Ability to effectively and professionally communicate with co-workers, customers, and vendors
• Working knowledge of OSHA and EPA requirements

Physical Requirements:

Essential functions of this job require the following minimal physical demands. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable the individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Required to sit, talk, or hear; frequently required to use hands to grip or feel; and occasionally required to stand, walk, reach with hands and arms, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.
• Vision and depth perception suitable for use of utilizing a computer, printer, phone, and keyboard.
• Manual dexterity suitable for use of utilizing a computer.
• Sufficient personal mobility and physical reflexes which permits the employee to work in an office setting.
• Ability to walk and/or climb 5% of the time comfortably, with or without reasonable accommodation.
• Ability to sit at a computer for 90% of the time comfortably, with or without reasonable accommodation.
• Light to moderate lifting.

Working Conditions: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Must be comfortable working in a production floor environment to include moderate noise levels
• The working area is primarily in a production floor setting with limited temperature control.
• The nominal production workweek is 40 hours (M-Th), however this position is expected to support/oversee production overtime, where necessary.

Compensation depends on experience but is typically $90-125K.