What are the responsibilities and job description for the Production Manager (Automotive Manufacturing) position at STEM Search Group?
What you’ll do…
- Lead day-to-day operations in a high-volume, multi-line manufacturing environment, with full ownership of performance across all shifts.
- Drive accountability and execution across a team of supervisors and leads (200 production employees), setting clear expectations and ensuring follow-through at every level.
- Take a hands-on approach to leadership, maintaining a strong floor presence, coaching supervisors in real time, and addressing performance gaps directly.
- Own key operational KPIs including scrap, productivity, and schedule attainment, identifying gaps, driving root cause, and ensuring corrective actions are implemented and sustained.
- Strengthen discipline and consistency across all shifts, building structure around standard work, communication, and leadership expectations.
- Partner cross-functionally with Quality, Maintenance, Engineering, and Materials to resolve issues impacting safety, throughput, and product performance, driving solutions instead of escalation.
- Develop and elevate front-line leadership capability, holding supervisors accountable while coaching and building a stronger, more effective team.
- Align staffing, production planning, and resources to meet customer demand while improving efficiency and reducing waste.
- Champion a safety-first culture with clear expectations, consistent enforcement, and proactive risk mitigation.
What we’re looking for…
- 7 years of progressive leadership experience in high-volume automotive manufacturing, including direct responsibility for large, multi-shift teams (150 employees).
- Proven track record of improving KPIs such as scrap, productivity, efficiency, and labor utilization, with the ability to clearly articulate your direct impact.
- Hands-on leadership style, someone who is visible on the floor, actively engaged with the team, and willing to step in to drive results.
- Experience walking into challenging or underperforming environments and building structure, accountability, and performance.
- Strong leadership presence with the ability to coach, challenge, and develop supervisors while addressing performance issues directly.
- Solid understanding of Lean manufacturing and structured problem-solving, with a focus on execution and follow-through.
- Data-driven mindset with the ability to translate operational improvements into measurable business results.
- Experience working cross-functionally to drive resolution of production and quality issues.
- Bachelor’s degree preferred; equivalent experience considered.
Why this role matters…
You are stepping into an operation that needs strong leadership, tighter execution, and a higher level of accountability across the floor. You will have the opportunity to make a meaningful impact by elevating front-line leadership, strengthening a winning culture, and driving measurable improvements across safety, quality, and productivity. The role offers a high level of visibility and autonomy, with the ability to influence both day-to-day operations and longer-term strategy as the business continues to grow.