Production Manager

Our aerospace and defense manufacturing client is searching for a Production Manager with lean manufacturing experience and a roll-up-your-sleeves attitude to help position our company for new growth and improved social responsibility.

The Production Manager – Structures is responsible for daily execution of manufacturing operations within a CNC machining-focused environment, ensuring production plans translate into on-time delivery, productivity gains, and cost discipline. This role leads machine shop operations, driving accountability, standard work, and continuous improvement across machining, secondary operations/outside operations, and workflow execution.

This leader will operate with a strong ownership mindset, directly impacting delivery performance, labor efficiency, and throughput, while partnering cross-functionally to remove constraints and scale operations.

• Own daily machine shop execution
• Supervise and drive performance across CNC machining, fabrication, and related operations
• Ensure production schedules are met with a focus on on-time delivery and throughput
• Drive operational performance
• Lead improvements in labor efficiency, cycle time, and WIP reduction
• Execute productivity initiatives aligned with TDG value drivers (cost, productivity, new business)
• Standardize and scale processes
• Establish and enforce standard work, visual management, and operator accountability
• Identify and eliminate process variation and bottlenecks
• Lead problem solving
• Own root cause analysis and corrective actions for delivery, quality, and productivity issues
• Drive rapid resolution and sustainable fixes on the shop floor
• Manage and develop team
• Lead, coach, and develop supervisors and operators within the machine shop
• Build a culture of ownership, accountability, and bias for action
• Cross-functional alignment
• Partner with Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, and Planning to ensure production flow
• Support new product introduction and manufacturability improvements

• 5 years successful management experience in a manufacturing environment
• Experience in the Aerospace industry is preferred
• Previous experience building a strong and positive team environment
• Demonstrated success in employee relations and leadership
• Previous experience managing and achieving budgetary requirements within a department
• Previous experience recommending and initiating corrective actions
• Or equivalent combination of education and experience