Production Manager

HCi, a leading provider of quality, innovative, and energy efficient hydronic balancing products for the HVAC industry, is seeking a Production Manager to serve as the central point of coordination across our Production, Estimating, Customer Service, and Outside Sales functions. This is a newly created role designed to keep day-to-day operations running smoothly and to strengthen communication between the teams that get product designed, quoted, built, and shipped.

The Production Manager will oversee the Production Supervisor and production team and will act as the main liaison connecting production with the estimating/CSR team and outside sales — ensuring priorities are aligned, timelines are realistic, and issues are resolved quickly across departments.

• Directly oversee the Production Supervisor and production team, supporting scheduling, staffing, and day-to-day shop floor operations
• Serve as the primary liaison between production, the Estimating/CSR team, and outside sales to keep orders, quotes, and delivery commitments aligned
• Translate sales and customer commitments into realistic production timelines, and flag conflicts or capacity issues before they become problems
• Partner with Estimating/CSR team to ensure quoted lead times and product configurations are achievable on the production floor
• Monitor workflow across order intake, estimating/quoting, production, and shipping to identify and resolve bottlenecks
• Support continuous improvement of operational processes, quality, and on-time delivery performance
• Step in as a stabilizing, cross-functional presence during a period of leadership transition, helping maintain consistency across departments
• Report on operational performance and cross-department issues to senior leadership
• Manage purchasing and vendor relationships for production materials, components, and supplies

• Bachelor’s Degree required
• Experience in production management, operations management, or plant/manufacturing supervisory role, ideally in a manufacturing, industrial, or HVAC/plumbing-adjacent environment
• Demonstrated ability to manage people and lead a production team
• Strong cross-functional communication skills — comfortable working with production staff, engineers/estimators, CSRs, and outside sales alike
• Solid organizational and problem-solving skills; able to prioritize and keep multiple moving parts on track
• Familiarity with order-to-ship workflows (quoting, engineering, production scheduling, shipping) a plus
• HVAC, hydronics, or valve/piping industry background a plus, but not required
• Working knowledge of lean manufacturing and continuous improvement practices
• Purchasing, inventory control, and vendor management experience
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel in particular); ERP/MRP system experience preferred
• Ability to spend significant time on the production floor, including standing and walking for long periods
• Lifting loads up to 50 lbs
• Wear appropriate PPE to suit the task

• Identify and implement process improvements that reduce waste, cycle time, and cost
• Establish and track production KPIs, such as:
• Throughput and labor efficiency
• Scrap and rework
• Apply lean manufacturing principles (5S, standard work, visual management) on the shop floor
• Partner with the Production Supervisor on root-cause analysis and corrective actions for quality issues
• Evaluate equipment, tooling, and layout needs and recommend improvements
• Promote a safe work environment and ensure compliance with safety standards

• Purchase raw materials, components, and supplies to support the production schedule
• Develop and maintain relationships with key vendors
• Monitor vendor performance for quality, cost, and…