Sr. Production Manager

Location: Saint Paul

Essential Duties:

• Production Leadership & Workflow Oversight

o Direct all phases of remount, upfit, refurbishment, and body work to ensure high-quality, on-time results.

o Develop, manage, and adjust production schedules, labor assignments, and resource allocation.

o Establish and enforce production standards, quality checkpoints, and work procedures.

o Ensure compliance with safety standards, regulations, and shop cleanliness requirements.

o Troubleshoot production issues and execute timely corrective actions.

• Team Leadership & Development

o Lead, mentor, and develop technicians, leads, and shop staff to achieve high performance and craftsmanship.

o Identify skills gaps and implement training programs for specialized systems and technical competencies.

o Foster a positive, accountable, and safety-focused culture that supports teamwork and continuous learning.

• Operational Optimization & Continuous Improvement

o Evaluate production workflows and shop layout to reduce bottlenecks, rework, and cycle time.

o Drive continuous improvement, lean practices, and efficiency initiatives.

o Support capacity planning and recommend equipment upgrades or capital improvements.

• Financial & Resource Management

o Monitor labor hours, job costing, and material usage to meet budget and productivity goals.

o Partner with parts and procurement teams to ensure parts availability and proper staging.

o Support forecasting of labor, tooling, and facility needs based on production demand.

• Customer & Cross-Functional Partnership

o Collaborate closely with sales, service, engineering, and administrative teams to support project accuracy and execution.

o Serve as a technical and operational resource for complex build requirements.

o Participate in customer visits, project reviews, and quality meetings as needed.

• Perform other duties as assigned.

Leadership Competencies:

• Technical Acumen

o Advanced knowledge of emergency or specialty vehicle systems, upfit components, wiring, body structures, and mechanical systems.

o Proficiency in Microsoft Office and ERP/work order management tools.

o Ability to interpret technical requirements and communicate them effectively.

• People Leadership

o Builds trust, develops talent, and motivates teams through coaching and clear expectations.

o Demonstrates strong communication skills with technicians, leadership, customers, and vendors.

o Promotes a culture of accountability, teamwork, and safety.

• Strategic Thinking

o Anticipates production needs and aligns resources accordingly.

o Uses data, KPIs, and performance trends to inform decisions.

o Supports long-range planning, capacity management, and continuous improvement strategies.

• Operational Excellence

o Champions quality, safety, and efficient workflow execution.

o Applies lean principles to reduce waste and increase throughput.

o Ensures all production practices align with Mac Queen's standards and customer expectations.

Essential Qualifications:

• 5+ years of production or operations leadership, ideally in emergency vehicles, heavy truck, or specialty vehicle manufacturing.

• Bachelor's degree in Operations Management or related field preferred.

• Demonstrated experience leading technical teams in multi-stage production environments.

• Proven success in workflow optimization, quality improvement, and efficiency initiatives.

• Strong financial and operational acumen (labor planning, job costing, resource allocation).

• Proficient in Microsoft Office and ERP/work order software.

Desirable Qualifications:

• ASE, EVT or manufacturer certifications

• Experience in lean, Kaizen, or continuous improvement environments

Compensation: $96k-$125k

ADA Requirements:

• Bend, squat, climb, grasp, twist, reach, lift or otherwise move frequently for extended periods.

• Lift, move or otherwise transfer up to 50 lbs frequently, or more occasionally.

• Walk, stand, or otherwise move about continuously.

• Typically sits, grasp items and performs keyboarding for occasional operation of a computer.

• Exposure to typical machine shop physical hazards including chemicals which may require respiratory protection.

• Travel by car or air occasionally.

This job description is intended to describe…