Production Manager

Production Manager

Position Title:

Production Manager

Reports to:

U.S. Operations Manager

Location:

Mokena, IL or Richton Park, IL (Division Manufacturing Sites)

Team Led: 2nd- and 3rd-shift Production Supervisors, plus Team Leads, Setup Technicians, Material Handlers, and production operators

The Opportunity

Our client is a division of a Fortune 500 diversified industrial manufacturer with roughly $14B in global revenue, operations in 57 countries, and a portfolio of more than 16,000 active patents. Within that global enterprise, this division is a focused, ~$160M automotive business serving major OEMs across North America, engineering and manufacturing housing units, vehicle doors, capless fuel systems, and electric vehicle (EV) charge ports.

The division operates multiple manufacturing locations across the U.S. and Mexico. This role is based at either of the division's Mokena, IL or Richton Park, IL facilities, running injection molding and assembly operations across all three shifts. As the business modernizes its operations and pursues renewed growth, it needs a hands-on Production Manager who can own the floor, drive performance, and build the next generation of shop-floor leadership.

Own the floor. Own the numbers. Build the team.

This is not a back-office role — it's a highly visible, hands-on leadership position at the center of daily plant performance. You'll be the primary link between shifts, the first point of contact when something goes wrong, and the person accountable for turning safety, quality, delivery, and cost targets into daily reality. If you want a role where your decisions show up on the floor and in the P&L the same day, keep reading.

Why This Role Is Different

• High-visibility ownership — full P&L accountability for assigned cost centers, not just a supporting role in someone else's numbers
• Backed by Fortune 500 scale — the resources, tooling, and career runway of a global industrial leader, with the pace and accountability of plant-floor leadership
• Broad scope, real authority — hiring, disciplinary, and spending authority within approved limits, plus direct management of Production Supervisors, Team Leads, and Setup Technicians
• A proven leadership pipeline — production leadership roles within this organization are a recognized path into plant management and multi-site operations leadership
• Immediate impact — from shift handoffs to changeover performance to conversion cost, the opportunities to make a visible difference start on day one

What You'll Own

Daily Operations Leadership

• Execute daily production operations across all three shifts to meet safety, quality, delivery, productivity, cost, and customer requirements
• Serve as the primary point of contact for the assigned location, including off-shift, weekend, and holiday operational escalations
• Maintain high visibility and an active leadership presence on the shop floor
• Serve as the primary link between shifts and functions, ensuring consistent priorities, effective shift handoffs, clear ownership, timely escalation, and follow-through on operational issues
• Directly lead first-shift production operations and manage the second- and third-shift Production Supervisors

Team & Talent Leadership

• Lead, coach, and hold accountable Production Supervisors, Team Leads, Setup Technicians, Material Handlers, and production operators — a true leader of leaders on the floor
• Hold hiring, disciplinary, and spending authority within approved limits
• Develop Production Supervisors, Team Leads, and operators through clear expectations, coaching, performance feedback, and succession planning
• Build bench strength on the floor as the organization brings along the next generation of manufacturing talent

Financial & Cost Ownership

• Own full P&L accountability for the financial performance of assigned cost centers and their contribution to the plant's overall financial performance
• Control and improve conversion costs, including:
• Direct and indirect labor
• Overtime
• Scrap
• Premium freight
• Variable inventory costs
• External sorting
• Directly manage production schedules, labor allocation, staffing levels, overtime, and resource priorities; maintain a forward-looking production and…