Production Manager

Company Overview

ITW Drawform is a $150M USD Division within Illinois Tool Works’ Automotive Segment. It has an excellent reputation for delivering top results and exceeding customer expectations within the deep draw industry.

Responsible for management of the Manufacturing, Assembly, Material Handling, Quality and Maintenance within ITW Drawform’s facility in Waterbury, Connecticut. The role will lead efforts to prepare, start up and optimize a three 8‑hour shift manufacturing process throughout the plant while building alliances and gaining buy‑in from existing team members. This person will apply modern & applicable automation & manufacturing systems to optimize production schedules, quality, and cost objectives in a safe manner.

• Maintain efficient safety program according to company standards. Uphold a safe work environment for all employees including a focus on 5S and an injury/accident‑free workplace.
• Improve operational performance by identifying, prioritizing, and assisting in the implementation of improvement projects or system enhancements, which result in efficiency improvements, quality improvements, and/or cost savings.
• Contribute operations information and recommendations to strategic plans and reviews; prepare and complete action plans; implement production, productivity, quality, and customer‑service standards; resolve problems; complete audits; identify trends.
• Collaborate closely with scheduling, planning, maintenance, and engineering to ensure equipment and facility readiness.
• Forecast requirements; prepare an annual budget; schedule expenditures; analyze variances; initiate corrective actions.
• Analyze and improve organizational process and workflow, employee and space requirements, and equipment layout; implement changes to follow Model Factory concept.
• Work closely with the inventory manager and team to perform analysis of inventory and ensure we are utilizing our inventory effectively, purchasing the right equipment, and maintaining solid inventory data.
• Partner with plant manager, peers, and human resources to ensure production needs are consistently met and that appropriate MRD inventory levels are maintained.
• Responsible for product quality and communicating customer expectations to the team.
• Develop and implement internal procedures and documentation to support the manufacturing operations.
• Effectively manage the team by setting clear goals, monitoring KPIs, maintaining accountability and creating risk mitigation plans, as necessary.
• Identify training and development needs of staff, and initiate appropriate programs.
• Support business growth by implementing necessary changes to product/production to enter new markets or grow existing product volumes.
• Challenge the status quo, embrace technology, put forward creative ideas, champion and implement process improvements, gather the ideas of others, and demonstrate good judgment about ideas that will work.
• Supports cultural improvements and programs that are sustainable and employee engagement driven.
• Translate strategy into organization structure and governance models; diagnose, design, deliver and deploy organization design initiatives.
• Conduct regular audits of the organizational structure and recommend changes to make the organization more efficient.

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations, Business or a related field and 4 to 6 years of relevant experience required.
• Prior production supervision required.
• Prior facility start‑up or expansion highly desirable.
• Automation highly desirable.
• Metal stamping and washing desirable.
• Leading teams through change.
• Ability to read & analyze data, and use this information to make decisions.
• Understanding of production/inventory control.
• Ability to influence outcomes, utilizing effective communication skills across functions and at senior levels.
• Excellent leadership skills, as evidenced by a track record of hiring, retaining, developing, and motivating top‑tier Operations talent.
• Sound administrative and managerial skills.
• Conflict management, analytical, and diplomacy skills.
• Self‑starter and a team player.
• Continuous improvement…