Manager Production

Position Overview

The Production Manager is a key operational leader responsible for driving safety, efficiency, and continuous improvement across all facets of the manufacturing floor. This role blends strategic oversight with hands-on execution to ensure production goals are met while fostering a culture of safety, quality, and collaboration. The Production Manager will lead cross-functional initiatives, optimize planning and resource allocation, standardize best practices, and implement waste reduction strategies to support long-term operational excellence. Strong project management, communication, and team leadership skills are essential to successfully align daily operations with broader business objectives.

Key Responsibilities

Safety & Compliance

• Enforce health, safety, and environmental regulations across the production floor.
• Foster a Safety Culture: Promote open communication, encourage near-miss reporting, and recognize safe behaviors to build a proactive safety mindset.
• Develop and Maintain Safety Programs: Create and update site-specific safety protocols, including lockout/tagout procedures, PPE requirements, and emergency response plans.
• Lead Incident Investigations: When incidents occur, oversee root cause analysis (like 5-Why or Fishbone), document findings, and ensure timely implementation of corrective and preventive actions.
  
  

Production Planning & Scheduling

• Capacity Planning: Evaluate equipment, labor, and facility capabilities to ensure production goals are realistic and achievable. This includes planning for peak periods and maintenance downtime.
• Inventory Management: Monitor raw materials, work-in-progress, and finished goods to maintain optimal inventory levels. This includes implementing just-in-time (JIT) strategies when appropriate.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to understand production requirements and translate them into effective planning strategies.
• Allocate human and material resources effectively to meet production targets and quality standards.
• Cross-Functional Coordination: Work closely with sales, logistics, engineering, and quality teams to ensure production plans align with broader business objectives and customer expectations.
  
  

Continuous Improvement

• Identify opportunities for process optimization and efficiency gains within the production planning framework.
• Develop and implement Lean Manufacturing principles to identify and eliminate non-value-added activities within the production processes.
• Lead Lean projects to streamline workflows, reduce lead times, and optimize resource utilization.
• Conduct thorough value stream mapping exercises to identify areas for improvement in production planning, material flow, and overall process efficiency.
• Organize and facilitate Kaizen events to engage the production team in continuous improvement activities.
• Implement Kaizen-driven changes to enhance production planning, reduce bottlenecks, and improve overall operational flow.
• Implement continuous improvement initiatives to drive productivity and reduce lead times.
  
  

Collaboration And Communication

• Foster effective communication channels between production, procurement, and logistics teams to ensure alignment on planning goals.
• Clear Direction Setting: Translate strategic goals into actionable tasks for frontline supervisors and operators, using visual management tools like Gemba boards or digital dashboards.
• Shift Handover Protocols: Implement structured communication during shift changes to ensure continuity, flag issues, and maintain accountability.
• Feedback Loops: Create channels for upward feedback—like suggestion boxes, digital surveys, or regular team huddles—to surface frontline insights.
• Crisis Communication: Lead communication during unplanned events (e.g., equipment failure, safety incidents), ensuring transparency and timely updates to all stakeholders.
• Employee Engagement: Use town halls, newsletters, or one-on-one check-ins to keep teams informed, motivated, and aligned with company values.
  
  

Standard Work Development

• Establish and maintain standardized work procedures that promote consistency, quality, and efficiency in production planning activities.
• Collaborate with team members to ensure adherence to standardized processes and drive continuous improvement.
• Define the Best-Known Method (BKM): Collaborate with operators, engineers, and quality teams to document the most efficient, safe, and repeatable way to perform a task.
• Drive Continuous Improvement: Treat standard work as a living document. Update it based on kaizen events, safety findings, or quality improvements.
  
  

Waste Reduction Strategies

• Identify and implement strategies to minimize waste, including excess inventory, overproduction, and unnecessary movement of materials.
• Monitor key metrics to track the impact of waste reduction initiatives on overall production efficiency.
• Design for Manufacturability (DFM): Collaborate with engineering to simplify product designs, reduce part counts, and minimize processing steps—cutting waste before production even begins.
  
  

Project Management

• Lead cross-functional projects related to process improvements, equipment upgrades, and facility expansions.
• Develop detailed project plans, timelines, and resource allocations to ensure on-time, on-budget execution
• Coordinate with engineering, maintenance, procurement, and external vendors to align project deliverables with production goals.
• Facilitate regular project meetings, status updates, and stakeholder communications to ensure transparency and alignment.
• Oversee commissioning, validation, and handoff of completed projects to operations teams.
  
  

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience (10+ years in a manufacturing or production role) may be considered in lieu of a degree.
• Experience: 5+ years in manufacturing or production environments, with at least 2 years in a supervisory or leadership role
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to make data-driven decisions.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills for effective collaboration.
• Project management experience, with a track record of successful system implementations.
  
  

Join our team and be a key player in shaping the future of our production planning processes. If you are passionate about optimizing workflows, leveraging cutting-edge technology, and driving operational excellence, we invite you to apply for this exciting opportunity.

About FET

FET (Forum Energy Technologies, Inc.) is a global company, serving the crude oil, natural gas, and renewable energy industries. FET is headquartered in Houston, TX with quality manufacturing, efficient distribution, and service facilities conveniently located to support the major energy-producing regions of the world. Forum’s products and services range from the underwater reservoir to the refinery, from the sea floor to the above-ground transportation line. We pride ourselves on giving you a comprehensive offering of solutions to maximize your operations and improve your bottom line. Our customers are our partners and we work with them to solve their ever-changing challenges.

FET is an Equal Opportunity Employer. FET does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected under federal, state, or local law. All employment decisions and practices at FET are subject to the foregoing non-discrimination provisions and are based solely on merit, competence, performance, and business needs at the time.