Production Manager

Position Title: Production Operations Manager

Greater Baltimore, MD Area

Role Overview

This position leads manufacturing operations in a high-output food production facility. The Production Operations Manager is responsible for ensuring efficient production flow, maintaining safety and quality standards, and driving team performance. The role requires a hands-on leader with experience in food manufacturing and a strong understanding of operational best practices.

Key Functions & Requirements

• Develop and manage production schedules to meet output targets, requiring strong planning skills and familiarity with production systems.
• Coordinate with supply chain, logistics, and quality teams to ensure readiness of materials and equipment, leveraging cross-functional collaboration experience.
• Supervise and support production staff, providing coaching and performance feedback; prior leadership in a manufacturing environment is essential.
• Manage staffing levels, shift coverage, and employee relations, requiring strong organizational and interpersonal skills.
• Identify and implement process improvements to enhance efficiency and reduce waste, using lean manufacturing principles and continuous improvement methodologies.
• Monitor adherence to product specifications and regulatory standards, requiring knowledge of food safety frameworks such as HACCP, FDA, or USDA.
• Lead safety initiatives and ensure compliance with sanitation protocols, drawing on experience with workplace safety programs and training.
• Oversee operation and maintenance of production equipment, including troubleshooting and coordination with maintenance teams; mechanical aptitude is a plus.
• Track production costs and identify cost-saving opportunities, requiring analytical skills and experience managing budgets or cost centers.
• Prepare and present reports on KPIs such as throughput, downtime, waste, and quality, using data analysis tools and reporting software.
• Maintain accurate documentation for production, sanitation, and inventory, ensuring compliance with internal and external audit requirements.

Preferred Background

• Minimum of 5 years in food manufacturing, with at least 2 years in a leadership role.
• Experience in high-volume production environments, ideally within frozen foods or similar sectors.
• Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Engineering, Business, or a related field is preferred.
• Proficiency in production planning tools, Microsoft Office Suite, and basic data analysis platforms.
• Strong communication, problem-solving, and time-management skills.