Production Manager
Production Manager
Specialty Paper Manufacturing Industry
East Hartford, CT
Salary Range: $110,000 - $120,000
An established specialty paper manufacturing company is seeking a Production Manager to lead daily production operations at its paper mill facility in East Hartford, CT. This organization develops specialty paper-based solutions serving industries such as food service, healthcare, and industrial applications. The Production Manager will be responsible for driving safe, efficient, and cost-effective manufacturing operations while maintaining high quality standards and supporting continuous improvement initiatives.
Position Overview
The Production Manager is responsible for overseeing day-to-day paper manufacturing operations to ensure production, quality, safety, and cost objectives are achieved. This individual will work closely with Maintenance, Engineering, and Quality teams to optimize performance, improve processes, and foster a culture centered on safety, accountability, and operational excellence.
Key Responsibilities
Operational Leadership
- Manage daily paper production operations to achieve production, quality, and cost targets.
- Monitor key performance indicators (KPIs), including machine efficiency, downtime, waste reduction, and energy consumption.
- Develop corrective action plans to improve operational performance and align results with business objectives.
- Partner with Maintenance, Engineering, and Quality teams to troubleshoot and resolve production challenges.
- Ensure products consistently meet customer and quality requirements through effective process controls.
- Support new product development initiatives and successful implementation into manufacturing.
- Build strong working relationships across the facility and with key stakeholders.
- Optimize utilization of labor, equipment, and raw materials to maximize productivity.
- Assist with departmental budgeting and operational cost management.
- Coordinate annual outage planning and execution to ensure safe and efficient maintenance activities.
Continuous Improvement
- Lead, coach, and mentor production personnel while promoting teamwork and accountability.
- Drive initiatives focused on improving safety, uptime, quality, productivity, and operational efficiency.
- Ensure adherence to standard operating procedures (SOPs) across all shifts.
- Identify opportunities for process optimization and cost reduction.
- Support employee training and development efforts related to process control systems and manufacturing operations.
- Develop tools and procedures that enable data-driven decision-making within production operations.
Safety & Compliance
- Promote and maintain a strong safety culture with a goal of zero injuries.
- Enforce safety policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements.
- Participate in safety audits, incident investigations, risk assessments, and root cause analyses.
- Ensure compliance with environmental, quality, and corporate standards.
- Lead corrective actions for compliance-related incidents and support preventive measures.
- Conduct routine safety and housekeeping inspections throughout the facility.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Coordinate effectively with Maintenance, Engineering, and Quality teams on outages, process modifications, and product trials.
- Support capital projects, process upgrades, equipment commissioning, and startup activities.
Qualifications
Education & Experience
- Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Paper Science, or a related technical field preferred.
- Minimum of 5 years of experience in paper manufacturing.
- Prior supervisory or management experience within a manufacturing environment.
- Strong technical knowledge of paper machine operations, process controls, and quality systems.
Preferred Skills
- Strong leadership, coaching, and team-building capabilities.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
- Experience with manufacturing process control systems and PLC-driven operations.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications.
- Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
- Knowledge of safety regulations and environmental compliance requirements.
- Ability to interpret operational data and drive continuous improvement initiatives.
- Commitment to workplace safety, quality, and operational excellence.
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