Back

PRODUCTION MANAGER

Chandler, Inc.

Money Icon
$12.02-67.31 /h
PAY RATE
Location Pin Icon
Afton, MN
LOCATION

Job Description

As posted by the hiring company

Job Overview:

Description


We design and build custom retail store fixtures for leading brands—project-based work that requires strong leadership, precise coordination, and a commitment to quality at every stage of production. We are looking for an experienced Production Manager to oversee daily production operations, manage resources, and ensure projects are completed safely, efficiently, on time, and to our quality standards.


You will provide hands-on leadership to the production team, establish clear priorities and expectations, and resolve operational challenges in real time. You will also develop production schedules, monitor performance and quality, drive process improvements, and collaborate closely with engineering, estimating, project management, and operations to support successful project rollouts.


This role is ideal for an experienced manufacturing leader with strong knowledge of high-end millwork and custom carpentry preferred. We are looking for someone who can balance people leadership with technical expertise—someone who engages employees, promotes accountability, improves workflows, and takes pride in delivering exceptional custom work in a fast-paced environment.


Production Management

  • Plan, organize, and oversee daily production activities to ensure projects meet deadlines, budgets, and quality standards.
  • Develop detailed production schedules and allocate resources to meet immediate production demands.
  • Oversee and participate in daily production activities, ensuring efficient workflow and adherence to project timelines.
  • Troubleshoot and resolve operational bottlenecks or issues in real time.


Team Leadership

  • Ensure accountabilities and job expectations are clearly defined and communicated to both supervisors and employees to align team efforts with organizational goals.
  • Ensure that employees receive clear work direction and understand their next steps after completing a project, fostering efficiency and focus.
  • Engage the Team. Maintain employee engagement through regular communication, follow-up, and feedback, fostering a supportive and motivated work environment.


Quality Assurance

  • Conduct real-time inspections and quality checks during production to address defects or issues immediately.
  • Ensure employees are properly trained to execute tasks that meet quality expectations.
  • Address specific quality concerns raised during production and collaborate with the quality team to resolve them.
  • Identify and implement localized improvements in production workflows to prevent recurring quality issues.
  • Monitor and track quality metrics (e.g., defect rates) to assess team performance and adjust processes as needed.


Safety and Security

  • Ensure that all safety protocols and regulations are strictly followed in the production environment.
  • Oversee and manage building security to ensure the safety of employees, equipment, and materials.
  • Evaluate production processes to ensure they are safe and compliant before starting any new project.
  • Identify potential hazards and implement preventative measures to mitigate risks.


Process Optimization

  • Monitor specific production processes, identify inefficiencies, and implement localized improvements to optimize workflows.
  • Ensure the alignment of daily production activities with the Operations Manager and Director of Manufacturing overarching goals.
  • Drive Operational Excellence: Lead impactful Lean initiatives—including One-piece-flow, 5S, Kaizen events, Value-Stream Mapping, and Root-Cause Analysis—to foster a culture of continuous improvement.
  • Eliminate Waste & Maximize Value: Target operational bottlenecks and inefficiencies, designing targeted strategies to reduce waste, boost productivity, and improve throughput.
  • Establish Sustainable Processes: Embed visual management, standardized work, and optimized workflows to ensure long-term stability and scalable quality.


Technical Expertise in Custom Projects

  • Review and provide input on engineering drawings and revisions to ensure feasibility and alignment with production capabilities.
  • Collaborate with the estimating team to provide accurate technical insights during the bidding process.


Cross-Functional Collaboration

  • Act as a liaison between production, engineering, estimating, and project management teams to ensure seamless project rollouts.
  • Improve communication and alignment across departments to address challenges, clarify requirements, and enhance project delivery.
  • Work closely with the Operations Manager and other stakeholders to align goals and optimize resource Metrics and Reporting
  • Monitor basic production metrics to assess performance and identify areas for improvement.
  • Generate regular reports summarizing production activities and outcomes for review by management and stakeholders.


Pay Range

$110k-$140K + profit sharing

The actual base salary offered will vary based on factors such as relevant skills, prior experience, education, the base salary of internal peers, and demonstrated performance. In addition to your base salary, you will be eligible for our comprehensive and competitive benefits package, which includes:


Benefits:

  • Medical, dental, and vision coverage
  • Basic life insurance, voluntary life insurance (employee, spouse, and children), short-term and long-term disability insurance, critical care, and accident insurance
  • Nice Healthcare: An integrated primary care clinic that provides healthcare services from home, office, or a location convenient to you for a nominal co-pay. Over 550 medications are available at no cost through Nice.
  • Company-paid basic life insurance (up to $25,000) and short-term disability insurance
  • Generous company contribution to Health Savings Accounts (HSA)
  • 401(k) with company match
  • Profit-sharing program
  • Paid time off (PTO) and holidays
  • Tuition reimbursement program

Chandler is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Requirements

Education

  • High school diploma or equivalent required; additional technical training or certifications in manufacturing, carpentry, or millwork preferred.
  • Bachelor’s degree in operations management, engineering, or a related field is a plus but not required if accompanied by relevant experience.

Experience

  • 5+ years of experience in a production or manufacturing role, with at least 3 years in a supervisory or management capacity.
  • Demonstrated expertise custom-built projects, preferably in high-end millwork and carpentry
  • Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and ensure successful project rollouts.
  • Experience troubleshooting and optimizing production processes.
  • Familiarity with safety regulations, quality assurance practices, and resource management.

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities

  • Leadership and Team Building: Ability to inspire, train, and engage teams while fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
  • Technical Expertise: Deep knowledge of high-end millwork, custom carpentry, and engineering processes.
  • Problem-Solving and Decision-Making: Strong analytical skills to identify and address production challenges in real time.
  • Communication: Excellent interpersonal and written skills for collaborating across departments and reporting to stakeholders.
  • Attention to Detail: Commitment to maintaining high quality and safety standards in all production activities.
  • Time Management: Strong ability to manage multiple priorities and meet tight deadlines efficiently.
  • Proficiency in reading and interpreting engineering drawings and technical specifications.
  • Familiarity with production planning tools and ERP systems.
  • Expertise in developing and managing production schedules.
  • Hands-on experience with process optimization and workflow improvements.
  • Proficiency in generating production reports and analyzing metrics for improvement.
  • Conflict resolution and adaptability in fast-paced environments.