Production Manager at Meridian Inc – Gastonia, North Carolina

PRIMARY FUNCTION:

The primary function or overall purpose of the position.

Under the direction of plant management, the Production Manager will ensure the accurate and on-time delivery of all products through the plant while helping to maintain all safety, quality and production standards, in accordance with company policies and procedures. The Production Manager will provide guidance related to employee development, proper training, and compliance with internal and external customer specifications in order to ensure the production of the highest quality products at the lowest possible cost.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

The essential functions (i.e. key responsibilities with expected end results) which must be accomplished in order to fulfill the purpose of the position as described above are:

• Plan, implement, and control production schedules. Review and adjust the schedules as needed.
• Determine the human resources and material resources required.
• Manage human and material resources to meet the production targets.
• Make decisions about equipment use, maintenance, modification, and procurement.
• Plan, implement, and ensure compliance with standard operating procedures for production operations.
• Ensure implementation and adherence to health and safety procedures.
• Implement and enforce quality control and tracking programs to meet quality objectives.
• Analyze production and quality control to detect and correct problems.
• Determine and implement improvements to the production process.
• Monitor and review the performance of staff and organize necessary interventions for improvement.
• Manage production budget.
• Ensure efficient collaboration and coordination between relevant departments, including procurement, distribution, and management.
• Promote teamwork by demonstrating a spirit of collaboration and cooperation with all interactions.
• Motivate employees through encouragement and setting a positive example.
• Provide accurate management and reporting of timekeeping, production, waste, cost, and other required documentation.

• Maintain a safe, clean, and organized work area.
• Observe all safety and quality procedures while completing required duties.
• Perform all other tasks as assigned by management. If necessary, employees may be asked to assist other employees and/or temporarily fill-in or act as a back-up for a position that is different from the employee’s usual position, provided he/she is able to perform the physical demands required by the alternate position.

DIMENSIONS:

Measurable statistics which this position impacts, such as production expenses, maintenance expenses, sales volumes, payroll costs, capital expenditures, research budgets, cost of purchases, value of inventories controlled, employees supervised (direct and indirect) include the following:

• Rework costs.
• Waste/scrap of product.
• Failure to remove waste/garbage may result in a safety hazard.
• Products that do not meet high quality standards could potentially jeopardize customer orders and/or relationship.
• Failure to maintain continuous production of product may result in weekly production goal deficiencies.

SPECIALIZED KNOWLEDGE AND ADDITIONAL SKILLS:

Specialized knowledge and/or additional skill(s) which the position requires (i.e. technical, scientific, administrative, managerial, unique problems encountered, special freedom to take action, critical outside contacts, exceptional working conditions etc.) include the following:

• High school diploma or general education degree (GED) required or preferred. One to three years of related experience and/or training preferred. Bachelor’s or Associate degree preferred.
• Manufacturing experience preferred.
• Fundamental knowledge of manufacturing processes and quality control are preferred.
• Professional in all verbal and written communications as well as face-to-face interaction with all levels of employees, customers, and vendors.
• Ability to “think on your feet,” work under pressure, and navigate through customer expectations and material planning/resource issues.
• Ability to maintain and expand knowledge of operations management while continuously learning and applying best practices to the organization.
• Must possess good computer skills, with knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Excel, and Word.)
• Ability to learn computer programs (i.e. inventory and manufacturing software and spreadsheets.)

• Strong organizational and time management skills with good attention to detail, and ability to coordinate and prioritize multiple projects/tasks.
• Must have strong analytical/problem-solving skills along with the ability to make sound business decisions.
• Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals.
• Ability to complete daily reports and correspondence.
• Ability to coach and train new employees as needed.

• Ability to work well autonomously as well as within a team environment while achieving a common goal.
• Must have and be able to display analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to make quick and accurate decisions in order to correct quality issues.

• Ability to safely operate motorized equipment.

• Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.
• Ability to use formulas to convert weights and measurements (i.e. converting grams to pounds.)
• Knowledge of electrical and hand tools.
• Knowledge of electrical and/or electronic parts.
• Knowledge of inventory management.
• Must have a valid Driver License.
• Must be able to receive forklift operator training and demonstrate hands-on skills proficiency.
• Must be able to receive electric pallet jack training and demonstrate hands-on skills proficiency.
• Must be able to receive scissor lift training and demonstrate hands-on skills proficiency.
• Legible handwriting to complete paperwork.
• Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form.
• Ability to solve practical problems that deal with several concrete variables in standardized situations.
• Committed to conduct all work in a safe manner.
• Strive to deliver superior quality products and services.
• Must provide some individually-owned basic tools. MSYG will provide some company-owned tools. Ability to use company-owned tools.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• The employee will regularly be required, often for extended periods of time, to stand, sit, walk in a manufacturing setting, talk and/or hear, and taste and/or smell.
• The employee will regularly be required to use hands and fingers to handle or feel, reach with hands and arms, climb or balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.
• The employee will occasionally be required to lift and/or move up to 50 pounds unassisted or greater than 50 pounds with assistance. It is the employee’s responsibility to ask the supervisor or a co-worker for assistance when necessary.
• The employee will occasionally be required to push or pull pallet jacks, racks of yarn, batching dollies, autoclave dollies, hand truck, cans, Xorella dollies, etc. It is the employee’s responsibility to ask the supervisor or a co-worker for assistance when necessary.
• Specific vision abilities required in this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, color vision, and the ability to focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• The employee will frequently be exposed to production lines and work with and/or near moving mechanical parts and/or pressurized vessels.
• The employee will frequently be exposed to fumes and/or airborne particles.
• The employee will occasionally work in wet or humid conditions.
• The employee will frequently work in extreme heat and/or cold.
• The employee will occasionally work in an office environment with controlled heating and air conditioning.
• The noise level in the office work environment is low and no hearing protection is required. Appropriate hearing protection is required while in the plant environment and will be provided by MSYG.
• Appropriate safety eyewear (including goggles and/or face shield, etc.) is required during the performance of certain duties and will be provided by MSYG.
• Appropriate gloves (e.g. neoprene, latex, butyl rubber, cut-resistant, etc.) are required during the performance of certain duties and will be provided by MSYG.
• An appropriate respirator (e.g. N-95 dust mask, Air-Purifying Respirator, Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus) is required during the performance of certain duties and will be provided by MSYG.
• Appropriate PPE is required during the performance of certain duties and will be provided by MSYG.
• Appropriate shoes are required to be worn in the manufacturing environment (closed-toe and closed-heel with anti-slip soles, flat, and in good condition.)