Production Manager at Deneen Pottery – Twin Cities, Minnesota

Production Manager

Full-Time | On-Site | St. Paul, MN | Reports to CEO / Integrator

Direct Reports: Potter Leader, Handles & Medallions Leader, Pressing & Molds Leader, Finishing Leader, Shipping Leader

About Deneen Pottery

Deneen Pottery is a family-owned, handmade pottery company that has been making custom ceramic mugs and drinkware in St. Paul for over 50 years. Our customers include colleges, breweries, national parks, and thousands of loyal buyers across the country. Every piece is made by hand, by our team, in our shop.

We are a real manufacturing environment with real output expectations and a culture built on accountability, craftsmanship, and continuous improvement. We are investing in our leadership structure and our people — and we are looking for a Production Manager who can lead our floor with the same care and consistency we put into every mug we make.

The Opportunity

This is a significant leadership opportunity. The Production Manager is the single accountable leader for daily execution across five interconnected production departments — Pottery, Handles and Medallions, Pressing and Molds, Finishing, and Shipping — and a team of approximately 70 people.

This role is not about managing from a distance. It is about being present on the floor every day, developing your leaders, holding people accountable, and keeping production moving with clarity and follow-through.

The Production Manager sits on the Leadership Team alongside the Visionary/Integrator, CFO, and Customer Success — and works most closely day-to-day with the Technical Operations Leader, who owns the schedule, ERP, glaze, facilities, and continuous improvement.

Core Accountabilities

1. Lead, Manage, Hold Accountable, and Develop Leaders

Lead, manage, and hold accountable the five production department leaders while developing stronger leadership, reinforcing expectations, improving communication, and helping good employees become great contributors and leaders over time.

2. Daily Production Execution

Own day-to-day production flow and follow-through across all production departments. Partner closely with the Technical Operations Leader to stay aligned on the current schedule, order priority, and ERP accuracy — and to integrate continuous improvement into daily floor execution.

3. Pace, Throughput, and Cross-Department Flow

Lead the production leaders collaboratively to keep work sequenced correctly and moving at pace across departments. Facilitate shared ownership of flow, surface bottlenecks early, and create a culture where leaders raise issues rather than absorb them.

4. Material Ordering, WIP, and Finished Goods Inventory

Own plant-wide visibility and follow-through on production materials and work-in-progress. Each production leader owns their department's WIP. The Shipping Leader owns finished goods inventory. The Production Manager owns the standard all leaders are held to.

5. Quality Execution and Issue Response

Ensure people and product problems are identified early, addressed quickly, and escalated when needed. When quality issues affect customer orders, work directly with Customer Success and the Technical Operations Leader to determine remake needs and communicate timelines.

6. Floor Presence, Culture, and Production Accountability

Maintain strong floor presence while reinforcing culture, developing people, protecting standards, retaining strong talent, and addressing employees who are not a fit. Partner with HR early on performance and culture issues — do not let problems grow before escalating.

Accountabilities Explained

The following details support each core accountability and describe what strong execution looks like in practice.

1. Lead, Manage, Hold Accountable, and Develop Leaders

• Ensure your 5 department leaders are developing strong leadership with their teams, reinforcing expectations, improving communication, and helping good employees become great contributors and leaders over time.

• Work closely with your Production Leaders and HR on hiring, onboarding, corrective action, performance documentation, and separations. The Production Manager initiates with Leaders, and HR supports — all 3 move together on people issues.

• Coach department leaders to lead their own people well, not just solve problems by themselves.

• Conduct and ensure all employees have consistent 1:1s, performance reviews, and annual wage reviews.

• Strengthen follow-through and accountability across the operation consistently.

• Model Deneen Pottery values and hold others accountable to them every day.

2. Daily Production Execution

• Own day-to-day production flow and follow-through across all production departments.

• Partner closely with the Technical Operations Leader to stay aligned on the current production schedule, order priority, and ERP accuracy — and to integrate continuous improvement initiatives into daily floor execution.

• Keep work moving across departments in alignment with daily priorities and schedule.

• Create and maintain a strong daily leadership rhythm — daily huddles, standard work, and issue escalation happening consistently.

• Lead and participate in weekly Level 10 meetings and other operating cadences.

• Remove obstacles that keep leaders and teams from executing well.

• Follow through on issues, decisions, and commitments until they are fully resolved.

3. Pace, Throughput, and Cross-Department Flow

• Lead the production leaders collaboratively to keep work sequenced correctly across departments — this is not a unilateral call but a shared responsibility that the PM facilitates and holds.

• Help departments stay aligned around priorities, labor needs, and execution standards.

• Identify flow problems early with production leaders and resolve before they impact ship dates — create a culture where leaders surface issues rather than absorb them.

• Maintain strong production flow, ensuring customer ship dates are met.

4. Material Ordering, WIP, and Finished Goods Inventory

• Own visibility and follow-through on production materials ordering and plant-wide work in process.

• Each production leader owns the WIP within their department — the Production Manager owns plant-wide WIP visibility, follow-through, and the standard each leader is held to.

• The Shipping Leader owns finished goods inventory.

• Ensure material readiness is maintained consistently across production and escalate shortages or risks before they disrupt flow.

5. Quality Execution and Issue Response

• Ensure people and product problems are identified early, addressed quickly, and escalated when needed.

• When quality issues affect customer orders, work directly with Customer Success and the Technical Operations Leader to determine remake needs, communicate production timelines, and resolve the issue with clarity and speed.

• Own the floor-side response to quality problems — investigation, correction, and follow-through.

• Oversee product quality across the operation and drive follow-through on rework reduction.

6. Floor Presence, Culture, and Production Accountability

• Maintain strong floor presence while reinforcing culture, developing people, protecting standards, retaining strong talent, and addressing employees who are not a fit for expectations or culture.

• Bring HR in early on performance and culture issues — do not let problems grow before escalating.

• Identify strong performers and help retain, encourage, and grow them.

• Address poor fit and low performance directly, respectfully, and early.

• Model Deneen Pottery values and hold others accountable to them consistently.

Leadership Team Participation

• Represent production on the Leadership Team — bring honest visibility on output, people, pace, and operational health.

• Participate in Level 10 meetings and other leadership cadences with the Visionary/Integrator, CFO, and Customer Success.

• Bring production data and operational input that supports company-level decisions, financial planning, and customer commitments.

• Follow through on company-wide decisions and priorities so they land on the floor.

Daily Operations Rhythm

Success in this role requires more than floor coverage — it requires a steady, repeatable leadership rhythm that keeps the operation aligned and moving every single day.

• Create and maintain a strong daily leadership rhythm across the operation.

• Ensure daily huddles, standard work, and issue escalation are happening consistently.

• Lead and participate in weekly Level 10 meetings and other operating cadences.

• Remove obstacles that keep leaders and teams from executing well.

• Follow through on issues, decisions, and commitments until they are fully resolved.

• Help departments stay aligned around priorities, labor needs, and execution standards.

• Maintain strong production flow, ensuring customer ship dates are met.

• Oversee product quality across the operation and drive follow-through on rework reduction and quality issues.

• Own materials management, including raw material readiness, inventory discipline, vendor coordination, and related follow-up.

• Lead the daily coordination needed to keep operations moving smoothly across departments.

Leadership Through Change

This role steps into an operation with established people, routines, and history. The right leader will bring steadiness and clarity, not disruption.

• Step into an operation with established people, routines, and history, and lead with steadiness and clarity.

• Build trust while raising expectations.

• Help reset and strengthen accountability where needed.

• Bring structure and calm during periods of transition, growth, and change.

Operational Excellence

• Reinforce standard work and ensure changes are implemented and sustained.

• Drive continuous improvement using Lean principles, practical problem solving, and strong follow-up.

• Help create systems that improve consistency, throughput, and labor effectiveness.

• Keep the operation moving through disciplined habits, not heroics.

Key Working Relationships

This role does not operate in a silo. The Production Manager's effectiveness depends on strong working relationships with several key roles across the company.

• Technical Operations Leader

Closest peer relationship. Coordinate daily on production schedule, order priority, and ERP accuracy. Partner on remakes, quality issues, and continuous improvement. Neither role works well without the other.

• Customer Success

Primary connection point when orders have issues, timelines are at risk, or remakes are needed. The Production Manager provides honest, timely production status and works with Customer Success and the Technical Operations Leader to resolve customer-facing problems.

• HR

Partner on all people-related decisions — hiring, onboarding, corrective action, performance documentation, and separations. The Production Manager initiates and HR support, but both move together on people issues.

• Visionary / Integrator (President)

Direct reporting relationship. The Production Manager sits on the Leadership Team and brings production visibility, people updates, and operational input to company-level decisions and priorities.

• CFO

Leadership Team peer. The Production Manager provides labor, output, and operational data that informs financial planning, budgeting, and cost decisions.

Who We Are Looking For

We are looking for a leader who earns respect on the floor, develops others, and holds people accountable with consistency and care. The right person has led a production team of 70 or more people through department-level leaders and has a proven track record of building accountability without destroying culture.

You will stand out if you bring

• Strong people leadership — you build trust while holding the line

• A leader development mindset — you coach others to lead, not just to follow

• High floor presence — you are most effective when you are close to the work

• A direct accountability instinct — you address issues early rather than around them

• Steady judgment under pressure — calm, clear, and decisive when it matters

• Bilingual in English and Hmong — Strongly Preferred. Our production workforce is predominantly Hmong, and effective communication on the floor depends on it.

• 3+ years leading a production team in manufacturing or a skilled trades environment

• Experience in food production, skilled manufacturing, or similar environments — pottery knowledge is not required

Leadership Expectations

Be a visible and steady leader on the floor

Build trust and accountability with department leaders

Train leaders to lead people better, not just manage tasks

Reinforce culture consistently through clarity, follow-through, and example

Hold on to strong performers by giving them support, feedback, and growth

Address poor fit and low performance directly and early

Preferred Strengths

Strong people leadership and leader development

Ability to coach others and raise the standard of leadership across the floor

Strong instinct for culture fit, accountability, and team health

Comfortable addressing tough people issues directly and respectfully

Ability to manage multiple departments through leaders

Good judgment under pressure and strong communication follow-through

What Success Looks Like

In year one, department leaders are stronger and more accountable. Production moves with fewer stalls. People issues are addressed early. Strong performers feel recognized and supported. Culture is healthier and more consistent across the floor. And production has a clear, trusted owner every single day.

Compensation and Details

Location: St. Paul, Minnesota — fully on-site

Compensation: 110-120K base for commensurate with experience — details provided upon inquiry

Benefits: Health insurance, paid time off, and additional benefits discussed during the process

How to Apply

Send your resume and a brief note telling us what you have built, how you have developed people, and what kind of leader you are on the floor. We are not looking for a cover letter template — we are looking for someone who can answer those three things clearly.

Email your resume and a brief note to HR: Mai Rodriguez at mai@deneenpottery.com

Qualified candidates will be contacted within one to two weeks of applying.