Production Manager

Job title

Production Manager

Department

Operations / Manufacturing

Reports to

Chief Operating Officer

FLSA status

Exempt, full-time

Location

Clearwater, FL (on-site)

The Production Manager leads all day-to-day manufacturing at EEI, turning released work orders into on-time, defect-free electronic assemblies for aerospace and defense customers. The role owns the production schedule, the people who build the product, and the processes that keep the floor compliant with AS9100D, IPC workmanship standards and customer flow-downs.

This is a player-manager role. The Production Manager spends a real share of each week hands-on, building, reworking, troubleshooting and inspecting alongside the team, while still owning the schedule and the results. Leading from the floor is how problems are caught early and how the team learns the standard.

Success means hitting committed ship dates, holding first-pass yield and cost targets, and building a safe, trained, accountable team that improves every quarter.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Production planning and execution

• Build and maintain the daily and weekly production schedule from released work orders, material availability and customer due dates.

• Load work centers (kitting, SMT, through-hole, hand solder, cable/harness, mechanical assembly, conformal coat, test, inspection) to balance capacity and minimize WIP.

• Lead the daily production meeting; identify shortages, bottlenecks and late orders, and drive recovery plans with owners and dates.

• Maintain accurate work order status, labor reporting and inventory transactions in the Sage 100 ERP Production Management module.

• Coordinate new product introductions and engineering changes with Programs and Engineering so first articles build on time and to the latest revision.

Quality and compliance

• Ensure all work is performed to approved work instructions, drawings, IPC-A-610, IPC/WHMA-A-620 and J-STD-001 at the class the customer specifies.

• Support AS9100D requirements on the floor: configuration control, FOD prevention, ESD control, traceability, calibrated tooling and control of nonconforming product.

• Partner with Quality on first article inspections (AS9102), MRB dispositions, root cause and corrective action (8D), and customer and registrar audits.

• Enforce ITAR and export-control handling of controlled technical data and hardware in production areas.

People leadership

• Act as a player-manager: step onto the line to build, rework or inspect when schedule pressure or skill gaps call for it, and use that time to coach by example.

• Hire, train, schedule, coach and evaluate production leads, assemblers, operators and technicians.

• Maintain a skills and certification matrix; keep IPC operator certifications current and cross-train to cover absences and demand swings.

• Set clear expectations, address performance and attendance issues promptly, and recognize good work.

Safety

• Own a safe work environment that complies with OSHA, chemical handling and housekeeping requirements; lead incident investigation and corrective action.

Cost and continuous improvement

• Manage labor hours, overtime, scrap and consumables against budget.

• Drive lean and 5S improvements, setup reduction and line balancing; quantify results in hours, dollars or yield.

• Recommend capital equipment, tooling and layout changes with supporting justification.

Cross-functional coordination

• Work daily with Purchasing, Materials, Programs, Engineering, Quality and Shipping to keep orders flowing and customers informed.

• Provide accurate ship-date commitments and status to Program Managers.

Supervisory Responsibilities

The Production Manager directly supervises production leads/supervisors and, through them, all assemblers, operators, inspectors assigned to production, and technicians. Headcount: approximately 25 on one shift.

• Hiring, onboarding and termination recommendations

• Work assignments, shift scheduling and time-off approval

• Performance reviews, coaching and discipline in line with company policy

• Training plans and certification tracking

Qualifications

Required

• 5+ years as a Production Manager or in a comparable production leadership role in electronics manufacturing (EMS/contract manufacturing preferred)

• Hands-on knowledge of SMT and through-hole PCBA, cable/harness and box-build processes, with the bench skills to build, rework and inspect alongside the team

• Working knowledge of IPC-A-610, J-STD-001 and IPC/WHMA-A-620 (Class 3 preferred)

• Experience in an AS9100 or ISO 9001 quality system

• Hands-on use of an ERP/MRP system for scheduling, work orders and labor reporting

• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and the Office suite

• Clear written and verbal communication with floor staff, peers and customers

• Must be a U.S. person as defined by ITAR (22 CFR 120.62)

Preferred

• Bachelor's degree in Industrial, Manufacturing or Electrical Engineering, Operations Management or a related field

• Aerospace or defense manufacturing experience

• Sage 100 ERP experience

• IPC certification (CIS or CIT)

• Lean manufacturing or Six Sigma training (Green Belt or higher)

• Experience supporting customer source inspections and registrar audits

Work Environment and Physical Requirements

• Primarily on the manufacturing floor, with office time for planning and reporting; ESD-protective smocks, footwear and other PPE required on the floor

• Regularly stands and walks for extended periods; occasionally lifts up to 25 lb

• Close visual work, including use of magnification, is required

• Occasional extended hours or weekend coverage to meet delivery commitments

Export Control

This position requires access to technical data and hardware controlled under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). Applicants must be U.S. persons as defined by 22 CFR 120.62.

Equal Opportunity Employer

EEI Manufacturing Services Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law.

This description reflects the general nature and level of work. It is not an exhaustive list of duties, and management may assign other duties as needed.