Production Manager
Wabash, Indiana

Position Overview
Manage a team of 20 to 25 responsible for production, material handling and shipping. For training purposes and to learn the various aspects of the position, the selected individual would initially start as Assistant Production Manager working under the direction of the current Production Manager. Objective is to advance from Assistant Production Manager to Production Manager (reporting to Company President) within 3 months of their start date. This will allow our current Production Manager to move back into Engineering and focus their efforts on product development and manufacturing process improvements in the plant.

Company Overview
B. Walter & Co., in continuous operation since 1887, is among the oldest manufacturing companies in Indiana. We produce stamped metal and bent wire products used in furniture, cabinetry, construction, and retail store applications. Our manufacturing operations include: Stamping, Laser Cutting, Metal and Wire Bending, and Welding. Our primary raw material is steel which comes to us in coil, sheet, and wire form.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Schedule production by issuing work orders to various departments to insure on time shipments to customers
• Manage production staff to make safe and efficient use of personnel based on each worker’s skill set
• Communicate to production staff safety, quality, and productivity requirements associated with the job they are performing
• Motivate and provide constructive feedback to production staff on their performance
• Prepare written evaluations of employee performance
• Share plant performance results with their team so that they know how the plant is performing
• Provide recommendation on raises to plant staff based on their performance
• Participate in hiring decisions of additional staff as needed to support business’ needs
• Occasionally as needed, work as a production operator or as a material handler (i.e. drive a fork lift truck) so that shipments can be made on time
• Communicate to company President expected shipments to be made for the coming week

Collaborating Individuals
In this position you will work closely with the following fellow Management Team Members:

• Manufacturing & Product Development Engineering Manager
• Vice President of Sales & Marketing
• Director of Manufacturing Services (Manages Quality, Purchasing, Maintenance, Tool Room and Computer Systems)
• Customer Service Manager (communicates with customers on status of their order)
• Company President

Position Performance Evaluation Metrics
Metrics in the following areas would be used to assess performance in this position:

• Plant Safety (ex. days since a reportable safety incident in the plant)
• Quality (ex. scrap rate, hours of rework per month)
• Labor Productivity (ex. direct labor expense as % of sales)
• Plant Staff Turnover (ex. % of workforce quit/terminated per quarter)

Qualifications
For recent or upcoming graduates:

• Bachelors or Associates degree in a wide range of areas such as Industrial Education, Arts & Sciences, Production & Operations Research, Business, etc. or 2 years of Production Management experience
• Excellent written & oral communication skills
• Demonstratable talent for working well with people (this is largely a people management position!)
• Examples that show you are dependable, reliable, have a strong work ethic, and handle responsibility well
• Work and extracurricular experience of any kind and duration that demonstrates you possess the characteristics we are seeking.
• Basic computer skills such as Microsoft Word and Excel
• Comfortable in a factory environment and an interest in manufacturing

Only dependable individuals with evidence of a strong work ethic and/or high academic achievement need apply. Reference letters encouraged.

To be considered: Send resume with any reference letters to: SBuehrer@bwalter.com