Production Assistant

SUMMARY

The Assistant Production Manager supports the Senior Production Manager in the daily coordination and execution of production activities. This position helps monitor schedules, KPIs, safety, quality, staffing, materials, workflow, and customer commitments while providing timely information and recommendations to the Senior Production Manager. The position is a support and execution role and does not replace, supersede, or share the Senior Production Manager's overall leadership responsibility.

The Assistant Production Manager works through the existing production and warehouse/shipping supervisors and leads and does not change the Senior Production Manager's current direct-report structure. Critical operational, staffing, scheduling, quality, safety, cost, and customer-impacting decisions require review and approval by the Senior Production Manager.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Daily Production Coordination

• Monitor daily production schedules and workflow; identify bottlenecks, downtime, staffing gaps, material shortages, and other issues that could affect on-time delivery.
• Coordinate with Manufacturing Supervision, Scheduling, Customer Service, Technical Services, Maintenance, and other departments to resolve immediate production issues and support achievement of customer commitments.
• Conduct regular floor walks throughout assigned shifts to monitor safety, housekeeping, equipment condition, workflow, quality, and employee engagement.
• Support the Senior Production Manager and supervisors in ensuring that production plans are executed consistently across shifts.
• Provide information, analysis, and recommendations to the Senior Production Manager regarding operational risks, priorities, and corrective actions.

KPI Reporting and Continuous Improvement

• Review daily production results, downtime, waste, spoilage, labor utilization, quality performance, and schedule attainment; communicate results and concerns to the Senior Production Manager.
• Support tracking of safety, quality, delivery, productivity, schedule attainment, downtime, waste, and inventory-accuracy measures.
• Assist with variance reporting, root-cause investigations, corrective-action follow-up, and timely closure of assigned actions.
• Support implementation of established lean manufacturing practices and continuous-improvement activities, including waste reduction, improved workflow, standard work, and efficient use of labor and materials.

Materials, Orders, and Inventory Support

• Help ensure production orders are processed and closed in a timely manner and that required production records are accurate.
• Monitor component availability for production orders, including raw materials, tooling, inks, and other required supplies; escalate shortages to the Senior Production Manager and appropriate departments.
• Support cycle-counting efforts and investigations related to inventory accuracy.
• Assist with timely processing and follow-up of customer feedback cases that affect production execution or customer commitments.

Safety, Quality, and Housekeeping

• Enforce established safety rules, required use of personal protective equipment, machine-guarding requirements, lockout/tagout procedures, and other safe-work practices.
• Promptly investigate and report safety incidents, near misses, unsafe conditions, and equipment hazards; assist with implementation of corrective actions.
• Maintain a clean, organized, and safe production environment consistent with company housekeeping and 5S standards.
• Escalate quality concerns, customer-impacting issues, and potential production holds to the Senior Production Manager and obtain direction before taking critical action.

Supervisor Coordination and Delegated Coverage

• Work through the existing supervisors and leads to support daily execution, accountability, communication, and employee engagement.
• Coach and assist supervisors and leads with issue identification, follow-up, and adherence to established procedures; this role does not independently change reporting relationships or conduct formal disciplinary action unless specifically delegated.
• Serve as a designated point of contact during assigned shifts when the Senior Production Manager is unavailable, within approved plans, procedures, and delegated authority.
• When the Senior Production Manager is unavailable, provide temporary day-to-day coordination and escalate significant issues as soon as practicable. Temporary coverage does not transfer the Senior Production Manager's position, reporting relationships, or overall accountability.
• Support the Senior Production Manager with special projects, process changes, and other operational initiatives as assigned.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

APPROVAL AND ESCALATION REQUIREMENTS

The Assistant Production Manager must consult with and obtain approval from the Senior Production Manager before taking critical actions, including:

• Changes to the approved production schedule or customer commitments.
• Significant labor reassignments, staffing changes, or overtime decisions.
• Quality holds, product releases, customer-impacting decisions, or changes to established quality procedures.
• Equipment shutdowns or actions that may materially affect safety, cost, delivery, or production capacity.
• Process changes, commitments to other departments, or actions that create material cost or compliance risk.
• Formal disciplinary action, changes to personnel status, or changes to reporting relationships.

The Assistant Production Manager may take immediate action when necessary to protect employee safety, prevent equipment damage, or contain a quality risk, but must promptly notify the Senior Production Manager and follow established escalation procedures.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience in a manufacturing, printing, document-production, packaging, or comparable production environment.
• Demonstrated experience supervising or leading employees in a fast-paced, deadline-driven manufacturing setting.
• Working knowledge of production scheduling, labor allocation, workflow management, quality-control practices, and equipment operations.
• Strong ability to prioritize multiple production demands and respond effectively to changing schedules and operational conditions.
• Knowledge of workplace safety practices, personal protective equipment, housekeeping, incident reporting, and safe equipment operation.
• Ability to identify operational issues, evaluate immediate options, communicate recommendations, and take appropriate action within established procedures.
• Strong interpersonal, coaching, communication, and conflict-resolution skills.
• Basic understanding of lean manufacturing, waste reduction, standard work, continuous improvement, and productivity measurement.
• Proficiency with production reporting systems, Microsoft Office applications, and other tools used to track schedules, staffing, production output, downtime, and KPIs.
• Ability to work flexible hours as needed to support operations across first, second, and third shifts.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Associate or bachelor's degree in manufacturing, operations management, business, engineering, or a related field; equivalent relevant experience may be considered.
• Three or more years of supervisory or leadership experience in a manufacturing or production environment.
• Experience in a printing, mailing, direct-mail, document-manufacturing, or highly regulated production environment.
• Experience working with lean manufacturing, 5S, visual management, or continuous-improvement tools.
• Experience with production scheduling, enterprise resource planning, manufacturing execution, or shop-floor data collection systems.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands of this position require a normal range of mobility necessary to enter and move through a manufacturing environment and interface with all functions within the facility. The employee is frequently required to talk and hear.

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS

Moderate

WORK ENVIRONMENT

While performing the duties of this job, the employee primarily works in an office and pro

SATO America LLC offers a highly competitive salary in addition to an outstanding, market-leading benefits program. SATO's total compensation package extends well beyond your paycheck as it's designed to support and enrich your personal and professional life. See our benefit line-up below:

Health & Wellness: medical, vision, and dental insurance to include coverage for domestic partners. SATO contributes approximately 75% to the cost of employees' health insurance coverage along with 100% company paid Life & AD&D, short-term and long-term disability insurance, and a pre-tax Health Savings Account with an employer contribution of $500.00 or $1,000.00 depending on elected medical coverage.

Time Away: We observe 10 company-paid holidays per year, and 15 days accrued vacation time. We also offer six (6) accrued personal days for you to use for things like weddings, moving, mental health, religious holiday, sick child or for anything that is truly personal.

Saving for the Future: plan for your short-term and long-term goals with our 401(k)-retirement savings plan with employer match with no vesting schedule. You are fully vested on the first of the month following 30 days of employment. SATO will match 100%/dollar-for-dollar of your 401(k)-deferral amount of the first 3% of your pay and an additional match of 50%/$.50 on the next 2% of your pay. For example, if you defer 5% of your pay into the 401(k) Plan, SATO will make a 4% matching contribution.

Work-Life: we offer an Employee Assistance Program for employees and eligible family members, career development, growth opportunities, and referral bonuses.