Production / Value Stream Manager

We are working with an industry leading manufacturer in the Springfield-Jacksonville, IL area seeking a Production Manager/Value Stream Manager to oversee and optimize all manufacturing operations within the designated plastics extrusion and conversion value stream. This role is responsible for driving operational excellence, ensuring safety compliance, maximizing throughput, and minimizing waste from raw material to finished product. By applying Lean Manufacturing principles, this position leads a cross-functional production team to meet daily safety, quality, delivery, and cost targets while championing continuous improvement initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Operations & Value Stream Ownership: Lead daily production activities for the entire value stream, encompassing plastics extrusion (film, profile, or sheet) and downstream conversion processes (slitting, laminating, printing, or fabrication).

• Safety & Compliance: Foster a "Safety First" culture by ensuring strict adherence to OSHA standards, machine guarding protocols, lockout/tagout (LOTO) procedures, and proper handling of molten polymers.

• Production Planning & Execution: Collaborate with Supply Chain and Scheduling to execute the production plan, optimize machine capacity, manage raw resin/additive inventory, and ensure on-time delivery to customers.

• Continuous Improvement & Lean Implementation: Map value streams to eliminate waste, improve Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), and lead Kaizen events. Implement SMED (Single-Minute Exchange of Die) methodologies to drastically reduce changeover times.

• Quality Assurance & Troubleshooting: Monitor product quality and lead structured root-cause analysis (e.g., 5 Whys, Fishbone) to resolve processing defects such as gauge variation, gels, surging, or delamination. Ensure compliance with ISO 9001 or food-safety standards where applicable.

• Team Leadership & Talent Development: Directly manage, mentor, and evaluate shift supervisors, operators, and technical staff. Design and implement robust cross-training matrices to enhance operational flexibility across all shifts.

• Budget & Cost Control: Monitor and manage the value stream budget, focusing on the reduction of scrap rates, labor variances, and operational downtime.

Qualifications

• Experience: Minimum of 5–8 years of manufacturing leadership experience, with at least 3 years of direct supervisory experience in a plastics extrusion or plastics conversion environment.

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Plastics, Mechanical, Chemical), Industrial Management, or a related technical discipline. Equivalent extensive hands-on industry experience will also be considered.

• Technical Knowledge:

  • Deep understanding of polymer processing, resin characteristics (PE, PP, PET, PVC, etc.), and single/twin-screw extrusion mechanics.

  • Familiarity with high-speed downstream conversion equipment (e.g., flexographic printing, slitting, coating, or bag-making).

• Certifications: Lean Manufacturing or Six Sigma Green/Black Belt certification is highly preferred.

• Skills: Proven track record of managing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) such as OEE, scrap reduction, and schedule attainment.

• Systems: Proficiency utilizing Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) and ERP software (such as SAP, Oracle, or IQMS/DelmiaWorks) for production tracking and data-driven decision-making.

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