Production Director Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

The Production Director is a senior operational leader responsible for overseeing all aspects of final assembly manufacturing across multiple facilities in California and Texas. This individual will drive production performance, quality standards, workforce effectiveness, and continuous improvement initiatives to ensure the company meets its delivery commitments and profitability targets.

The ideal candidate is a hands-on leader who thrives in a fast-paced, technology-driven environment and possesses deep experience managing distributed manufacturing teams. Approximately 50% travel between sites is expected in this role.

Key Responsibilities

Production Leadership & Site Management

• Direct day-to-day final assembly operations across California and Texas manufacturing facilities.
• Develop and execute production plans, capacity models, and shift schedules to meet customer demand.
• Establish and enforce standardized operating procedures, quality checkpoints, and safety protocols across all sites.
• Foster a culture of accountability, operational discipline, and continuous improvement at every level.

People & Team Development

• Lead, mentor, and develop production managers, supervisors, and assembly team leads across multiple locations.
• Partner with Human Resources to recruit, onboard, and retain top manufacturing talent.
• Conduct regular performance reviews; implement development plans to build bench strength.
• Champion workforce safety programs and maintain compliance with OSHA and applicable regulations.

Quality, Compliance & Continuous Improvement

• Own product quality outcomes through final assembly; partner with Quality Engineering to resolve non-conformances and drive root cause analysis.
• Lead Lean / Six Sigma initiatives to eliminate waste, reduce cycle time, and improve first-pass yield.
• Ensure full compliance with regulatory standards, industry certifications, and customer quality requirements.
• Implement KPI dashboards and reporting cadences to provide transparent visibility into site performance.

Supply Chain & Materials Coordination

• Collaborate closely with Supply Chain, Procurement, and Engineering to ensure material availability aligned with production schedules.
• Manage escalations related to component shortages, supplier quality issues, and last-minute demand changes.
• Support NPI (New Product Introduction) activities, ensuring manufacturing readiness for new product launches.

Financial Accountability

• Develop and manage production operating budgets for all assigned sites.
• Monitor labor efficiency, overhead absorption, scrap rates, and cost-of-quality metrics; report variances and drive corrective actions.
• Identify and execute capital investment proposals to improve capacity, automation, and throughput.

Cross-Functional & Executive Communication

• Serve as the primary operations liaison to senior leadership, providing regular performance briefings and strategic recommendations.
• Collaborate with Sales, Engineering, and Program Management teams to align production capacity with business priorities.
• Represent operations in customer meetings, audits, and site visits as required.

Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations Management, Industrial Technology, or a related field — required.
• Master's Degree (MBA or MS in Engineering/Operations) — preferred.

Experience

• Minimum 10 years of progressive manufacturing leadership experience, with at least 5 years in a director-level or equivalent role.
• Demonstrated experience managing final assembly operations in an electronics, electromechanical, or advanced technology manufacturing environment.
• Proven track record overseeing multi-site production operations — experience with California and/or Texas facilities is a plus.
• Background in high-mix, low-to-medium volume manufacturing environments preferred.

Technical Skills

• Deep knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, 5S, Kaizen, and Six Sigma methodologies (Green Belt or Black Belt certification preferred).
• Proficiency with ERP/MRP systems (SAP, Oracle, NetSuite, or equivalent) for production planning and scheduling.
• Strong understanding of electronics assembly processes, IPC standards, and PCB or electromechanical integration.
• Familiarity with ISO 9001, UL, CE, or other relevant quality management standards.

Leadership & Interpersonal Skills

• Exceptional leadership presence with the ability to inspire and align distributed teams around shared goals.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills; data-driven approach to decision-making.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills; comfortable presenting to C-suite and Board-level stakeholders.
• High degree of adaptability and effectiveness in ambiguous, fast-moving environments.

Travel Requirements

This position requires approximately 50% travel between company manufacturing sites in California and Texas, as well as periodic travel to supplier facilities, customer locations, and industry events. A valid driver's license and the ability to fly domestically are required. Some international travel may be required based on supply chain needs.

Work Environment

This role operates across active manufacturing environments. The Production Director will be regularly present on the production floor and must be able to stand for extended periods, navigate assembly areas safely, and wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) as required by site safety policies.