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Assistant Production Manager

Gusmer Enterprises

Gusmer Enterprises

Product
Hickory, NC, USA
USD 72k-82k / year
Posted on Jul 26, 2025

Job Title: Assistant Production Manager
Employment Status:
Classification: Exempt
Work Schedule: Monday to Friday Weekends as Needed
Reports to: Production Manager
Supervisory Responsibilities: Yes
Pay Range: $72,000 – $82,000

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Position Summary: Directly responsible for production at Gusmer Enterprises; provides backup to the Production Manager as needed. This responsibility includes directing the work of the production team, making key decisions about scheduling and workflow, and monitoring output and quality. Achieve an engaged workforce through motivation, recognizing positive contributions, and providing regular feedback regarding performance. General knowledge of all production equipment is necessary.
Essential Functions:

  • Production: Oversee production operations including monitoring lead times and backlog, equipment operation, potential and actual schedule disruptions, and material supplies to ensure that the employees and equipment are utilized effectively. Assist production planner when they work with customer service and sales to give the best ship dates for products. Communicate any delays or required changes to shipping dates proactively to Customer Service or directly to the customer as appropriate. Schedule production jobs in such a manner as to avoid excessive downtime and grade changes while meeting customer requirements and lead times.
  • Collaboration: Act in the following team roles Quality Council, Customer Complaint, Crew Leader meetings. Membership of other quality or product based teams may be required based on need. Support and enforce lean initiatives. Take part in lean events as needed or required. Based on history and knowledge of customer purchases, help sales and customer service determine fair standard prices for all manufactured products. The Assistant Production Manager is required to work with many employees within production and in other areas. This includes but is not limited to QC, R&D, maintenance, sales, customer service, shipping/receiving, HR, financial, and office staff.
  • Support: Work with Supply Chain Manager by using Materials Resource Planning (MRP) and other available inventory management tools to assess supplies and place purchase orders to ensure adequate raw materials, components, and sub-assemblies are on-site in a manner that allows production to meet customer ship dates. Work with R&D and Product and Process Development in developmental efforts. Keep production equipment running by working with the Maintenance department.
  • Purchasing: The Assistant Production Manager is also a vital production purchasing agent. Quote and purchase new cutting dies to meet Gusmer and customer specifications. Partner with suppliers, to procure quality products and the best pricing using purchasing tools such as contracts, discounts, terms, and others. Work with R&D to discover and approve quality suppliers and sub-contractors for production based materials, equipment, and other items.

Other Duties

  • Assist in supervision of all production employees, this includes handling employee concerns, monitoring, and grading performance, or recommending changes in the absence of the Production Manager.
  • Assist in assessing employee behavior and recommend and/or deliver discipline or recognition.
  • Work with customers when required to service their needs while minimizing disruption to production.
  • Performs other Assistant Production Manager duties as assigned.

This is not meant to be a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, and responsibilities. These items may change or new items may be assigned with or without notice.

Experience and Education Requirements

  • BS in Management Science (i.e. Production Operations Management/Supply Chain) preferred
  • Five years in a production environment, supervision experience preferred.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA’s) Required

  • Ability to manage multiple financial responsibilities including determining standard costs and sales prices for products manufactured, purchased, and subcontracted.
  • Ability to partner with a wide range of both vendors and customers and should work to quality goods in a timely manner.
  • Supervisory skills including proper personal interaction.
  • Ability to use Microsoft Office, other computer programs, and technology.

Physical Requirements

The physical demands listed are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. Modified “light duty” restrictions may be arranged as needed and when available for job-related injuries or illnesses. While performing the duties of this job the employee is regularly required to walk on normal and uneven surfaces, sit, use hands for writing and keyboarding, lift and/or move up to 20 pounds, and rare lifting of 21-50 pounds, standing, stooping, or bending. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus. Acute hearing is necessary for telephone and in-person communication with customers and fellow employees, and visual acuity sufficient to read a computer screen and paper documents.

Working Conditions

Office environment with exposure to lab and Production areas as needed. This position typically functions in a business environment. There may be occasional travel by car and plane with the possibility of overnight travel. There will be exposure to moderate noise levels, fumes, dust, chemicals, and allergens when traveling or in the warehouse.

EEO Policy Statement:

Gusmer Enterprises, Inc. provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. Gusmer will also consider requests for reasonable accommodations made by applicants and employees on an individualized basis, including those based on disabilities and sincerely held religious beliefs, where such accommodations do not impose an undue burden on the business. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.