Production Manager

Opportunity Profile

Location: Anniston, Alabama

Position Title: Production Manager

The Opportunity:

This is a unique opportunity to join a growing, family-owned packaging manufacturer at a pivotal stage in its evolution. The company has recently consolidated operations, expanded its footprint, and invested approximately $4.5 million in capital improvements, creating a strong foundation for future growth. The Production Manager will play a highly visible leadership role within the manufacturing operation, focusing on daily production execution, scheduling, workflow coordination, and operational excellence across corrugated and packaging manufacturing operations.

Unlike a traditional Plant Manager role, this position is centered on being on the manufacturing floor, driving execution, improving communication, coordinating schedules, ensuring materials are available, and helping teams maximize performance. The individual selected will bring fresh ideas, best practices, and leadership capabilities into an organization that values continuous improvement and is eager to benefit from outside perspectives.

This role offers the opportunity to create meaningful impact by strengthening scheduling disciplines, improving operational execution, supporting recently installed equipment, and helping prepare the organization for its next phase of growth. Success in this position will directly influence manufacturing performance while serving as an important partner to the company's next generation of leadership.

The Company:

We are a family-owned manufacturer specializing in corrugated packaging, foam packaging, and value-added protective packaging solutions. Corrugated packaging serves as the foundation of the business, supported by complementary packaging substrates that enable the company to provide complete customer solutions.

The organization recently completed a significant operational consolidation and continues to invest aggressively in its manufacturing capabilities. Recent capital investments include a new rotary die cutter on the corrugated side, new waterjet systems and heat-sealing equipment within the foam operation, and ongoing expansion initiatives.

What truly differentiates the company is its entrepreneurial culture and low-hierarchy environment. Employees have direct access to ownership and leadership, allowing decisions to be made quickly without the bureaucracy often found in larger corporate organizations. The company values collaboration, responsiveness, customer service, and a family-oriented culture where individual contributions have a direct impact on business results.

The Boss:

The Production Manager will work closely with the company owner and leadership team. Ownership remains actively involved in the day-to-day operation of the business and maintains direct engagement with employees and customers. The owner has built a culture centered on accessibility, accountability, and customer responsiveness, believing in open communication and hands-on leadership.

A key aspect of this opportunity is the ability to partner closely with the next generation of leadership, who is being developed to lead the organization in the future. The company is seeking a strong manufacturing leader who can complement future leadership by providing operational expertise, leadership, and best practices that strengthen manufacturing performance while supporting long-term succession efforts.

The Position:

The Production Manager will provide leadership across the manufacturing operation with a primary focus on corrugated packaging production. This position will be responsible for production scheduling, workflow coordination, floor leadership, operational communication, and performance improvement. The role requires a hands-on leader who enjoys spending significant time in manufacturing environments and driving execution through people.

Essential Functions (Other duties may be assigned):

• Oversee daily production activities across corrugated and packaging manufacturing operations.
• Maintain a strong shop floor presence and provide visible leadership to production teams.
• Coordinate production schedules and improve schedule adherence.
• Ensure material availability and production readiness to support efficient operations.
• Monitor manufacturing performance, quality, productivity, and safety.
• Communicate operational information, priorities, and challenges to leadership.
• Develop and mentor production personnel while strengthening accountability and leadership capabilities.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives focused on operational performance and efficiency.
• Support implementation and optimization of recently installed manufacturing equipment and future capital projects.
• Collaborate with other functional areas to ensure customer requirements are met.

Qualifications:

• Demonstrated manufacturing leadership experience within a corrugated packaging environment.
• Strong knowledge of corrugated converting processes and production workflows.
• Proven experience leading production teams and driving accountability.
• Strong production scheduling and capacity planning experience.
• Excellent communication, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to identify opportunities for improvement and execute change effectively.
• Hands-on management style with a strong floor presence.

Education and Experience:

• Experience supervising or managing manufacturing operations in corrugated packaging.
• Experience with production scheduling, team leadership, and operational improvement initiatives.
• Experience with rotary die cutters, flexographic equipment, folder gluers, or similar corrugated converting equipment is preferred.
• Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in Manufacturing, Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, or a related discipline is preferred.

Work Environment:

This position operates primarily within a manufacturing environment and requires daily interaction with production personnel, equipment, and operational processes. The facility includes corrugated converting assets, rotary die cutters, flexographic printing equipment, digital packaging capabilities, waterjet systems, and foam packaging manufacturing equipment. The operation currently runs on a single shift and continues to expand through ongoing capital investment initiatives.

Compensation:

A competitive compensation package is offered, including a strong benefits program, professional development opportunities, relocation assistance for qualified candidates, and the opportunity to make a meaningful impact within a growing family-owned organization. The position also provides direct access to ownership and the ability to influence operational strategy and future growth initiatives.