Production Manager

The Company

At Mergon, we mould ideas for a sustainable future. We work with leading brands like Tesla, Ford, Stellantis and Rivian to manufacture and deliver sustainable products for the vehicles and equipment of the future. We care deeply about our colleagues, customers and our community and we have a curiosity that constantly pushes us to innovate and improve. We are competent, capable and we invest in our people and in our processes to ensure we continue to grow and do our best work every day.

The Role

The Production Manager leads all manufacturing operations within the plant to ensure the safe, efficient, and cost-effective delivery of products that meet customer, quality, and business requirements. The role is accountable for production performance, people leadership, continuous improvement, operational excellence, and the effective deployment of Mergon manufacturing standards across the facility.

The Production Manager works closely with Engineering, Quality,Materials, Program Management, and Global Operations teams to support customer satisfaction, business growth, and the successful launch of new products and technologies.

Manufacturing Operations Leadership

• Lead all production activities to achieve safety, quality, delivery, cost, and productivity targets.
• Ensure production plans are executed in line with customer requirements and business objectives.
• Manage daily manufacturing performance through key operational metrics and visual management systems.
• Drive operational discipline and adherence to standardized work practices.
• Ensure compliance with all company policies, customer requirements, and applicable Mexican regulatory requirements.

Continuous Improvement & Operational Excellence

• Champion a culture of continuous improvement throughout the manufacturing organization.
• Lead initiatives to improve OEE, labour productivity, scrap reduction, yield improvement, and cost competitiveness.
• Drive root cause analysis and implementation of sustainable corrective actions.
• Support digitalization, automation, and Industry 4.0 initiatives where appropriate.

Engineering & Technical Collaboration

• Partner with Engineering and Maintenance teams to maximize equipment uptime and manufacturing efficiency.
• Ensure preventative and predictive maintenance programs are effectively supported.
• Support tooling, process optimization, automation, and capital investment projects.
• Work closely with Quality and Engineering teams during new product introductions, transfers, and customer launches to ensure deliverables are met
• Ensure manufacturing readiness for new programs and product transfers.

Quality & Customer Focus

• Foster a quality-first culture throughout the production organization.
• Ensure production activities comply with customer specifications, quality standards, and internal procedures.
• Support investigation and resolution of customer complaints, quality concerns, and production issues.
• Drive continuous improvements in scrap, defects, and non-conformance performance.
• Collaborate with Quality teams to achieve plant quality objectives and audit readiness.

Health, Safety & Environment

• Lead by example in promoting a strong safety culture.
• Ensure compliance with all environmental, health, and safety regulations and Mergon standards.
• Maintain a proactive approach to risk identification, hazard reduction, and workplace safety improvement.
• Support achievement of plant sustainability and environmental objectives.

People Leadership

• Lead, coach, and develop Production Supervisors, Team Leaders, and production personnel.
• Develop workforce plans aligned with operational requirements.
• Build a high-performing, engaged, and accountable manufacturing team.
• Foster positive employee relations and maintain a respectful and inclusive workplace culture.

Financial & Business Performance

• Manage manufacturing costs in line with budget and business objectives.
• Monitor labour efficiency, material utilization, overtime, and operational spending.
• Support annual budgeting and forecasting processes.
• Identify and implement cost reduction opportunities without compromising safety, quality, or customer service.
• Contribute to achieving plant profitability and operational performance goals.

Education & Experience

Essential

• Degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Industrial Engineering, Operations Management, or related discipline.
• Minimum 7 years' manufacturing experience, including at least 3 years in a production leadership role.
• Experience managing large production teams in a high-volume manufacturing environment.
• Strong knowledge of production planning, capacity management, quality systems, and operational performance metrics.
• Experience implementing Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Strong people leadership and change management experience.

Desirable

• Experience in plastics manufacturing, injection moulding, automotive, medical, or highly regulated manufacturing environments.
• Experience working within multinational manufacturing organizations.
• Knowledge of APQP, PPAP, FMEA, and customer launch processes.
• Six Sigma, Lean, or Operational Excellence certification.
• Bilingual English and Spanish.

Key Competencies

Leadership

Operational Excellence

Business Acumen

Collaboration

Personal Attributes

• Results oriented
• Accountable and decisive
• Resilient under pressure
• Strong communicator
• High integrity and professionalism

Reporting To: Plant Manager

Direct Reports: Production Supervisors, Team Leaders, Production Personnel (indirectly)

Location: Mergon Mexico (Ramos Arizpe/Saltillo)

Travel: Occasional travel within Mexico and to other Mergon locations as required.