Production Manager

From a small family business to a multi-billion-dollar global company, Sonoco has been changing the face of products and packaging since 1899 — all while keeping the heart of “People Build Businesses” alive.

Our talented people are at the core of our growth, constantly reinventing the Sonoco wheel with brilliant solutions every year. Today we are a world leader in global packaging solutions with diversified operations in over 34 countries. We're extremely proud of our portfolio of brands, our achievements in sustainability and industrialization and the groundbreaking work accomplished by our people.

Reporting directly to the Plant Manager, the Production Manager is responsible for leading all manufacturing operations to achieve world-class performance in safety, quality, productivity, delivery, cost control, employee development, and continuous improvement. This role provides leadership for production teams, ensures compliance with regulatory requirements, and drives operational excellence through effective workforce management, process improvement, and capital investment initiatives.

The Production Manager is accountable for meeting operational objectives while fostering a safe, engaged, and high-performing work environment. The ideal candidate will demonstrate:

• •Strong safety leadership and a genuine commitment to employee well-being.
• •Excellent problem-solving and decision-making abilities.
• •The ability to motivate, coach, and develop teams.
• •Strong organizational and planning skills.
• •Confidence presenting information and conducting training for large groups.
• •A results-oriented mindset with the ability to balance safety, quality, service, and cost objectives.

• •Lead and maintain a comprehensive safety culture that prioritizes accident prevention and employee well-being.
• •Ensure compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local safety and environmental regulations, including OSHA and EPA requirements.
• •Conduct safety audits, investigations, and corrective action activities to prevent recurring incidents.
• •Promote employee participation in safety initiatives and continuous safety improvement efforts.

• •Direct daily manufacturing operations to ensure production goals, customer requirements, and delivery schedules are achieved.
• •Monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) related to safety, quality, productivity, scrap, labor efficiency, and cost.
• •Identify and resolve operational issues that impact performance, quality, or customer service.
• •Establish and maintain efficient workflows that maximize productivity while ensuring product quality and employee safety.

• •Lead, coach, and develop supervisors and production employees to maximize performance and engagement.
• •Provide clear direction, performance feedback, training, and career development opportunities.
• •Support employee relations activities, including coaching, counseling, conflict resolution, and performance management.
• •Partner with Human Resources to address employee concerns and ensure consistent application of company policies.
• •Recruit, interview, hire, and onboard production staff as needed.

• •Coordinate production schedules to meet customer demand while optimizing labor utilization, inventory levels, and operating costs.
• •Develop staffing plans and work schedules to ensure appropriate coverage across all shifts.
• •Collaborate with maintenance, quality, logistics, and other departments to support production objectives.

• •Lead Lean Manufacturing, 5S, Kaizen, Six Sigma, and other continuous improvement initiatives.
• •Identify opportunities to improve safety, quality, productivity, throughput, and equipment effectiveness.
• •Implement sustainable process improvements and best manufacturing practices.

• •Ensure adherence to all quality systems, procedures, and customer specifications.
• •Drive accountability for quality inspections, audits, and documentation requirements.
• •Investigate quality issues and implement corrective and preventive actions to improve performance.

• •Assist in the development and management of the annual operating budget.
• •Monitor labor, material, and operating expenses to achieve cost targets.
• •Support achievement of plant financial and operational performance goals.