Production Manager, North America

Overview

As our Production Manager, you will be critical to Sperry’s technology platform and fleet renewal strategy. Reporting directly to the Vice President, Engineering, Quality, & Production, you will lead the assembly team for North American equipment and parts in close collaboration with our Engineering Design, Procurement, and Fleet Management teams. Your primary objective is to oversee all aspects of production - from internal staff and shift management to 3rd party vendor coordination - ensuring that our sophisticated testing platforms are delivered on time, on budget, and to the highest quality standards

Production Planning & Execution

• Develop and implement comprehensive production plans that account for capacity, resources, and customer demand.
• Create and manage schedules to optimize efficiency for key platforms, including Hi-Rail Detector Cars, Yard Test Vehicles (YTV), Adaptive Test Systems (ATS), Roller Search Units (RSU), and Ultrasonic Transducers.
• Coordinate cross-functionally with Project Management, Design Engineering, Quality, and Procurement to align production workflows with material inventory and technical specifications.

Team Leadership & Safety

• Lead and supervise a team of production technicians, supervisors, planners, coordinators and specialists fostering a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.
• Establish performance targets, conduct evaluations, and provide ongoing feedback to ensure smooth daily operations.
• Enforce strict health and safety regulations, promoting a culture of safety awareness to mitigate risks within the assembly environment.

Process Optimization & Quality Control

• Establish and enforce rigorous quality control standards to ensure all vehicles meet or exceed internal and customer expectations.
• Implement lean manufacturing principles to identify bottlenecks and optimize production efficiency.
• Collaborate with the Procurement and Inventory teams to ensure a steady flow of components and manage inventory levels for critical parts.

Reporting & Analysis

• Prepare and analyze regular production reports, focusing on KPIs, output metrics, and budget forecasting.
• Utilize data-driven insights to develop strategies that enhance departmental performance and reduce defects.

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a related technical field (relevant experience may substitute).
• 5–7 years of experience in a production supervisory or management role.
• Demonstrated experience managing 3rd party vendors alongside an internal workforce.
• Strong familiarity with health and safety regulations in a manufacturing/assembly environment.
• Proven ability to prioritize tasks and meet tight deadlines under pressure.
• Proficiency with production management software and ERP tools.

Preferred Qualifications

• Proven experience in vehicle manufacturing or automotive assembly.
• Firm grasp of lean manufacturing concepts and practical implementation.

About Sperry:

Sperry Rail is on a mission critical journey to revolutionize the Rail Flaw Detection industry. Through the continuous development of cutting edge diagnostic technologies and AI assisted analysis, we are transforming railway safety worldwide. Our global engineering teams work collaboratively to develop step-change technologies that define Sperry as the unparalleled market leader. For nearly a century we have repeatedly succeeded in modernizing and improving rail diagnostics through our unrelenting pursuit of improvement.

Determined is an understatement. We are obsessed with advancing the science and raising the bar on what’s possible with our ever improving suite of product and service offerings. Emboldened through the shared values of honesty, accountability, passion, integrity and teamwork, we are driven by 4 the challenge and bridging concept with fruition. Each technologist entering Sperry has an opportunity to imprint themselves into our brand and further galvanize a culture of innovation and advancement.

Allow us to be clear, Thought Leaders are welcome! We are agile, hungry and invite those with similar passion to join us in challenging the status quo and bringing new ideas to market. Fast paced, high-touch with distinct sense of purpose, we offer more than a job, rather an opportunity to be part of something different.