Assistant Production Manager

Our Managers Are Kind of a Big Deal!
Are you an enthusiastic and hardworking team-player? If so, UniFirst would love to speak with you about our Assistant Production Manager role! As an Assistant Production Manager, you will be responsible for ensuring your location’s success through training your Team Partners, ensuring maintenance and housekeeping of the facility, and by developing improved processes to ensure efficiency. At UniFirst we have a 5-day work week, enjoy Saturday and Sunday off!! We have an immediate opening and provide on the job training.

Salary & Benefits:

Competitive Salary + 401K with Company Match, Profit Sharing, Health Insurance, Employee Assistance Program, Life Insurance, Paid Time Off, Direct Payroll Deposit, Tuition Reimbursement, 30% Employee Discount, Employee Referral Bonuses.

What’s in it for you?Training: 
Our Team Partners receive ongoing cross-training, exposing them to different areas of production. Cross training enhances their performance and assists them with their career potential and advancement.

Work Life Balance:
We offer a 40-hour work week. Enjoy weekends off!

Career Growth:
Some companies like to promote from within, we love to! Many of our managers started at UniFirst working on the production floor!

Culture:
Our family culture is what makes UniFirst an organization that stands out from the rest.

Diversity:
At UniFirst, you'll find an environment packed with different cultures, personalities, and backgrounds. We believe our diversity makes us who we are, and we strive every day to build a culture where everyone feels welcome.

What you’ll be doing:

Ensure that the UniFirst Quality Policy becomes part of the Production Department “Culture” and ISO certification

Ensure maintenance, repair, and housekeeping of the building and all its equipment. 

Participate in and support the determination, education and implementation of guiding principles to the UniFirst Mission Statement and strategic plan

Create a positive atmosphere by treating employees with dignity, respect and soliciting their involvement in problem solving

Provide safety training regarding OSHA rules and procedures

Conduct performance appraisals and counsel departmental personnel

Develop improved processes, systems, and procedures by maximizing efficiency through innovation and creativity.

Manage departmental activities regarding safety, health, and environmental issues to ensure that proper consideration is given to corporate policy and federal, state, and local regulations

Minimize supply cost by assisting in planned and organized purchasing, inventory control procedures and efficient supply utilization

Participate in the attainment of divisional growth goals for customer retention and pricing and new customer sales by providing a well-maintained facility which will enhance our reputation

Meet budget requirements of the department, including budget preparation and operation of the department as a profit center for the company

Follow all safety policies, HACCP and medical guidelines

Perform other duties as described by management.

The APM is responsible for the planning and execution of the production processes. The APM’s focus is on the production process in its entirety, not necessarily the day-to-day tasks that fall under the role of the Supervisor. The APM is an influential leadership role on the production floor and the role is held to a very high standard that requires objectivity, empathy, and perspective when dealing with conflicts, constraints, and issues. The APM must be team focused, and able to communicate expectations and results at a high level. The APM must be forward thinking in their approach. The APM is responsible for the people who are in their charge.

Qualifications

What we’re looking for:

High school diploma or G.E.D equivalent is requiredMust be at least 21 years of age or older

Bachelor’s degree in an appropriate background or equivalent experience preferred.

Prior experience in the laundry industry is preferredValid driver’s license and a safe driving record is requiredBilingual in English and Spanish is preferred

Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from co-workers, managers, and vendors

Ability to lift up 80lbs and carry up to 70lbs

Safety

·Adherence to Safety Policies and Procedures.·Ensuring and maintaining a safe working environment·Establish a daily safety bulletin·Participate in all safety meetings·Perform a full production and printer audit weekly

Training

·Essential to the development of the training program.Assist Supervisors in training employees, oversight and assisting the Supervisors and their designated trainers.·Utilize ULearn for policy and procedure training·Utilize PC/MRP, Excel, Outlook, etc.·Manage the production plans, planners and some aspects of purchasing

Production Execution

·Adherence to Quality Management Systems (formalized system to meet the defined set of requirements in the products produced).

Working with Leadership to develop Quality Assurance Strategies to prevent defects in the products produced within the QMS.QA is proactive and focused on defect prevention by refining and improving the manufacturing process when needed.Working with Leadership to develop Quality Control measures throughout the production process.QC is reactive and focuses on identifying defects in completed products repairing and reworking as needed prior to customer shipments.

·Production scheduling and planning.

Develops production plan based on forecasts provided by Planner, Service Level Agreements (SLA’s), Kanban or current inventory pull system, and hotlists.Ensuring that production deadlines are met, leading and delegating the execution of the plan to the Production Supervisors.·Establish a full understanding of the layout, function and process of the production plan·Managing the plan to satisfy Hot List and inventory demand, while prioritizing logos·Executing the plan at an efficient rate while maintaining quality

·Equipment utilization

      Ensures equipment is used effectively to meet demand capacities. Any deviations from the plan should be reported by the Production Supervisors. The APM will support Supervisors in coordinating repairs and resolving constraints      Satisfying the production goal      Satisfying the quality standards      Managing the SQ FT per man hour      Managing the capacity measurement      Consistently maximizing the tray utilization

Raw Material Management:

·Inventory levels

Manages inventory levels relevant to production as raw material or FGI Overseeing inventory levels of essential materials required for production.Fully understanding the reports driven by PC/MRCP and the additional spreadsheetsManaging FIFO throughout the operationManaging the flow of carpet from received to productionManaging the flow of rubber from received to productionManaging accessories, labels-5X, boxes-4X, carpet covers, production skids and printer, gloves, scissors, PTFE, etc.

HR/Disciplinary:

·Employee Retention, and Employee Relations.

The role of APM will focus on employee retention and employee relations.Focused on building and keeping productive employees while reducing turnover by fostering a positive and productive workplace culture and promote employee engagement which will empower the team.Works with HR, and PM to rectify a hostile workplace environment, issues including but not limited to, harassment, fear-based motivation, bullying and manipulation that cause workplace stressors, increased absenteeism, and employee disputes that drives attrition. Increased employee turnover is a major effect of such actions.The APM must be Team focused.Assisting and coaching the Supervisors in building strong production teams.Work with HR on all documented disciplinary and attendance meetingsServe as the interface between the floor and HR

Staffing, time keeping and staff allocation

Production Supervisors should promptly notify the APM and/or PM of any staffing issues, conflicts, or disciplinary matters. The APM’s role is to support staffing allocation and timekeeping in Kronos only if the Supervisor is unable to manage these tasks.Manage the production supervisorsEstablish weekly goals for each supervisor, hold them accountable and constantly measureIdentify weaknesses and strengths of each supervisor, documented for future growth or new processes Coordinate the coverage of vacations and sick days

Communication

Enhancing interdepartmental communication by collaborating with leaders and team partners from various departmentsReporting production status, constraints, bottlenecks, issues and targeted results to PM, OM, GM, Engineering, and DC in a timely manner.

Problem Solving

The APM needs to solve problems objectively. (DMAIC approach)Define ·Identify where the process deviates or is failing. MeasureWhat it should be and what it is. Analyze (Brainstorming is generally a Team effort)·Develop cause and effect theories of what may be causing the problem, the Root Cause is not always apparent.·Understanding of “Root Cause Analysis” to determine cause, using5 Why’s or other method as an effective tool to determine the root cause.·Develop an Action Plan to address the problem.Improve·Take action, follow the plan, and allow the plan time to yield results.·Use data to determine outcomes.·Did the action plan solve the problem?Control·Develop a plan to control the improvement and standardize the process.SKILLS

Project Management Skills: Ability to plan, execute, and oversee production schedules and workflows.

Communication Skills: Strong verbal and written communication for coordinating with team members, suppliers, and stakeholders.

Organizational Skills: Capability to manage multiple tasks, prioritize effectively, and maintain detailed records.

Problem-Solving Abilities: Skill in identifying issues and developing effective solutions quickly.

Technical Knowledge: Understanding of production processes, equipment, and software relevant to the industry.

Leadership Skills: Ability to motivate and guide team members while fostering a collaborative environment.

Budget Management: Experience in budgeting and cost control to ensure projects stay within financial limits.

Quality Control: Knowledge of quality assurance practices to maintain high production standards.

Time Management: Proficiency in managing deadlines and ensuring timely completion of projects.

Adaptability: Flexibility to adjust to changing circumstances and new challenges in a dynamic production environment.

About UniFirst

The fabric of UniFirst is woven from its very unique family culture where our Team Partners enjoy a small company feel while taking advantage of the resources and stability that come with being a 2-billion-dollar organization. 

UniFirst is an international leader in the $18 billion-dollar garment services industry. We currently employ over 14,000 team partners who serve 300,000 business customer locations throughout the U.S., Canada, and Europe. We were included in the top 10 of Selling Power magazine’s “Best Companies to Sell For” list and recognized on Forbes magazine’s “Platinum 400 – Best Big Companies” list. As an 80-year-old company focused on annual growth, there’s never been a better time to join our team.

UniFirst is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate in hiring or employment against any individual on the basis of race, color, gender, national origin, ancestry, religion, physical or mental disability, age, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, pregnancy, citizenship, or any other factor protected by anti-discrimination laws.

UniFirst is an equal employment/affirmative action employer. If you need accommodation for any part of the application process because of a medical condition or disability, please send an e-mail to TalentAcquisition@unifirst.com or call to let us know the nature of your request.

UniFirst Recruiters and/or representatives will not ask job seekers to provide personal financial information when submitting a job application. Please be vigilant as such requests for information may be fraudulent.