Senior Manager Production - Assembly

Caterpillar Caterpillar · Industrial · East Peoria, IL

Senior Production Manager for Assembly at Caterpillar, responsible for leading end-to-end production performance across multiple value streams, departments, and shifts. Focuses on strategic execution, leader development, cross-functional alignment, and operational excellence, with a strong emphasis on safety, quality, delivery, and cost.

What you'd actually do

  1. Lead end‑to‑end manufacturing operations in assembly ensuring safe, stable, and predictable execution across multiple value streams and shifts.
  2. Own safety performance for assigned areas by leading through Manager Production leaders, reinforcing zero tolerance for unsafe behaviors, and ensuring effective risk identification, incident investigation, and corrective action closure.
  3. Ensure compliance with all regulatory requirements and Caterpillar safety, quality, and environmental standards while reinforcing a strong Safety Driven culture.
  4. Lead Lean Daily Management execution, including tiered accountability meetings, escalation routines, performance review cadence, and closure of cross‑functional issues impacting PQVC results.
  5. Drive Built‑In‑Quality governance by ensuring control plan adherence, defect containment, layered audits, root cause analysis, and sustained corrective actions for repeat and systemic quality issues.

Skills

Required

  • Planning & Organizing
  • Effective Communications
  • Analytical Thinking
  • Performance Management
  • Flexibility and Adaptability
  • Influencing
  • Problem Solving

Nice to have

  • Experience leading operations in large‑scale, high‑volume manufacturing environments with multiple value streams or shifts.
  • Demonstrated success in lean transformation, BIQ execution, and sustained safety leadership.
  • Leadership experience across fabrication, machining, and/or assembly operations.
  • Strong cross‑functional leadership with the ability to deliver results through other leaders.
  • Data‑driven decision maker with experience using manufacturing systems and performance metrics to improve operational outcomes.

What the JD emphasized

  • assembly
  • safety
  • quality
  • delivery
  • cost
  • Lean Daily Management
  • Built-In-Quality governance