HEM Paving Equipment · 9 hours ago
Production Manager
Waterloo, IA
Full-time
Onsite
Mid, Senior LevelHEM Paving Equipment is a growing Midwest manufacturer of concrete paving equipment based in Grundy Center, Iowa. They are seeking a production-focused leader to oversee their manufacturing operations, ensuring quality, efficiency, and a culture of accountability among approximately 35 employees.
ConstructionMachinery ManufacturingRental
Responsibilities
Lead, coach, and develop production team leaders and shop-floor employees to build a high-performing, collaborative workforce
Implement structured daily management routines (standups, tier meetings, visual management) to create clear expectations and consistent communication
Foster a culture of accountability, safety, and continuous improvement
Plan and oversee all phases of production to ensure reliable throughput and on-time delivery
Establish and maintain standard work, shop-floor organization, and visual controls to drive consistency and predictability
Monitor and manage key performance indicators (KPIs) such as OEE, first-pass yield, scrap, cycle time, capacity utilization, and on-time delivery performance
Proactively aligning staffing and production capacity with company growth
Ensure quality standards are met at every stage of manufacturing
Apply root-cause problem-solving tools and structure corrective actions to resolve issues and prevent recurrence
Collaborate with engineering on design-for-manufacturing improvements
Identify opportunities for automation, robotics, and process digitalization to improve efficiency and repeatability
Develop and support ROI assessments and business cases for new equipment investments
Lead cost-reduction initiatives focused on material optimization, cycle-time reduction, and waste elimination
Maintain a safe, clean, and organized work environment
Ensure compliance with OSHA requirements and internal safety practices
Qualification
Required
Proven experience managing production or manufacturing operations, ideally in heavy equipment, fabrication, or metalworking
Demonstrated strength in people leadership, coaching, and team development
Experience implementing structured operational systems (Lean, 5S, standard work, tier management, or similar)
Strong understanding of welding, machining, and assembly processes
Proven history of improving quality, delivery performance, and cost
Effective communicator and practical, hands-on leadership style
Preferred
Experience with automation technologies or capital equipment implementation is a strong plus
Benefits
Competitive compensation based on experience.
Company
HEM Paving Equipment
HEM Paving Equipment manufactures concrete paving equipment, offering tailored solutions and hands-on customer service.
Founded in 1998
11-50 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Early StageCompany data provided by crunchbase