Production and Planning Manager – Bioprocess Systems

The Asahi Kasei Group operates with a commitment of creating for tomorrow.  Our business sectors, Material, Homes, and Health Care, contribute to the development of society by anticipating the changing needs of those around the world. We look for candidates that offer a fresh perspective and a variety of skills to help us achieve our commitment.

Company:

Job Description:

The Production and Planning Manager – Bioprocess Systems is responsible for leading and coordinating the assembly and wiring of fluid management process equipment for the biopharmaceutical and pharmaceutical market. This role is focused on production leadership, planning, and cross-functional alignment, ensuring systems are delivered safely, on time, at quality, and at cost.

Rather than being a primary “doer” of assembly work, the Production Manager drives execution through the team consisting of welders, assembly technicians, and electrical technicians by establishing clear priorities, aligning resources, and removing barriers. A critical component of this role is maintaining tight integration with Project Management to align production capacity with the project pipeline, proactively manage constraints, and optimize throughput.

The Production Manager collaborates closely with Project Management, Engineering, Quality, and Design to ensure project timelines are achieved while also identifying opportunities to utilize available capacity for building standard products to stock. This role establishes and drives a culture of continuous improvement, safety, accountability, and effective communication across all levels of the organization.

Location: Glenview, IL

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

• Production Leadership & Direction
  • Lead, coach, and develop the systems assembly team, ensuring clear accountability, role clarity, and performance expectations
  • Drive execution through leads and technicians rather than direct hands-on assembly work
  • Establish a structured, organized production environment, including 5S standards and effective use of tools and workspace
  • Promote a strong culture of safety, quality, and continuous improvement
• Production Planning & Execution
  • Own production planning and scheduling for systems builds based on project demand and available capacity
  • Translate engineering designs (2D/3D) into executable production plans through the team
  • Identify and proactively mitigate risks to schedule, labor constraints, or material availability
  • Partner with Supply Chain, Project Management, Engineering, and Quality to remove bottlenecks and maintain flow
• Project Management Integration
  • Partner closely with Project Management to:
    • Align production schedules with the project pipeline and customer delivery commitments
    • Forecast departmental turnaround of expected tasks and deliverables for project plan creation and updating
    • Prioritize work and assign resources across active projects
    • Identify gaps in capacity and secure temporary or contract labor as needed
    • Provide clear, real-time communication on production status, risks, and constraints
  • Act as the primary operations interface for execution planning and fulfillment alignment
• Capacity Management & Inventory Strategy
  • Continuously assess production capacity and forecast future resource needs based on backlog and pipeline visibility
  • Communicate when excess capacity exists and proactively recommend building standard systems or subassemblies to stock
  • Replace hands-on inventory management with system-level planning and coordination to ensure materials support production schedules
• Communication & Cross-Functional Leadership
  • Serve as a key communication bridge between production, Project Management, Engineering, Quality, and Leadership
  • Effectively communicate with all levels of the organization—from shop floor technicians to executive leadership
  • Lead daily/weekly production reviews, planning meetings, and escalation discussions
  • Translate complex and shifting priorities into clear, actionable direction for the team
• Team Management, Quality, and Safety
  • Manage and develop a growing team of skilled technicians and/or leads across multiple disciplines
  • Establish individual development plans and support skill progression within the team
  • Drive engagement and ownership through clear connection of daily work to company goals
  • Ensure accurate and transparent reporting of quality and safety issues
  • Apply company policies, support performance management processes, and maintain positive employee relations
  • Promote company values (Challenge, Creativity, Sincerity, Wisdom, Curiosity, Growth, Passion, Responsibility)
• Additional Duties and Responsibilities
  • Support standardization efforts for system builds where applicable
  • Contribute to operational strategy discussions related to capacity, footprint, in-house vs. sub-contracted capabilities and scalability
  • Lead or participate in continuous improvement initiatives across Operations      

Minimum Requirements

• Technical certificate, associate’s degree, or bachelor’s degree
• 10+ years of experience in manufacturing, equipment assembly, or similar production environments, with strong preference for electro-mechanical integrated systems manufacturing
• 5+ years of leadership experience with direct team responsibility
• Demonstrated experience in production planning, scheduling, and resource allocation
• Utilize existing data to make decisions
• Strong cross-functional collaboration experience, preferably with Project Management teams
• Familiarity with Quality Management Systems (ISO 9001:2015 preferred) and cGMP environments
• Safety-oriented mindset
• Critical Skills & Attributes:
  • Exceptional communicator with the ability to engage effectively across all levels of the organization
  • Strong leadership and team development capability
  • Highly organized with the ability to manage competing priorities
  • Proactive problem solver with a focus on execution and results
  • Adaptable and capable of managing regularly shifting production demands and priorities
  • Customer-focused and team-oriented mindset
• Experience in engineered-to-order or capital equipment manufacturing (Preferred)
• Lean manufacturing / continuous improvement experience (Preferred)
• Project management software experience (Preferred)

Physical Demands and Environmental Conditions

• Regular presence in a production environment
• Temperature controlled environment, nice working environment
• Regular exposure to welding, assembly, wiring, and testing activities requiring proper PPE
• Hours will be 6am to 3pm, one shift, M-F
• Ability to lift 45 lbs as needed

The base compensation range for this role is $90,000-$120,000. Base Compensation is influenced by many factors including, but not limited to: time in the role, previous experience, skills, knowledge, performance, work requirements, internal equity, and business / economic conditions.

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As an equal opportunity employer, Asahi Kasei believes a diverse workforce will provide us with the ability to continuously support the changes in the economy, society, and environment.