Sr. Production Manager

PACCAR is a Global Fortune 500 company established in 1905, recognized as a global leader in the commercial vehicle, financial, and customer service fields. With internationally recognized brands such as Kenworth, Peterbilt, and DAF trucks, PACCAR designs, manufactures, and supports high-quality light-, medium-, and heavy-duty trucks. The company also designs advanced diesel engines and provides customized financial services, information technology, and truck parts.

Kenworth Truck Company, a division of PACCAR, manufactures heavy and medium-duty trucks known as The World’s Best®. Kenworth leads in fuel-saving technology solutions, including aerodynamic trucks, compressed and liquefied natural gas trucks, and medium-duty diesel-electric hybrids. The company is the first truck manufacturer to receive the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Air Excellence award for its environmentally friendly products.

About the role

The Sr. Production Manager sets direction for production operations and has authority within the production management team. This role is responsible for establishing, monitoring, and improving performance against plant and department goals, ensuring a safe work environment, and driving the successful implementation of operational initiatives. The Sr. Production Manager leads multiple performance metrics, develops and presents operating plans, and directs production priorities while aligning resources and ensuring consistent execution across production areas. This position serves as a key decision-maker in resolving operational issues, driving accountability, and coordinating cross-functional activities.

Responsibilities

• Provides leadership for production operations and is accountable for production performance across assigned areas.
• Leads production activities through first-line managers, Production Leads, and production personnel, ensuring alignment with plant priorities, safety objectives, and operational targets.
• Sets direction and priorities for production execution, including workload allocation, staffing alignment, and resolution of competing operational demands.
• Coordinates activities to ensure new products are effectively supported by Production and fully integrated into production processes.
• Supports the training, motivation, engagement, and safety of High Performance Work Team members and representatives.
• Establishes, monitors, and drives performance against production goals, including safety, quality, delivery reliability, scrap, labor efficiency, and housekeeping.
• Initiates and recommends personnel actions including performance appraisals, promotions, transfers, disciplinary measures, and development actions in accordance with Kenworth guidelines and procedures.
• Leads process improvement efforts, including PACCAR Production System initiatives, lean leadership, 5S, root cause and corrective action, quality improvement, auditing, and waste reduction.
• Serves as a coach and mentor to production leadership and team members, supporting both personal and professional development.
• Manages departmental budgeting and ensures financial objectives are met.
• Recommends, develops, and supports capital expenditure requests and other improvement initiatives necessary to improve performance, capacity, safety, or quality.
• Represents production leadership in cross-functional discussions and decision-making, ensuring consistent application of standards and alignment.
• Provides escalation leadership for operational issues that require senior-level direction, prioritization, or conflict resolution.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Manufacturing, Engineering, Operations, Materials Management, or a related field required. Graduate degree highly desired.
• 5–7 years of operations experience in a manufacturing environment.
• 3–5 years of production leadership experience, preferably with PACCAR/Kenworth.
• Demonstrated experience leading supervisors or managers and influencing peers across functions or departments.
• Working knowledge of assembly operations, continuous improvement tools and methodologies, and team-building skills.
• Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to lead teams and make sound operational decisions.
• Demonstrated leadership, accountability, and strong interpersonal skills.
• Ability to operate effectively in a team-oriented environment while providing clear direction and escalation leadership when needed.
• Ability to initiate and lead change through continuous process improvement.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Experience applying lean leadership principles.
• Working knowledge of PACCAR/Kenworth personnel procedures and labor agreements (union) desirable.
• Six Sigma Green Belt or equivalent training preferred.

Benefits

• 401k with up to a 5% company match
• Fully funded pension plan that provides monthly benefits after retirement
• Comprehensive paid time off – minimum of 10 paid vacation days (additional days with seniority), 12 paid holidays, and sick time
• Tuition reimbursement for continued education
• Medical, dental, and vision plans for you and your family
• Flexible spending accounts (FSA) and health savings account (HSA)
• Paid short- and long-term disability programs
• Life and accidental death and dismemberment insurance
• EAP services including wellness plans, estate planning, financial counseling, and more
• Eligibility for a holiday gift

Pay

The salary range for this role is $119,100–$175,000 annually.

This is a safety-sensitive position, and pre-employment drug testing includes cannabis testing.