Description

The Production Shift Leader / Planner is responsible for driving safe, high-quality, and efficient manufacturing execution at Bedford. This position leads day-to-day operations for an assigned production area while also owning short-range planning, manpower coordination, workflow alignment, and execution discipline needed to meet business objectives.

The role requires a strong floor presence, sound judgment, and the ability to lead in a fast-paced union manufacturing environment. The Production Shift Leader / Planner works closely with Production, Maintenance, Quality, Materials, Industrial Engineering, HR/LR, Safety, and other cross-functional partners to deliver results in safety, people, quality, responsiveness, cost, and environmental performance.

Key Responsibilities

Lead daily manufacturing operations in assigned area with a strong focus on safety, quality, delivery, cost, and people leadership.
Build and execute production plans that align manpower, equipment readiness, material availability, and operating priorities.
Monitor production performance, identify gaps, and drive timely countermeasures to recover misses and reduce disruption.
Escalate issues quickly and effectively, ensuring roadblocks are addressed with urgency and clear ownership.
Maintain a strong presence on the manufacturing floor to coach employees, verify standards, and support problem resolution where the work occurs.
Lead and develop hourly employees and team leaders through coaching, feedback, accountability, recognition, and performance management.
Mentor, train, and develop Group Leaders to strengthen leadership capability, standardize execution, and build bench strength across the organization.
Foster an environment of teamwork, inclusion, respect, and cooperation across the organization.
Support compliance with plant policies, safety requirements, good housekeeping expectations, and applicable labor agreements.
Partner with Quality and Engineering to improve process capability, reduce defects, and sustain standardized work.
Work with Maintenance and Materials teams to support uptime, change execution, inventory flow, and schedule stability.
Drive continuous improvement using GM manufacturing principles, standard work, and practical problem-solving methods.
Track and communicate key operating metrics, action plans, and risks to leadership and cross-functional stakeholders.
Ensure employee timekeeping, attendance follow-up, training completion, and required administrative work are completed accurately and on time.
Help build team capability by identifying skill gaps, supporting training plans, and developing bench strength for the organization.

Required Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in a technical field, or equivalent experience.
4+ years of experience in a manufacturing environment (casting, machining, or automotive strongly preferred).
2+ years of supervisory, lead, or strong informal leadership experience (leading projects, cross‑functional teams, or IE teams).
Proven ability to influence cross‑functional teams (production, maintenance, quality, HR/LR) and drive change.
Strong communication skills with the ability to present complex analyses and recommendations clearly to hourly and salaried audiences.

Preferred Qualifications

2+ years of experience specifically in die casting and/or machining within automotive or a unionized manufacturing environment.
Prior experience as a Lead or similar role with responsibility for mentoring/supervising other manufacturing employees.
Demonstrated experience and/or knowledge of GM Global Manufacturing System (GMS) and related standards.

About GM

Our vision is a world with Zero Crashes, Zero Emissions and Zero Congestion and we embrace the responsibility to lead the change that will make our world better, safer and more equitable for all.

Why Join Us

We believe we all must make a choice every day – individually and collectively – to drive meaningful change through our words, our deeds and our culture. Every day, we want every employee to feel they belong to one General Motors team.

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Non-Discrimination and Equal Employment Opportunities (U.S.)

General Motors is committed to being a workplace that is not only free of unlawful discrimination, but one that genuinely fosters inclusion and belonging. We strongly believe that providing an inclusive workplace creates an environment in which our employees can thrive and develop better products for our customers.

All employment decisions are made on a non-discriminatory basis without regard to sex, race, color, national origin, citizenship status, religion, age, disability, pregnancy or maternity status, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a veteran or protected veteran, or any other similarly protected status in accordance with federal, state and local laws.

We encourage interested candidates to review the key responsibilities and qualifications for each role and apply for any positions that match their skills and capabilities. Applicants in the recruitment process may be required, where applicable, to successfully complete a role-related assessment(s) and/or a pre-employment screening prior to beginning employment. To learn more, visit How we Hire.

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