Description
Job Purpose:
The Production Control Manager is the single accountable owner of job execution for Fabrication work once a sales order has been released. This role is responsible for translating customer demand into executable work by ensuring jobs are properly defined, planned, resourced, and supported through completion. The Production Control Manager owns job readiness, material strategy, execution planning, and schedule integrity, working in close coordination with Customer Service (sales order ownership) and the Production Manager (labor execution). This role replaces traditional Planning and Procurement functions by centralizing authority for BOM accuracy, material planning, purchasing direction, and execution control.
Key Responsibilities (Applies to All Fabrication Models):
Job Ownership & Execution Control · Serve as the single internal owner of jobs once released from Sales. · Maintain accountability for job scope alignment, readiness, and execution feasibility. · Lead job kickoff meetings to align stakeholders on scope, risks, schedule, and responsibilities. · Drive issue resolution to prevent job delays or execution breakdowns.
BOM & Job Definition · Load, review, and maintain Bills of Material (BOMs) for accuracy and completeness. · Ensure BOMs align with customer requirements, engineering intent, and quoting assumptions. · Validate BOM accuracy from both a material and execution perspective.
Material Planning & Procurement Control · Own the material planning strategy for assigned jobs, including buy-to-job vs buy-to-stock decisions. · Define purchasing priorities, sequencing, and escalation paths. · Approve alternate components, substitutions, and sourcing strategies as required. · Coordinate purchasing execution through Epicor, I-PReP, and related systems. · Maintain accountability for material readiness to support production schedules.
I-PReP & ERP Management · Enter, maintain, and validate job data in Epicor, I-PReP, and production planning systems. · Ensure job status, material status, and execution milestones are accurate and current. · Evaluate shortage reports and develop resolution plans.
Customer Service Partnership · Partner with Customer Service, who retains ownership of the sales order lifecycle. · Provide execution priorities, direction, and approved information for customer communication. · Ensure customer-facing commitments reflect execution reality. · Retain ownership of execution decisions and tradeoffs.
Cross-Functional Coordination · Coordinate with Production Managers, Materials, Purchasing, Engineering, and Quality. · Identify risks early and drive mitigation plans. · Ensure internal alignment between demand, materials, and execution capacity.
Reporting & Accountability · Maintain accurate job status reporting. · Support milestone validation and readiness for invoicing. · Communicate execution risks and constraints clearly to leadership.
Measurements:
· On-Time Delivery (OTD) · Job Readiness at Release · BOM First-Pass Accuracy · Material Readiness Performance · Job Status Accuracy (ERP / I-PReP) · Effectiveness of Shortage Resolution · Internal and Customer Execution Satisfaction
Education and Experience:
· Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations, Business, or equivalent experience preferred · 3–5 years experience in manufacturing, production control, or project execution · Industrial control panel or fabrication experience strongly preferred
Soft Skills:
· Strong ownership mindset and accountability · Excellent cross-functional communication skills · Organized, methodical, and detail-oriented · Decisive problem solver under pressure · Comfortable managing multiple concurrent jobs
Technical Skills:
· Epicor ERP experience strongly preferred · Experience with BOM structures and material planning · Strong Excel and data analysis skills · Understanding of industrial fabrication workflows · Familiarity with UL 508A and control panel construction a plus
Addendum A – OEM Fabrication Business Model: Repetitive, batch-based production with forecasted or semi-forecasted demand OEM Role Emphasis · Execution discipline, repeatability, and consistency · High BOM accuracy across repeated builds · Material strategy optimized for volume and predictability · Schedule integrity across multiple concurrent jobs
OEM-Specific Responsibilities · Drive BOM standardization and correction loops. · Manage buy-to-stock vs buy-to-job strategies for repeat parts. · Coordinate batch releases to support production flow. · Minimize execution noise and prevent downstream disruption. · Reduce variation and surprises for production teams.
OEM Success Indicators · Stable schedules · Minimal material-driven rescheduling · High first-pass execution quality · Predictable throughput
More About Us Cates Control Systems was founded over 40 years ago and is an award-winning systems integration company that partners with manufacturing firms to develop and implement automation solutions to increase production, improve quality and reduce costs. Our customers are extremely diverse and spread all over North America (and a few internationally). Our customers make roofing shingles, fry potato chips, roast coffee, process poultry and beef, distill water, bottle apple juice, and ship all over the world. Cates is committed to delivering quality solutions that we stand behind through service and support. Our vision is to positively impact the lives of others. We are a fun, friendly company with a strong family atmosphere and 12 core principles that guide us at every step in our success. Our culture is firmly rooted in the values of honesty, integrity, commitment, and reliability. To learn more about Cates, please visit us at www.cates.com.
Job Type: Full-time
Location: Plano, TX
Schedule:
Monday - Friday
Pay range:
$95,000-$105,000 Bonuses: Quarterly bonuses defined by KPI’s.
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- Dental insurance
- Flexible schedule
- Flexible spending account
- Health insurance
- Health savings account
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Professional development assistance
- Referral program
- Vision insurance