Production Manager - Smelter

Shape Your World

At Alcoa, you will become an essential part of our purpose: to turn raw potential into real progress.

The way we see it, every Alcoan is a work-shaper, team-shaper, idea-shaper & world-shaper.

About the Role:

The Production Manager provides strategic and operational leadership across the smelter, with direct accountability for the Potroom, Casthouse, and Carbon departments (department managers report to this role).

The role aligns process development and continuous improvement initiatives, ensures disciplined budget planning and execution, and drives excellence in safety, quality, delivery, cost, and people development.

The Production Manager fosters a high‑performance culture grounded in integrity, operational excellence, and care for people, accelerating organizational improvement and sustaining results through the Alcoa Business System (ABS).

Key Responsibilities:



* Align process development initiatives across all smelter departments using validated methodologies and core operating standards.


* Establish and lead continuous improvement projects related to process enhancements, cost initiatives, business plans, accounting considerations, and industrial engineering studies.


* Accelerate organizational change by deploying ABS systems (e.g., A3 problem solving, Rules in Use, standardized work, industrial engineering/Toyota Production System techniques) to strengthen customer–supplier connections and eliminate waste.


* Identify and capture value‑stream opportunities in collaboration with all departments.


* Support production departments in developing and forecasting capital budgets and operating costs in partnership with the Plant Manager.


* Support development of annual operating plans and departmental budgets.


* Monitor performance against plan; implement corrective actions to achieve targets.


* Lead and develop the Potroom, Casthouse, and Carbon department managers; set expectations, provide coaching, conduct performance reviews, and build succession plans.


* Oversee skills development and performance management across departments.


* Promote a culture of accountability, inclusion, collaboration, and continuous learning aligned with company values.


* Lead or contribute to routine production meetings and provide clear performance updates, insights, and recommendations to site leadership.


* Ensure standardized work is maintained and continuously improved following changes.


* Assist, support, train, and challenge all levels of the organization to find opportunities and develop action plans to increase efficiency using the full complement of ABS systems and structured problem solving.


* Lead or support incident investigations and root‑cause analysis; ensure timely implementation and verification of corrective actions.


* Maintain accurate records, reports, and documentation in accordance with company and regulatory requirements.

Working Conditi...