Description
Key Responsibilities
Production & Operational Leadership
- Lead all end-to-end production activities for the assigned shift across self-freezing operations.
- Execute daily production schedules and make real-time adjustments to labor, sequencing, and workflows.
- Assign and reassign labor to ensure balanced workloads and optimal throughput.
- Actively operate production and self-freezing equipment to maintain flow and address bottlenecks.
- Monitor production performance, downtime, scrap, and yield metrics throughout the shift.
- Escalate risks, delays, or constraints to the Production Supervisor with recommended solutions.
Team Leadership & Coaching
- Provide hands-on leadership, direction, and coaching to operators, mixers, packers, and material handlers.
- Support onboarding, job training, and cross-training of new and existing employees.
- Reinforce standard work, SOPs, and safe work practices on the production floor.
- Lead shift startup meetings, shift handoffs, and daily production communications.
- Address performance or conduct concerns through coaching and promptly escalate issues to management.
Equipment, Technical & Process Support
- Troubleshoot equipment, freezing systems, and process issues to minimize downtime.
- Coordinate with maintenance and refrigeration teams on equipment issues and planned work.
- Ensure equipment is operated within defined parameters and escalate abnormal conditions.
- Support continuous improvement initiatives related to safety, quality, cost, and delivery.
Materials, Inventory & Logistics
- Operate forklifts and material handling equipment safely and efficiently.
- Manage material flow between production, freezer storage, and outbound staging.
- Conduct inventory counts, cycle counts, and reconciliations to maintain inventory accuracy.
- Prepare, review, and process Bills of Lading (BOLs) and shipping documentation.
- Coordinate with warehouse and logistics partners to support on-time shipments.
Documentation, Reporting & Compliance
- Complete accurate production reports, downtime logs, and shift summaries.
- Provide written and verbal updates on production status, staffing, safety, quality, and equipment issues.
- Ensure production records meet internal, customer, food safety, and regulatory requirements.
- Support audits, inspections, and corrective action activities as required.
Safety, Quality & Cold Chain Integrity
- Promote and enforce a strong safety culture throughout the shift.
- Ensure compliance with food safety, quality, and cold chain standards.
- Immediately address unsafe conditions or behaviors and escalate as required.
- Maintain proper use of PPE and adherence to site safety requirements.
Requirements
Qualifications
Required Qualifications
- High school diploma or GED required.
- Minimum 3–5 years of experience in manufacturing, food processing, frozen, or cold storage operations.
- Demonstrated experience in a lead, senior operator, or working lead role.
- Proven ability to lead teams while actively performing production work (player-coach).
- Forklift experience and willingness to maintain certification.
- Strong working knowledge of production equipment, material handling, and inventory processes.
- Ability to work in cold and freezer environments for extended periods.
- Willingness to work overtime and provide occasional cross-shift coverage.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience in frozen or refrigerated food manufacturing environments.
- Familiarity with self-freezing, batch processing, or continuous production systems.
- Experience supporting startup or rapid scale-up operations.
- Exposure to Lean manufacturing, standard work, or continuous improvement methodologies.
Physical & Work Environment Requirements
- Ability to stand, walk, bend, and lift up to 50 lbs. with or without accommodation.
- Frequent operation of forklifts and industrial equipment.
- Regular exposure to cold and freezer temperatures.
- Use of required PPE.
Compensation & Growth
- Competitive hourly wage based on experience and qualifications.
- Overtime eligibility.
- Clear advancement pathway into salaried Production Supervisor roles based on performance.
