Food Production Shift Lead

JOB DESCRIPTION

Position Title:

Shift Lead Department:

Operations Reports To:

Plant Supervisor FLSA Status:

Non-Exempt

POSITION SUMMARY

The Shift Lead is a hands-on frontline leader responsible for executing daily production plans and directly overseeing hourly production and warehouse personnel. This role serves as the primary operational owner of the floor during assigned shifts, with full accountability for throughput, quality, labor efficiency, safety, and material flow. The Shift Lead ensures alignment between production execution and warehouse coordination to maintain continuous, efficient operations.

ROLE ALIGNMENT WITH OPERATIONS STRUCTURE

Plant Supervisor:

Strategic and operational oversight, KPI ownership across all shifts, staffing, and performance management. Shift Lead (This position) : Tactical execution of production plan, real-time decision-making, direct supervision of the production staff.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Production Execution & Floor Leadership Lead assigned shift personnel and drive execution of daily production plan. Make real-time operational decisions to maintain throughput and minimize downtime. Ensure proper line setup, changeovers, and startup procedures. Material Flow & Coordination Oversee staging, WIP movement, and finished goods transfer. Coordinate directly with warehouse personnel to prevent bottlenecks. Equipment & Process Control Operate and supervise filler systems, retort equipment, and packaging lines. Monitor filler calibration, weights, seal integrity, and lot coding accuracy. Own retort process execution including time/temperature validation and CCP documentation. Food Safety & Compliance Enforce GMP, HACCP, and internal quality standards. Always maintain audit-ready documentation. Safety Leadership Enforce OSHA-compliant practices and lead shift safety briefings. Correct unsafe behaviors immediately and consistently. Performance Management Monitor throughput, downtime, yield, and labor efficiency in real time. Reallocate labor and adjust operations to meet targets. Provide feedback on employee performance and staffing needs. Continuous Improvement Identify inefficiencies and implement process improvements. Reduce waste, scrap, and unplanned downtime. Training & Development Train and reinforce SOP adherence across team members.

QUALIFICATIONS

Minimum 3 years of food manufacturing experience. Proven hands-on experience running production lines. Experience with filler systems, retort processing, QA/QC, and packaging operations preferred. Prior supervisory or team lead experience preferred. Strong knowledge of GMP and food safety standards. OSHA 10 certification preferred. HACCP training preferred. Forklift certification preferred.

PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS

Throughput:

Meet or exceed defined production output targets per shift.

Labor Efficiency:

Optimize labor utilization (units per labor hour).

Downtime:

Minimize unplanned downtime through active management.

Yield:

Reduce scrap and maximize product yield.

Safety:

Maintain incident-free operations and compliance with safety protocols.

Compliance:

Ensure 100% accuracy and completion of documentation.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

Ability to stand for extended periods. Ability to lift up to 50 pounds. Ability to work in high-temperature and humid environments (retort area). Ability to safely operate industrial equipment.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Food production environment with exposure to machinery, temperature variation, peanut and peanut by products, and wet conditions. Strict adherence to safety and food safety standards is mandatory.

CONTAINERFARE STANDARD CLAUSE

All roles are expected to support operational needs across production and warehouse functions as required. Employees must demonstrate flexibility, accountability, and a commitment to efficiency and continuous improvement.

Pay:

$26.00 - $30.00 per hour

Experience:

Food production: 3 years (Required)

Work Location:

In person