Production Operations Lead

Summary The Production Operations Lead supports the Shift Supervisor by coordinating daily liquid and bulk production activities, including production flow, equipment setup, material movement, and startup and shutdown activities. This role provides real-time floor leadership, team coordination, KPI execution, and direct supervisory support to help ensure safe, efficient, and high-quality production across all liquid and bulk areas. This position requires flexibility to work a variety of shifts, including weekends, holidays, and overtime, based on business needs. The Operations Lead must also be able to support day or night operations and step into production support roles on the floor as needed. Essential Functions Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.

• Demonstrate mastery in all areas of liquid and bulk production.
• Lead by example as an extension of the Supervisor and the Company by promoting safety, teamwork, accountability, strong work ethic, and a positive, high-performance work environment.
• Support the full production floor across all production areas and coordinate shift flow in alignment with production priorities and supervisor direction.
• Provide advanced support and subject matter expertise for Sage, Beyond Trucks, Redzone, and other production systems, including system use, production reporting, downtime tracking, quality checks, safety documentation, and operator accountability.
• Monitor real-time production performance across all areas and drive achievement of output, downtime reduction, and overall shift targets.
• Coordinate startup and shutdown activities to ensure operational readiness, proper material staging, accurate machine setup, and completion of all required production setup tasks.
• Assist supervisors with labor allocation, staffing coverage, break and lunch rotations, and workload distribution to maintain production flow.
• Train, qualify, and coach new and existing employees on performance expectations, process adherence, safety behaviors, and standard work practices.
• Promote food safety, authenticity, legality, GMP, CCP, sanitation, and quality standards while reinforcing a culture of prevention, compliance, and accountability.
• Provide frontline troubleshooting support by identifying equipment issues, performing basic repairs, resolving operational stoppages, and coordinating escalations with Maintenance to minimize downtime.
• Operate production equipment as needed and provide hands-on coverage when staffing gaps arise.
• Serve as the communication link between the production floor and supervision by relaying directives, escalating issues, and providing timely updates on production performance, personnel concerns, and line status.
• Ensure completion and accuracy of shift production reports, monitor documentation compliance, support shift handoffs, send end of shift summary, and participate in continuous improvement activities to reduce waste and improve performance.
• Act as subject matter expert in all areas of liquid and bulk production including railcar operations, clarifying, inverting, batching, and blending.
• Work with supervisor to manage proper silo/tank inventory, allocation, and use.
• Document and report incidents, near misses, injuries, and equipment damage promptly and accurately.
• Interpret SOPs, production schedules, and other technical documents, and assist with SOP development, updates, and training documentation.
• Support audits, inspections, and corrective actions related to identified findings.
• Provide backup support for Production Data Specialists as needed.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Assist Production Operations Supervisor in the coordination and delegation of business operations.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Ability to maintain approximately 90% floor presence while providing operational leadership across the production area.
• Strong organizational, verbal, and written communication skills, with the ability to coordinate workload, staffing, and shifting production priorities.
• Ability to support schedule adherence, reduce downtime and operational waste, and ensure accuracy of production data and documentation.
• Demonstrated commitment to food safety, quality, legality, GMP, CCP, and sanitation standards.
• Flexibility to work shift-based schedules supporting day or night operations, weekends, holidays, overtime, and additional duties as assigned.
• Ability to serve as the designated lead while providing direct operational support to the Shift Supervisor.

Required Education and Experience

• High school diploma, GED, or equivalent experience required.
• Must currently hold the role of Production Operator III.
• 3–5 years of experience in production operations, maintenance operations, or equivalent experience required.
• Demonstrated ability to adapt to change and respond to operational challenges in a positive and professional manner.
• Working knowledge of Sage, Beyond Trucks, Redzone KPI systems, PLC-based production reporting systems, and Microsoft Office applications.
• Forklift certification required.
• Strong troubleshooting skills in operational and mechanical systems.

Work Environment and Physical Demands

• Ability to work in a manufacturing environment with noise, dust, varying temperatures, and moving equipment.
• Ability to regularly stand, walk, bend, reach, push, pull, grasp, kneel, and climb stairs/ladders.
• Ability to regularly lift, move, and handle up to 50 lbs.
• Ability to work with approved chemicals used in sweetener production, including acids and caustics, while following proper procedures and safety requirements.
• Ability to wear required PPE for the duration of the work shift.

Travel Required

• The home office for this role is indicated at the top of this job description. Travel to other Ingredients Plus locations may be required as business needs arise.

Affirmative Action/EEO Statement We are an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other category protected under federal, state, or local law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit, and business need. Other Duties Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.