Production Lead in Nashville, Tennessee at Vital Midwest LLC

Position Summary

The Production Lead is a hands-on leader responsible for coordinating the daily work of an assigned production area or shift to safely meet production, quality, and food safety requirements. This role provides day-to-day direction, training, and support to Machine Operators; monitors line performance; and serves as the first point of escalation for operational issues. The Production Lead works closely with the Production Supervisor, Quality, Maintenance, and other support functions to maintain safe, efficient, and reliable operations.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead shift start-up activities and communicate the production plan, safety expectations, quality priorities, and known operational risks
• Coordinate daily work assignments, line coverage, breaks, changeovers, and other activities to maintain production flow and meet schedule requirements
• Serve as a hands-on technical resource by operating equipment and supporting equipment setup, changeovers, sanitation, and start-up activities as needed
• Monitor production output, equipment performance, downtime, scrap, yield, and critical process parameters; respond promptly when performance is off target
• Verify that required production, quality, food safety, and downtime checks and documentation are completed accurately and on time
• Identify and troubleshoot equipment or process issues; coordinate with Maintenance, Quality, and the Production Supervisor and escalate issues that may affect safety, quality, or production
• Ensure team members follow standard operating procedures and all safety, GMP, HACCP, sanitation, allergen-control, and other regulatory requirements
• Train and coach Machine Operators on equipment operation, standard work, quality checks, documentation, and safe work practices; support qualification and cross-training efforts
• Provide timely, respectful feedback and reinforce workplace expectations; promptly communicate attendance, conduct, performance, safety, or training concerns to the Production Supervisor
• Conduct effective shift handoffs by communicating production status, downtime, quality concerns, staffing needs, open work, and priorities
• Maintain and reinforce 5S, housekeeping, sanitation, and visual-management standards throughout the assigned area
• Support root cause analysis and continuous improvement efforts that improve safety, quality, reliability, efficiency, and team capability

Success Measures

• Safe work practices and compliance with food safety and quality requirements
• Achievement of production schedules, output targets, and efficient production flow
• Equipment uptime, timely escalation, and reduction of avoidable downtime
• Accurate, complete, and timely production and quality documentation
• Operator training, cross-training, communication, and adherence to standard work

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required
• 3 or more years of manufacturing or machine operation experience preferred; food manufacturing experience strongly preferred
• Prior lead, trainer, or informal team leadership experience preferred
• Strong mechanical aptitude and working knowledge of production equipment, troubleshooting, changeovers, and process controls
• Ability to organize work, set priorities, give clear direction, and respond effectively in a fast-paced production environment
• Strong communication, coaching, documentation, and basic computer skills

Physical Requirements

• Ability to stand and walk for extended periods
• Ability to lift up to 50 lbs
• Ability to work in varying environmental conditions, including temperature, noise, and wet or production-floor conditions