Production Lead

Company Overview

Pretium Packaging is a leading supplier of injection-blow molded plastic containers, recognized for delivering exceptional quality, value, and customer service. With 20 manufacturing facilities across North America, we provide innovative, high-performance packaging solutions to a diverse portfolio of brand owners throughout the United States and Canada. Our commitment to operational excellence, safety, continuous improvement, and customer satisfaction drives everything we do.

Position Summary

The Production Lead is responsible for providing day-to-day leadership, direction, and support to production employees in a fast-paced manufacturing environment. This role serves as the primary floor leader during assigned shifts, ensuring that production goals, quality standards, safety requirements, and operational efficiencies are consistently achieved. The Production Lead works closely with Production Supervisors, Maintenance, Quality, and Warehouse teams to maximize productivity while fostering a culture of accountability, teamwork, and continuous improvement.

This is a hands-on leadership role that requires strong technical knowledge of manufacturing operations, effective communication skills, and the ability to motivate employees to achieve business objectives.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Production Leadership

• Lead and coordinate production activities to ensure efficient and timely completion of manufacturing schedules.

• Direct daily work assignments and monitor production performance throughout the shift.

• Provide guidance, coaching, and support to machine operators, packers, material handlers, and other production personnel.

• Ensure appropriate staffing and workflow allocation to meet production demands.

• Assist in shift startup, changeovers, and operational adjustments as necessary.

Safety & Compliance

• Promote and maintain a culture of safety consistent with company policies and regulatory requirements.

• Ensure employees follow all safety procedures, lockout/tagout requirements, PPE standards, and safe work practices.

• Investigate and report safety incidents, near misses, and unsafe conditions.

• Participate in safety audits, inspections, and improvement initiatives.

Quality Assurance

• Ensure products meet customer specifications and company quality standards.

• Monitor production processes to identify and correct quality issues.

• Verify completion of necessary quality checks, inspections, and documentation.

• Support root cause analysis and corrective actions related to quality concerns.

Operational Excellence

• Monitor production metrics including throughput, scrap, efficiency, downtime, and labor utilization.

• Identify opportunities to improve productivity, reduce waste, and optimize manufacturing processes.

• Support continuous improvement initiatives, Lean Manufacturing activities, and 5S programs.

• Communicate production issues and operational updates to leadership.

Employee Development

• Train and onboard new production employees.

• Reinforce company policies, procedures, and work instructions.

• Provide ongoing coaching and performance feedback to team members.

• Assist supervisors with employee evaluations, development plans, and disciplinary processes as needed.

Communication & Documentation

• Maintain accurate production records and shift documentation.

• Communicate effectively during shift handoffs to ensure operational continuity.

• Coordinate with Maintenance, Quality, Warehouse, and Leadership teams to resolve production challenges.

• Escalate significant operational, safety, or quality concerns promptly.

Qualifications

Education

• High school diploma or GED required.

• Associate degree or technical certification preferred.

Experience

• Minimum of 3 years of manufacturing experience required.

• Previous experience in a lead, coordinator, trainer, or supervisory role preferred.

• Experience in plastics manufacturing, injection molding, injection-blow molding, extrusion blow molding, or related manufacturing processes highly preferred.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Strong leadership and team-building skills.

• Ability to motivate employees and drive results in a fast-paced environment.

• Knowledge of manufacturing processes, quality systems, and production metrics.

• Understanding of workplace safety standards and OSHA requirements.

• Excellent problem-solving and decision-making abilities.

• Effective verbal and written communication skills.

• Strong organizational and time-management skills.

• Basic computer proficiency, including Microsoft Office and manufacturing reporting systems.

• Ability to interpret production schedules, work instructions, and operating procedures.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to stand and walk for extended periods throughout the shift.

• Frequent bending, reaching, pushing, pulling, and lifting up to 50 pounds.

• Ability to work in a manufacturing environment with exposure to moving machinery, noise, and varying temperatures.

• Ability to wear required personal protective equipment (PPE).

Work Environment

• Fast-paced manufacturing environment operating 24/7 production schedules.

• May require overtime, weekends, holidays, or rotating shifts based on business needs.

• Regular interaction with production, maintenance, quality, warehouse, and management personnel.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Safety performance and incident reduction

• Production output and schedule attainment

• Scrap and waste reduction

• Overall equipment effectiveness (OEE)

• Labor efficiency

• Quality performance and customer satisfaction

• Employee engagement and retention

• Training completion and workforce development

Pretium Packaging is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to fostering a diverse, inclusive, and safe workplace where employees are empowered to contribute to operational excellence and customer success.