Area Leader, Plant

The J.M. Smucker Company; Orrville (OH); On-site; USD 90,000 - 115,000; Full time

Job summary

The J.M. Smucker Company is seeking an Area Leader, Logistics for its Orrville, OH operation. This 100% on-site role focuses on developing teams, improving performance, and driving excellence in safety, quality, reliability, and cost.

You will lead across multiple shifts, flexing hours as needed to support business needs and ensure smooth product flow from inputs to finished goods. You will develop technicians, build leadership within the team, coach performance, manage staffing and training,

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree is required.
• At least 2 years of related experience in manufacturing, logistics, or transportation.
• Prior people management experience is required.
• Strong computer aptitude; experience with Excel, Word, Access, and PowerPoint.

Responsibilities

• Develop the skills and capabilities of the technician workforce.
• Build leadership capability among Coordinators, Team Leaders, and Reliability Leaders.
• Coach operating teams to meet or exceed performance expectations.
• Manage staffing, Workday, training plans, employee relations, and conflict resolution.
• Provide leadership and visibility across multiple shifts, flexing your schedule as needed.
• Drive Operational Performance and own department performance against Ops Ex targets.
• Develop and maintain the department scorecard and share performance results monthly.
• Understand plant product flow, inputs, and outputs; identify and eliminate losses.
• Attend daily DDS meetings and ensure follow-up actions are completed.
• Lead Ops Ex initiatives and continuous improvement efforts across the department.

Skills

People management

Leadership

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

Excel

Word

Access

PowerPoint

Job description

Your Opportunity as the Area Leader, Logistics

Be part of the team behind some of America’s most iconic jams and jellies. As an Area Leader, Logistics, you’ll play an important role in keeping our Orrville manufacturing operation moving, leading the people and processes that help deliver trusted J.M. Smucker products to consumers. You’ll develop teams, improve performance, and drive excellence across safety, quality, reliability, and cost while helping support brands that have been part of family tables for generations.

Location: Orrville, OH

Work Arrangements: 100% on-site

Willingness to flex your schedule, work extended hours, and flow to the work as needed to support multiple shifts and business needs.

In This Role You Will Lead & Develop People

• Develop the skills and capabilities of the technician workforce.
• Build leadership capability among Coordinators, Team Leaders, and Reliability Leaders.
• Coach operating teams to meet or exceed performance expectations.
• Manage staffing, Workday, training plans, employee relations, and conflict resolution.
• Provide leadership and visibility across multiple shifts, flexing your schedule as needed.
• Lead with the company’s Basic Beliefs as a foundation.
• Drive Operational Performance.
• Own department performance against Operations Excellence (Ops Ex) targets.
• Develop and maintain the department scorecard and share performance results with the team each month.
• Develop a strong understanding of overall plant product flow, including key inputs and outputs.
• Identify, prioritize, and eliminate losses within the operation.
• Attend daily DDS meetings, report on department performance, and ensure follow-up actions are completed.
• Champion Continuous Improvement.
• Lead Operations Excellence initiatives for the team.
• Support and lead Operations Excellence (Ops Ex) efforts within the department.
• Drive continuous improvement through effective troubleshooting, problem-solving, and performance management.
• Partner across the operation to identify opportunities that improve the safety, reliability, quality, and efficiency of the department.

What We Are Looking For Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• At least 2 years of related experience required.
• Previous experience in a manufacturing, logistics, or transportation environment required.
• Previous people management experience required.
• Strong computer aptitude, including experience with Excel, Word, Access, and PowerPoint.

Additional Experience That Would Make You Successful

• Food manufacturing experience preferred.
• Previous leadership or management experience in a union environment preferred.
• Warehouse Management System (WMS) experience is a plus.
• OSHA Powered Industrial Vehicle (PIV) management experience is a plus.
• Strong troubleshooting and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent organizational skills with the ability to effectively manage people, projects, and data.
• Demonstrated ability to coach teams to meet or exceed expectations.
• Self-motivated with the ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

The Right Place for You

We are bold, kind, strive to do the right thing, we play to win, and we believe in a strong community that thrives together. Our culture is rooted in our Basic Beliefs, and we believe in supporting every employee by meeting their physical, emotional, and financial needs.

Stay connected with us on LinkedIn

We’re an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, age, national origin, disability status or protected veteran status.

We’re a community of passionate, talented professionals dedicated to creating food people and pets love—while supporting the communities in which we work and live.

We value what makes each person unique, champion growth and development, and foster collaboration that fuels productivity and drives our shared success.

Learn more about our Thrive Together purpose At Smucker, we’re passionate about creating a workplace where you truly belong. With a culture rooted in our Basic Beliefs and a competitive Total Rewards program, we aim to support every employee by meeting their physical, emotional, and financial needs.

Learn more about working at Smucker Our culture is sustained and brought to life every day by the people of Smucker

Our hiring process is designed to identify the right candidate for every position at our company.

The J. M. Smucker Co. (the “Company”) is an Equal Opportunity Employer. No person will be discriminated against in hiring or in any other aspect of their employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), age, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, transgender status, marital status, familial status, disability, genetic information, protected veteran/military status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local law.