Assistant Production Manager

Bell Flavors & Fragrances; Northbrook (IL); On-site; USD 53,000 - 105,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive pay

Comprehensive benefits package

Paid training and professional dev.

Supportive team environment focused on

Job summary

Bell Flavors & Fragrances in Northbrook, IL is seeking a hands-on 3rd Shift Assistant Production Manager to support and lead 3rd shift operations at our Northbrook plant. You will supervise production staff, drive safety, quality, and efficiency, and ensure customer service goals are met.

The ideal candidate has 3+ years in food manufacturing, strong problem-solving and cross‑functional collaboration skills, and familiarity with ERP systems, HACCP, SQF, and GMP.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Operations Management, Business Management, or related field.
• Minimum of 3 years of experience in food manufacturing, plant operations, or production management.
• Knowledge of FDA, OSHA, EPA, GMP, HACCP, SQF and other food manufacturing compliance.
• Experience with food ingredient processing and ERP systems.
• Ability to obtain HACCP, Food Defense, and SQF Practitioner certifications.
• Strong analytical, communication, leadership, and problem-solving skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
• Ability to work extended hours, weekends, or on-call

Responsibilities

• Supervise and support 3rd Shift production staff to meet daily goals in safety, quality, and efficiency, and customer service goals.
• Lead and support production employees, including coaching, training, performance feedback, and development initiatives.
• Help manage production scheduling, staffing, equipment utilization, labor, overtime, waste, and supplies.
• Develop, maintain, and reinforce Standard Operating Procedures related to production, sanitation, inventory control, and documentation.
• Monitor key performance indicators and support corrective action plans when targets are not met.
• Participate in HACCP, GMP, SQF, Food Safety, Quality, and audit-related activities.
• Partner with R&D, Maintenance, Engineering, and other departments to support new product launches, reduce downtime, and improve productivity.
• Champion safe work practices and help maintain a clean, organized, and compliant manufacturing environment.

Skills

Analytical skills

Communication

Leadership

Problem-solving

Education

Bachelor's degree (Food Science / Operations Management / Business Management)

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Word

PowerPoint

ERP systems

Job description

Are you a hands‑on leader with a passion for food manufacturing and operational excellence? Bell Flavors & Fragrances is seeking to hire the 3rd Shift Assistant Production Manager to support and lead 3rd Shift operations at our Northbrook plant. In this critical role, support daily production operations at our Northbrook manufacturing facility. This role is responsible for helping lead production teams, drive operational efficiency, support safety and food quality standards, and ensure customer service goals are consistently met.

The ideal candidate is a hands‑on manufacturing leader with experience in food production, strong problem‑solving skills, and the ability to collaborate across departments to improve processes, reduce downtime, and support a culture of safety, quality, and continuous improvement.

Your Key Responsibilities

• Supervise and support 3rd Shift production staff to meet daily goals in safety, quality, and efficiency, and customer service goals.
• Lead and support production employees, including coaching, training, performance feedback, and development initiatives.
• Help manage production scheduling, staffing, equipment utilization, labor, overtime, waste, and supplies.
• Develop, maintain, and reinforce Standard Operating Procedures related to production, sanitation, inventory control, and documentation.
• Monitor key performance indicators and support corrective action plans when targets are not met.
• Participate in HACCP, GMP, SQF, Food Safety, Quality, and audit‑related activities.
• Partner with R&D, Maintenance, Engineering, and other departments to support new product launches, reduce downtime, and improve productivity.
• Champion safe work practices and help maintain a clean, organized, and compliant manufacturing environment.

Your Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Operations Management, Business Management, or related field preferred
• Minimum of 3 years of experience in food manufacturing, plant operations, or production management.
• Strong understanding of FDA, OSHA, EPA, GMP, HACCP, SQF, and other food manufacturing compliance requirements.
• Experience with food ingredient processing and ERP systems is highly preferred.
• Ability to obtain or currently hold HACCP, Food Defense, and SQF Practitioner certifications.
• Strong analytical, communication, leadership, and problem‑solving skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced production environment and support business needs that may include extended hours, early/late shifts, weekends, or on‑call support.

What We Offer

• Competitive pay with a salary range of $52,500 - $105,000
• Comprehensive benefits package
• Paid training and professional development
• A supportive team environment focused on safety, quality, and continuous improvement

Join Bell Flavors & Fragrances and help shape the flavors of tomorrow—while leading a top‑performing team on the 3rd Shift.

Bell Flavors & Fragrances develops products for food, beverage, cosmetics, personal care, and household care companies throughout the world. Bell has nine manufacturing plants worldwide including the United States, Canada, Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, Germany, Singapore, and China. Bell operates sales offices in more than 40 countries and is proud to be privately held by the Heinz family. www.bellff.com

Education

Required

• High School or better

Equal Opportunity Employer

This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.