Blending Production Supervisor

LIPTON Teas and Infusions; Suffolk (VA); On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Lipton Teas and Infusions is seeking a Blending Production Supervisor to lead daily tea blending operations, ensuring safety, quality, and on-time execution of production plans. You will oversee staffing, coach teams, and partner with planning to optimize blend attainment and material use.

Responsibilities include implementing lean practices, driving continuous improvement, and coordinating cross-functional efforts with maintenance, QA, and site leadership.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of supervisory or lead experience in a manufacturing environment (food/beverage preferred).
• Strong leadership, coaching, and communication skills.
• Experience with production scheduling, staffing, and execution.
• Lean manufacturing or LMS knowledge and application.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office; SAP and EWM experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute daily blend plans aligned with the production schedule.
• Achieve daily and shift-level blend attainment targets.
• Lead safety, quality, and continuous improvement initiatives across shifts.
• Coach operators and support staff to drive high performance and engagement.
• Collaborate with maintenance, quality, supply chain, and site leadership.
• Prepare staffing plans, including overtime and vacation coverage; manage attendance.

Skills

People leadership

Coaching

Communication

Production scheduling

Problem solving

Tools

SAP

EWM

Microsoft Office

Job description

Function: Site Manufacturing – Tea Blending

Role Overview

The Blending Production Supervisor leads day-to-day blending operations tosafely and efficiently achieve production plans, quality standards, and operational targets. This role has primary accountability for blend planning execution, blend attainment, and staffing of blend operations, while developing teams and fostering a culture of safety, accountability, and continuous improvement.

Key Responsibilities

Blend Operations & Attainment

• Develop and execute daily blend plans aligned with the production schedule.
• Achieve daily and shift-levelblendattainment targets.
• Partner with Production Planning to adjust priorities based on materials, staffing, and operational constraints.
• Monitor blend performance, yields, losses, and downtime; implement corrective actions.
• Coordinateblendchangeovers, rework activities, and production trials.
• Maintain blend formulation, PLC updates as needed based on formula changes

Ingredients, Tea & Inventory Management

• Ensure FIFO compliance for all blends, ingredients, and tea.
• Verify material availability to support the blend schedule and minimize loss-of-material events.
• Maintain in-house tea ingredient inventory atoptimallevels while managing space constraints.
• Coordinate tea ordering, delivery, and return of unused materials to offsite storage as needed.
• Ensure proper storage and organization of all ingredients in compliance with quality and organic requirements.
• Lead blend inventory counting process for Main Blending Teas, and Specialty Tea, Ingredients, and Flavors
• Role will directly supervise 12-20 team members spanning all shifts across 24operation
• Lead, motivate, coach, and develop operators and support staff within blend operations to enhance engagement and drive high performance
• Create daily staffing plans aligned to production schedules, including overtime and vacation coverage.
• Ensure training, certification, and skill coverage to support safe and effective operations.
• Conduct shift handovers, pass-downs, and daily production reporting.
• Manage and resolve employee relations issues, manage attendance, fosteringa positive and inclusive work environment.

Safety, Quality & Compliance

• Champion a safety-first culture and ensure compliance with safety, GMP, HACCP, sanitation, and regulatory requirements.
• Ensure cleaning standards areestablishedand maintained in blending and liquid rooms.
• Maintain audit-ready housekeeping standards at all times.
• Participate in site safety initiatives and emergency response activities.
• Ensure adherence to company policies, procedures, and quality standards.

Continuous Improvement & LMS (Lean/6Sigma and TPM)

• Drive continuous improvement initiatives focused on productivity, material loss reduction, and crewing efficiency.
• Experience managing projects from initiation to completion, including meeting deadlines and tracking progress.
• Demonstrated ability to drive a culture shift towards high performance and collaboration.
• Coach teams on problem-solving using LMS and lean manufacturing tools.
• Track and analyze KPIs to support data-driven decision making.
• Develop and implement operational SOPs and ensure training deployment.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Collaborate with Maintenance to address equipment reliability and performance issues.
• Partner with Quality, Supply Chain, and Site Leadership to ensure seamless production flow.
• Support audits, plant tours, and preparation of blend areas for internal and external reviews.

Skills & Experience

• Minimum of three (3) years of supervisory or lead experience in a manufacturing environment; food or beverage preferred.
• Strongpeopleleadership, coaching, and communication skills.
• Experience with production scheduling, staffing, and execution.
• Demonstrated analytical and problem-solving capability.
• Working knowledge of lean manufacturing or LMS principles.
• Proficiencyin Microsoft Office; SAP experience preferred, EWM Experience preferred

Physical & Work Requirements

• Ability to work in a manufacturing environment with standing, bending, and lifting upto 50 lbs.
• Willingness to work assigned shifts and adjust schedules based on operational needs.