Food Plant Shift Leader

Utz Quality Foods, Inc; Kings Mountain (NC); On-site; USD 75,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical benefits

Dental benefits

Vision benefits

401k match

Profit sharing

Employee stock purchase plan

Job summary

Utz Quality Foods, Inc. in Kings Mountain, NC seeks an experienced Production Shift Manager to lead a dedicated team on the assigned shift. You will oversee processing and packaging, coach supervisors, and drive safety, quality and productivity across operations.

You will partner with HR and Production to hire, train, and evaluate staff while ensuring compliance with GMP, SQF, and company standards. Strong sanitation and food manufacturing experience are essential.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED required; higher degrees preferred.
• Leadership experience in production or food manufacturing with supervising roles.
• Experience planning and scheduling production amid changing priorities.
• Experience monitoring labor usage and crew efficiency.
• Familiarity with ERP systems (Dynamics 365) and inventory tracking.
• Experience using maintenance systems such as EAM.
• Experience with performance tools like RedZone.
• Strong leadership and interpersonal skills for coaching teams.
• Knowledge of food safety, GMPs, and SQF requirements.
• Analytical, problem-solving and decision-making under pressure.
• Ability to analyze data and implement improvements.
• Effective delegation and task accountability.
• Proficient in Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint.
• Ability to lift moderate weight and perform occasional physical tasks.
• Detail-oriented with commitment to quality and safety.
• OSHA forklift operator experience.

Responsibilities

• Leads, coaches, and develops Production Supervisors to ensure safety, quality, productivity, and people results.
• Directs daily processing and packaging operations and acts as escalation point for issues.
• Executes production schedule efficiently, adjusting for downtime and supply gaps.
• Monitors labor hours and crew size; adjusts staffing in real time.
• Collaborates with HR and Production Manager on hiring, onboarding, training and evaluations.
• Ensures training is delivered and documented for shift personnel.
• Ensures product quality and adherence to standards.
• Drives plant performance and efficiency to meet goals.
• Analyzes line performance and drives process improvements to reduce waste.
• Manages material usage and film waste; supports cost initiatives.
• Monitors RedZone for packaging and fryer efficiencies; addresses root causes.
• Ensures work orders and PM tasks are entered in the ERP and coordinates with Maintenance and Sanitation to minimize downtime.
• Ensures data integrity in ERP through production transactions.
• Works with planning, quality, maintenance, warehouse and others to meet schedule adherence.
• Communicates shift performance and priorities during handoffs and updates.
• Supports Integrated Work Systems with KPIs and standards.
• Assists with month-end inventory counts and accuracy.
• Maintains safety culture and environment; leads by example.
• Follows GMP and SQF requirements and reports food safety issues.
• Flexible to work additional shifts as needed.

Skills

Leadership

Coaching

Problem-solving

Analytical skills

Communication

Team development

Operational planning

Data-driven decisions

Education

Associate's or Bachelor's in Operations Management/Food Science/Business

Equivalent work-experience considered

Tools

Microsoft Dynamics 365

EAM (maintenance system)

RedZone

Job description

Utz Quality Foods, Inc. in Kings Mountain, NC seeks an experienced Production Shift Manager to lead a dedicated team on the assigned shift. You will oversee processing and packaging, coach supervisors, and drive safety, quality and productivity across operations.

You will partner with HR and Production to hire, train, and evaluate staff while ensuring compliance with GMP, SQF, and company standards. Strong sanitation and food manufacturing experience are essential.