Lead Pack Operator - 1st Shift

Ardent Mills; Saginaw (TX); On-site; USD 36,000 - 45,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental and Vision Coverage

Health and Dependent Savings Accounts

Life and Disability Programs

Company Sponsored Wellness Programs

Retirement Savings with Company Match

Paid Time Off and Paid Holidays

Employee Recognition Program with RAVE

Job summary

Ardent Mills in Saginaw, TX is seeking a Pack Lead to guide the flour packaging department. You will actively perform packaging tasks, cover operator roles during vacations, and drive safe, on-time product packaging aligned with quality standards.

The role emphasizes leadership in safety, coaching, and training while maintaining production schedules and customer requirements in a fast-paced facility.

Qualifications

• Experience leading a packaging/production team in a food manufacturing environment.
• Ability to coach, train, and develop packaging operators.
• Proven ability to cover operator duties during vacations or shortages.

Responsibilities

• Lead and support safe and efficient flour packaging from production through shipment.
• Perform operator duties as needed and fill in during vacations or staffing gaps.
• Manage packaging schedule, customer specifications, and outbound logistics.
• Maintain food safety, GMPs, sanitation, and packaging processes.
• Provide coaching, troubleshooting, and onboarding support to the team.
• Document production activities, update records, and support maintenance planning.

Skills

Leadership

Coaching

Training

Operations

Job description

As a Pack Lead, you will serve as a day‑to‑day leader of the flour packaging department, ensuring the safe, efficient, and timely packaging of finished products while meeting customer requirements, quality standards, and production schedules. This is a working lead position, meaning you will actively perform packaging operations alongside the team and be expected to cover operator positions during vacations, absences, staffing shortages, and other operational needs.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and support the safe and efficient packaging of flour products from production through shipment while ensuring adherence to food safety, quality, and customer requirements.
• Serve as a working lead by performing operator duties as needed and filling in for vacations, call‑offs, shortages, and other staffing gaps within the packaging department.
• Understand and manage the packaging schedule, customer specifications, product requirements, and outbound logistics to maximize department efficiency and customer service.
• Maintain a thorough understanding of the Final Product Zone, food safety requirements, GMPs, sanitation practices, and packaging processes.
• Champion safety initiatives and drive engagement in safety, food safety, quality, MSS, and audit readiness activities.
• Provide coaching, guidance, troubleshooting support, and training to packaging operators.
• Assist with onboarding, qualification verification, and development of team members.
• Perform sanitation activities as assigned and ensure equipment and work areas meet cleanliness standards.
• Use computer systems to operate equipment, document production activities, complete reports, and track operational performance.
• Use PRISM to open and close production orders and maintain accurate production records.
• Complete work orders, update OEE data, communicate equipment issues, and recommend corrective actions to plant leadership.
• Assist with maintenance planning and execution during outages and downtime events.
• Perform autonomous maintenance activities and minor repairs as trained and qualified.
• Assist other operational areas as needed throughout the facility.
• Support the Production Supervisor and Manager with scheduling and operational leadership functions.

Leadership Expectations

• Lead by example through active participation in daily operations.
• Build trust through reliability, integrity, accountability, and follow‑through.
• Promote teamwork, ownership, and continuous improvement.
• Maintain a strong culture of safety, food safety, quality, and operational excellence.
• Ensure the department remains staffed and operational by stepping into any packaging role when needed.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to stand, walk, climb, and perform physical work throughout the workday.
• Ability to safely perform all essential functions of packaging operations.

The duties, responsibilities, and requirements outlined above are not intended to be an exhaustive list. Responsibilities may change at the discretion of Ardent Mills based on business and operational needs.

Team members must be clean shaven in order to perform tasks where respiratory protection is required and the use of a respirator (including N-95 dust mask) requires a proper seal for adequate protection.

Location

Saginaw TX

Address

401 East Industrial Blvd, Saginaw TX, 76179

Employment Type

Full time

Additional Information

Competitive Compensation: We provide market-driven base pay, based on skills, abilities, and level of experiences. Our salary ranges are broad, and individual salary will be market competitive based on a candidate’s unique set of skills and level of experience. The starting range for this position is $26.00 - $32.40, with additional earning potential possible commensurate with experience. Additionally, we believe that our team members are the reason for our success and all team members are incentive eligible with a target based on contribution, company performance, and individual results achieved. While the specific bonus plan and target amount will be determined based on the role and breadth of contributions, the targeted bonus plan and targeted percentage amount for this role is Bonus - OIP, 5% Annual.

Benefits

• Medical, Dental and Vision Coverage
• Health and Dependent Savings Accounts
• Life and Disability Programs
• Voluntary Benefit Programs
• Company Sponsored Wellness Programs
• Retirement Savings with Company Match
• Team Member and Family Assistance Program (EAP)
• Paid Time Off and Paid Holidays
• Employee Recognition Program with Rewards (RAVE)

Application Deadline

EEO Commitment

At Ardent Mills, everyone matters and everyone has a voice. We are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal opportunities are available to all applicants and team members and the decisions will be based on merit, competence, performance, and business needs. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, physical or mental disability, pregnancy, genetic information, veteran status, age, political affiliation, or any other non‑merit characteristic protected by law or not. Together, celebrating our differences, we make Ardent Mills. The preceding position description has been designed to indicate the general nature and essential duties and responsibilities of work performed by employees within this position. It may not contain a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees in this position. The description, duties, functions, and responsibilities are subject to change at the discretion of Ardent Mills.En Ardent Mills, todos importan y todos tienen voz. Estamos comprometidos a brindar un ambiente de respeto mutuo donde haya igualdad de oportunidades disponibles para todos los solicitantes y miembros del equipo y las decisiones se basarán en el mérito, la competencia, el desempeño y las necesidades comerciales. Estamos orgullosos de ser un empleador que ofrece igualdad de oportunidades. No discriminamos por motivos de raza, color, religión, credo, origen nacional, ascendencia, estado civil, sexo, orientación sexual, identidad o expresión de género, discapacidad física o mental, embarazo, información genética, condición de veterano, edad, política. afiliación, o cualquier otra característica no meritoria protegida por ley o no. Juntos, celebrando nuestras diferencias, formamos Ardent Mills. La descripción del puesto anterior ha sido diseñada para indicar la naturaleza general y los deberes y responsabilidades esenciales del trabajo realizado por los empleados dentro de este puesto. Es posible que no contenga un inventario completo de todos los deberes, responsabilidades y calificaciones requeridas de los empleados en este puesto. La descripción, los deberes, las funciones y las responsabilidades están sujetos a cambios a discreción de Ardent Mills.

Shift Differential

The Company provides a shift differential to eligible employees who are assigned to and work shifts outside of standard business hours. Shift differential is paid in addition to the employee’s regular base hourly rate and is included in the calculation of the regular rate for overtime purposes. La Compañía proporciona un diferencial de turno a los empleados elegibles que están asignados a turnos de trabajo y fuera del horario comercial estándar. El diferencial de turnos se paga además de la tarifa horaria básica regular del empleado y se incluye en el cálculo de la tarifa regular para fines de horas extras.

Recruitment Fraud Disclaimer

At Ardent Mills, the security of our employees and candidates is a priority. We will never request sensitive information such as your bank account information, social security number, or other non‑publicly available information during the application and interview process. If someone asks you for sensitive information, we strongly advise that you assume that individual is not affiliated with Ardent Mills. Some things to watch out for:

• Slightly altered or unprofessional email addresses. Ardent Mills’ Recruitment team only corresponds from email addresses with the domain [e-mail] or [e-mail].
• Vague job requirements or job descriptions. Our open job opportunities and descriptions can be found at ardentmillscareers.com