Packaging Supervisor: Lead High-Volume Dairy Operations

fairlife; Grand Rapids (MI); On-site; USD 80,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical benefits

Paid time off

Parental leave

401(k) match

Tuition reimbursement

Life insurance

EAP

Free product

Job summary

fairlife, LLC is seeking a Packaging Supervisor in Coopersville, MI to lead frontline packaging operations on a 12-hour shift, ensuring safety, quality, and efficiency. You will coach operators, manage attendance, and coordinate with cross-functional partners to meet daily production goals.

Responsibilities include leading shift execution, sanitation, changeovers, audits, and continuous improvement with a strong emphasis on GMP and food safety.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent supervisory experience.
• Minimum 1 year of manufacturing experience in a food and/or beverage environment.
• Proven ability to lead, coach, train, and fairly and consistently hold employees accountable for safety, quality, attendance, and performance expectations.
• Experience leading shift-based manufacturing teams, including setting priorities, managing labor, and responding to real-time production challenges.
• Dairy manufacturing experience, including ESL and/or aseptic processing, preferred.
• Strong working knowledge of automated packaging operations and equipment, including blow molding, filling, labeling/sleeving, case packing, palletizing, and ancillary systems.
• Strong commitment to workplace safety, with the ability to identify hazards, respond to incidents, and promote a culture of safety and accountability.
• Knowledge of food safety, sanitation, and quality standards, with experience maintaining audit readiness.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional partners such as Quality, Maintenance, and Warehouse teams.
• Strong communication, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced manufacturing environment with changing priorities and high accountability.

Responsibilities

• Own shift-level performance across safety, quality, service, and cost in packaging operations.
• Directly supervise, coach, and develop packaging operators, ensuring training and certification.
• Hold employees accountable to policies, procedures, processes and conduct with coaching and progressive discipline.
• Ensure accurate time and attendance administration, validating attendance points.
• Lead all aspects of shift execution, including production runs, sanitation, changeovers, and planned shutdowns.
• Facilitate shift handover and daily direction-setting meetings communicating priorities and risks.
• Champion a strong safety culture by addressing unsafe conditions and escalating hazards.
• Communicate with cross-functional partners regarding operating changes, maintenance, quality risks.
• Maintain GMP and safety audit readiness through cleanliness of floors, drains, conveyors, and equipment.
• Audit sanitation and equipment standards including Master Sanitation Schedule and CIL tasks.
• Verify CIP processes to ensure production-readiness and timelines.
• Initiate and manage product holds per Quality standards with Warehouse coordination.
• Lead root cause analysis for shift losses and implement corrective actions.
• Manage consumable inventory daily to support production.
• Contribute to SOPs and One Point Lessons with training embedded.

Skills

Leadership

Coaching

Training

Safety

Quality

Communication

Problem solving

Cross-functional work

Shift management

Continuous improvement

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

fairlife, LLC is seeking a Packaging Supervisor in Coopersville, MI to lead frontline packaging operations on a 12-hour shift, ensuring safety, quality, and efficiency. You will coach operators, manage attendance, and coordinate with cross-functional partners to meet daily production goals.

Responsibilities include leading shift execution, sanitation, changeovers, audits, and continuous improvement with a strong emphasis on GMP and food safety.