Production Excellence Lead: Safety, Efficiency, Impact

Darling Ingredients Inc.; Maquoketa (IA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Darling Ingredients is seeking a Production Superintendent to lead and coordinate all production operations, ensuring safe, efficient, and timely manufacture of high-quality products. You will supervise production supervisors and staff, drive safety, quality, and cost objectives, and foster cross-functional collaboration across maintenance, QA, and other departments.

This role emphasizes planning, resource management, employee development, and continuous improvement, including 5S programs, with

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a related field with 1–3 years of related experience, or 10+ years supervision experience.
• Strong leadership and team development skills.
• Experience in food manufacturing or process manufacturing preferred.
• Excellent organizational, planning, and time management abilities.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Proficiency with manufacturing-related software systems.

Responsibilities

• Promote and maintain a safe work environment per policies and safety standards.
• Lead and develop supervisors and production staff to drive performance.
• Develop and execute production plans to meet safety, quality, cost, and delivery goals.
• Ensure staffing, equipment, and materials meet operational requirements.
• Monitor performance and implement improvements to maximize efficiency.
• Develop and enforce SOPs and 5S/CI programs.
• Partner with Maintenance and QA to ensure equipment reliability and product quality.
• Foster positive employee relations and address concerns.
• Train personnel to ensure safety, quality and workplace expectations.
• Maintain production records and communicate performance to leadership.
• Provide flexible leadership coverage across shifts.
• Support raw material load planning and inbound material flow.

Skills

Leadership

People management

Cross-functional collaboration

Safety compliance

Problem solving

Time management

Communication

Training and development

Education

Bachelor's degree in related field

10+ years supervision experience

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Darling Ingredients is seeking a Production Superintendent to lead and coordinate all production operations, ensuring safe, efficient, and timely manufacture of high-quality products. You will supervise production supervisors and staff, drive safety, quality, and cost objectives, and foster cross-functional collaboration across maintenance, QA, and other departments.

This role emphasizes planning, resource management, employee development, and continuous improvement, including 5S programs, with