Production Lead - 1st Shift

Russell Stover Chocolates, LLC; Abilene (TX); On-site; USD 56,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Protective gear provided

Climate-controlled environment

Safety training

Job summary

Russell Stover Chocolates is seeking a Production Lead to champion our brand from start to finish in chocolate production. You will guide a team to meet production goals while upholding quality and safety standards, using SAP for records and process control.

You will train and support staff, foster a safety-first culture, and ensure adherence to GMP and food safety requirements across shifts. Strong leadership and communication are essential.

Qualifications

• 5 years of increasing leadership experience in a food manufacturing setting.
• Strong analytical abilities and excellent communication skills.
• Ability to prioritize multiple tasks and work under safety standards.
• English fluency in reading, writing, and speaking.

Responsibilities

• Direct, monitor, assist and train team members in a defined area.
• Communicate with and delegate tasks to team members.
• Operate machinery and equipment safely per SOPs and guidelines.
• Maintain records and perform required activities for the area and team.
• Perform clean-up activities as assigned and ensure GMP compliance.
• Complete FSQA training and contribute to regulatory safety objectives.

Skills

Leadership experience

Analytical skills

Communication

Numerical ability

Time management

Reading measurements

English fluency

Tools

SAP

Microsoft Office

Job description

At Russell Stover, not only do we love chocolate, but we love our jobs! Every day we go to work exhibiting our values of excellence, innovation, entrepreneurship, responsibility, and collaboration. Working at Russell Stover you’ll be part of the leading manufacturer of boxed, seasonal, and sugar-free chocolates. For over 100 years, Russell Stover Chocolates, Whitman’s, and Pangburn’s have been crafted with the finest ingredients to bring happiness to generations. Today, we produce over 55 million pounds of chocolate annually, and our legacy brands can be found in 13 company-owned stores and over 9,000 wholesale accounts. Join our team and let’s continue making chocolate lovers happy!

A day in the life…

As the Production Lead,you will champion the iconic Russell Stover brand by having a direct role in the chocolate production process from beginning to end. You will be responsible for ensuring each piece of candy that comes out of our facility is "Only the Finest" quality that our customers have grown to expect. You will inspire, train, and support team members, fostering a culture of safety, efficiency, and excellence. You will guide your department to consistently meet production goals while adhering to our quality standards. Additionally, you will utilize our SAP management system to maintain accurate records, ensuring smooth operations throughout all stages of production.

What you will be doing…

• Directing, monitoring, assisting and training employees assigned to a specific area, line or team per Supervisor’s instructions.
• Communicating with and delegating tasks to team members.
• Operating machinery, equipment and tools in a safe and proficient manner according to standards, guidelines and instructions.
• Maintaining records, delivering, inspecting and performing all activities required of other members of the area, line or team.
• Performing clean-up activities as assigned
• Adhering to Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) to ensure product quality and maintain compliance with food safety standards.
• Completing and following FSQA training and programs to comply with regulatory requirements, ensure consumer safety, and support the plant’s food safety and quality objectives.
• Promptly reporting and taking appropriate action on any observed or potential food safety hazards, process deviations, or non-conformities by notifying the designated plant supervisor, in accordance with your role and responsibilities.
• Actively contributing to the continuous improvement of the company’s Food Safety Culture through engagement and actions aligned with your role.

This job posting is not all inclusive and other duties may be assigned.

Do you have what it takes?

Basic Qualifications

• 18 years of age or older.
• Ability to read and understand rules, tape measures, scales and thermometers.
• Ability to read and understand product specifications established by Russell Stover Candies and recognize deviations from those specifications.
• Ability to routinely and frequently stand, stoop, bend, climb and lift to meet cleaning requirements.
• Ability to perform basic math functions.
• Strong analytical abilities.
• Ability to prioritize multiple tasks and objectives.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to speak, read, and write English fluently, with or without an accommodation.

Do you stand above the rest?

Preferred Qualification

• 5 years of increasing leadership experience in a food manufacturing setting.
• Working knowledge of SAP & Microsoft Office Products.

Experience Life at Russell Stover Plants!

• Safety First: Your well-being is our top priority, and we’ve got you covered with protective gear. On day one, you’ll dive into Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) training, and we’ll keep you on your toes with daily safety tips to ensure you’re always in the know!
• Surroundings: Get ready to work alongside a variety of equipment like automated packing machines, forklifts, electric pallet jacks, and those irresistible chocolate candy banks/steels – it’s a dynamic environment where every day brings something new!
• Active & Engaging Work: Whether you’re on your feet for extended periods, moving around, climbing ladders, or lifting up to 50 lbs, there’s never a dull moment. This is a place where you’ll stay on the move!
• Comfortable Climate: In most roles, you will be comfortable year-round with our climate-controlled environment.
• Appealing Smells: The air is filled with sweet aromas of chocolate, and by the time your shift ends, you might just leave smelling like chocolate!
• Dress to Impress (Food Safety Style): A simple yet important dress code ensures safety and hygiene, following Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) to keep everything running smoothly.
• Allergens: You will be exposed to a variety of ingredients that may be considered food allergens.

At Russell Stover Chocolates, we don’t just accept difference — we celebrate it, we support it, and we thrive on it for the benefit of our employees, our products, and our community. Russell Stover Chocolates is proud to be an equal-opportunity workplace.

We provide equal employment opportunities to all people without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, religion, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, protected medical condition, genetic information, military service, veteran status, or any other status or characteristic protected by law.

Employment by Russell Stover Chocolates is contingent upon I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification, passing the urinalysis drug screen, education verification, and satisfactory reference and background checks.

Make Happy. Work Happy.