Production Manager

The Judge Group, INC.; Hazleton (Luzerne County); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

The Judge Group, INC. is seeking a Production Manager in Hazleton, PA to oversee daily manufacturing operations, ensure safety, quality, and output targets are met, and apply lean principles to drive continuous improvement across the line.

You will lead shift supervisors and frontline technicians, mentor teams, and partner with Quality, Maintenance, and Supply Chain to launch new products while reducing downtime, waste, and variances through TPM, Kaizen, and Six Sigma practices.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of manufacturing leadership in high-speed CPG/FMCG environments.
• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Deep knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma (Green/Black Belt preferred), GMP, and automated high-speed packaging machinery.
• Proven success leading large frontline teams with an empathetic, process-driven approach.
• Hands-on experience using ERP tools (SAP, Oracle) and Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES).

Responsibilities

• Direct daily plant operations, ensuring production schedules, throughput, and yield targets align with demand.
• Mentor and lead shift supervisors, operators, and line technicians; foster an inclusive, high-performance culture.
• Champion Continuous Improvement initiatives (TPM, Kaizen, 5S, Six Sigma) to reduce downtime.
• Ensure strict compliance with FDA/OSHA regulations, GMP, HACCP, and internal quality standards across all lines.
• Lead plant safety initiatives, maintain zero-incident targets, and perform root-cause analysis on near-misses.
• Own the operational budget, monitor unit costs, manage labor allocations, and report KPIs to leadership.
• Partner with Supply Chain, Quality Assurance, Maintenance, and R&D to launch NPI and optimize resource allocation.

Skills

Lean Manufacturing

Six Sigma

GMP

ERP & MES

OEE & TPM

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering/Operations/Business

Tools

SAP

Oracle

MES

Job description

Industry leading consumer products company in the Hazleton, PA area is seeking a Production Manager to oversee daily manufacturing operations to ensure safety, quality, continuous improvement, and output targets are met. Combining operational rigors with strong people leadership, this role drives lean manufacturing principles while supporting a resilient, engaged frontline workforce.

Core Responsibilities

• Operational Leadership & Execution: Direct daily plant operations, ensuring production schedules, throughput, and yield targets align with organizational demand.
• People Leadership & Talent Development: Mentor and lead shift supervisors, operators, and line technicians; foster an inclusive, high-performance culture built on continuous feedback and skill matrix advancement.
• Process Improvement & CI: Champion Continuous Improvement initiatives (TPM, Kaizen, 5S, Six Sigma) to eliminate waste, improve overall equipment effectiveness (OEE), and reduce downtime.
• Quality & Food/Product Safety: Ensure strict compliance with FDA/OSHA regulations, Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), HACCP, and internal quality standards across all production lines.
• Safety Culture: Lead plant safety initiatives, maintain zero-incident targets, perform root-cause analysis on safety near-misses, and ensure routine safety training and audits.
• Budgetary & Metric Management: Own the operational budget, monitor unit costs, manage labor allocations, and regularly present key performance indicators (KPIs) to leadership.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner closely with Supply Chain, Quality Assurance, Maintenance, and R&D to smoothly launch New Product Introductions (NPI) and optimize resource allocation.

Key Qualifications & Requirements

• Experience: 5+ years of manufacturing leadership experience within high-speed CPG/FMCG environments (food, beverage, personal care, or household products preferred).
• Education:(preferred) Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Technical Expertise: Deep knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma (Green/Black Belt preferred), GMP, and automated high-speed packaging machinery.
• Leadership Style: Proven success managing large, diverse frontline teams with an empathetic, clear, and process-driven leadership approach.
• Data & Systems Proficiency: Hands-on experience using ERP tools (SAP, Oracle) and Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) to track and optimize performance metrics.