Production Manager

Winland Foods; North East (Erie County); On-site; USD 93,000 - 138,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

401(k) with match

STD/LTD/AD&D/Life insurance

HSA

FSA

Employee Assistance Program

Hospital indemnity

Identity protection plan

Legal protection

Critical Illness insurance

Job summary

Winland Foods is seeking an experienced Production Manager to lead manufacturing operations and drive operational excellence in a fast-paced food production environment.

The Production Manager will oversee both hourly and salaried team members, collaborate with Maintenance, Engineering, Quality, and Supply Chain, and drive continuous improvement initiatives while ensuring food safety and regulatory compliance.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of manufacturing experience; minimum three years in a management capacity.
• Food manufacturing experience preferred.
• Strong knowledge of regulatory requirements (FDA/USDA, OSHA, EPA).
• Excellent communication and leadership skills.

Responsibilities

• Establish leadership and set the strategic direction for the manufacturing team.
• Manage a mixed team of hourly and exempt employees.
• Interpret safety policies and enforce safe practices.
• Conduct regular performance reviews and drive development.
• Use data to improve productivity, uptime, and OEE.
• Set priorities and align resources to meet cost, quality, and safety targets.
• Ensure SQF standards are maintained in all manufacturing areas.
• Communicate clearly across all levels of the organization.

Skills

Leadership

Team management

Communication

Interpersonal skills

Time management

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

SAP

Microsoft Office

Job description

Winland Foods is seeking an experienced Production Manager to lead manufacturing operations and drive operational excellence in a fast-paced food production environment. This leadership role is responsible for setting the strategic direction for the manufacturing team, developing a culture of accountability and ownership, and ensuring the safe, efficient, and cost-effective production of high-quality products.

The Production Manager will oversee both hourly and salaried team members, manage production performance through key operational metrics, and partner cross-functionally with Maintenance, Engineering, Quality, and Supply Chain to optimize productivity, improve equipment effectiveness, and support continuous improvement initiatives. This position plays a critical role in maintaining food safety, regulatory compliance, employee engagement, and overall operational success.

Employee Type

Full time

Location

PA North East

Job Type

Production Operations

Job Posting Title

Production Manager

Job Description

Schedule

1st Shift, Monday-Friday with overtime as applicable

Work Location

11160 Parkway Dr, North East, PA 16428

Benefits

Medical, Dental, Vision, 401(k) with match, STD/LTD/AD&D/Life, HSA, FSA, EAP, Hospital indemnity, Accident Insurance, Identity and Fraud Protection Plan, Legal, and Critical Illness.

Salary, based on experience and other qualifications

$93k - $138k annually with additional bonus potential

Role and responsibilities

• Establish leadership and set the strategic direction for the manufacturing team. Ensures necessary plans area in place to deliver the required business results while developing a culture of ownership and accountability.
• Manages team of both hourly and exempt employees
• Interpret safety policies/practices to employees including enforcing safe work practices.
• Manage a staff of direct reports through regular performance reviews and developmental activities to ensure movement toward a high performance / high engagement organization, while assuring effective departmental performance.
• Utilize available data (line speed target, set-up guidelines, and efficiency and process data) to continuously improve productivity, uptime and reliability. Utilize the above information as a tool to improve Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) and product cost.
• Set clear priorities and align resources to deliver against business and regulatory requirements in the areas of cost, financial controls, and quality, safety and business initiatives.
• Manage product quality by understanding and communicating customer needs to employees and ensuring expectations are consistently met and according to standard work.
• Determine schedules, sequences and assignments for work activities based on work priority, quantity of equipment and skill of personnel.
• Diagnose equipment, ingredients and packaging issues. Coordinate with Engineering, Maintenance or others as appropriate to solve production-related problems.
• Ensure each manufacturing area is maintained in accordance with SQF standards.
• Ensure security of employees, facilities and information systems by following and enforcing established security procedures.
• Ensure clear and concise communication to all levels in the organization.
• Ensure regular safety inspections are conducted in all manufacturing areas.
• Must be able to drive improvements in manufacturing processes. Must be able to put new systems and procedures in place while instilling accountability and ownership in a rapidly changing environment.
• Supports Continuous Improvement projects through the practice of Root Cause Analysis, %s, and other management operating systems, etc.
• Perform other duties as assigned. This position can involve weekend and on call duties.
• In the absence of the Plant Manager, the Production Manager may assume the responsibilities of that role.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of manufacturing experience, with a minimum three years of experience in a management capacity OR equivalent combination of education and experience, Bachelor’s degree preferred.
• Food manufacturing experience is strongly preferred.
• Effective listener and team player.
• Strong knowledge of food manufacturing, FDA/USDA, OSHA and EPA regulations desired.
• Able to work effectively with others, have good interpersonal and leadership skills.
• Strong organizational and time management skills.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Highly organized, critical thinker able to multi-task.
• Able to work well under pressure in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong computer skills including experience with SAP and Microsoft Office.
• Continuous improvement and lean manufacturing mindset with the ability to lead and support multiple projects strongly preferred.

Physical Activity/Working Conditions

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, stand, walk, reach, stretch, stoop, bend, and use hands and fingers. Also, the employee may be required to lift up to 55lbs. This position requires the employee to be able to read, write, and communicate orally in English.

The physical demands described are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EEO Statement

Winland Foods seeks to recruit, develop, and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool, and as a global company we believe our success is enhanced by fostering equity and inclusion in the workplace. Therefore, Winland Foods is committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and teammates without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, military or veteran status, and any other characteristic protected by applicable law.