Production Manager: Lean Ops Leader, Quality & Safety

The Judge Group; Hazleton (Luzerne County); On-site; USD 100,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

The Judge Group is seeking a Production Manager in Hazleton, PA to oversee daily manufacturing operations, drive safety, quality, and lean improvements, and ensure output targets are met.

The role combines hands-on leadership of frontline teams with TPM/Kaizen initiatives, GMP compliance, and collaboration with Supply Chain, QA, Maintenance, and R&D to support new product introductions and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of manufacturing leadership experience in high-speed CPG/FMCG environments.
• Bachelor’s degree preferred in Engineering, Operations Management, or related field.
• Deep knowledge of Lean, Six Sigma (Green/Black Belt preferred), GMP, and automated high-speed packaging machinery.

Responsibilities

• Direct daily plant operations to meet production schedules, throughput, and yield targets.
• Mentor and lead shift supervisors, operators, and technicians; foster an inclusive, high-performance culture.
• Champion Continuous Improvement initiatives (TPM, Kaizen, 5S, Six Sigma) to reduce downtime and improve OEE.
• Ensure compliance with FDA/OSHA, GMP, HACCP, and internal quality standards across all lines.
• Lead safety programs to maintain zero-incident targets and conduct root-cause analyses.
• Own the operational budget, monitor costs, and present KPIs to leadership.
• Collaborate with Supply Chain, Quality Assurance, Maintenance, and R&D for NPI and resource optimization.

Skills

Lean manufacturing

Six Sigma (Green/Black Belt)

People leadership

Safety leadership

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering / Operations Management / Business Administration

Tools

SAP

Oracle

MES

Job description

The Judge Group is seeking a Production Manager in Hazleton, PA to oversee daily manufacturing operations, drive safety, quality, and lean improvements, and ensure output targets are met.

The role combines hands-on leadership of frontline teams with TPM/Kaizen initiatives, GMP compliance, and collaboration with Supply Chain, QA, Maintenance, and R&D to support new product introductions and continuous improvement.