Production Supervisor

John Davidson Pipes Limited; Davenport (IA); On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Benefits from day one

EEO compliant

Job summary

PB Leiner is seeking a Production Supervisor to lead a 15–20 union-operated shift on a 4 on 4 off 12‑hour schedule, with hours 5:00pm–1:00am (Mon–Fri in other cycles). The role emphasizes safe, efficient, and compliant gelatin production while maintaining cost controls and KPI performance.

You will coach and develop the team, coordinate with Maintenance, Engineering, Quality, EHS, and Warehousing, and ensure seamless handoffs to the day shift. Strong leadership and communication are essential.

Qualifications

• Requires a high school diploma or GED; some secondary education is a plus.
• 5-8 years of relevant experience in a similar lead/supervisor role.

Responsibilities

• Lead the shift with a visible, hands-on presence and set clear expectations for safety, quality, and performance.
• Coordinate and communicate across shifts to ensure continuity of operations and proper handoffs.
• Supervise gelatin production activities to meet safety, quality, yield, and throughput targets.
• Promote safety culture and ensure GMP, food safety, and regulatory compliance on shift.
• Coordinate maintenance priorities and troubleshoot equipment issues with maintenance leadership.
• Plan labor resources, overtime, and staffing coverage; manage inventory with Purchasing/Warehousing.
• Prepare and maintain production reports, yield tracking, and operational documentation.

Skills

MS Office

Leadership

Communication

Education

High school diploma or GED

Some secondary education (a plus)

Job description

PB Leiner is one of the world’s leading producers of high quality gelatins and collagen peptides. We supply a growing market in food, pharma, health nutrition and technical applications. In all our efforts, we strive to be The Clear Solution for our customers. We spot and exploit opportunities, and try to anticipate future trends for them. We pursue outstanding quality and choice, as well as smooth delivery. We have a global presence in terms of both our plants and sales support, and count approximately 1,100 collaborators worldwide. PB Leiner is part of Tessenderlo Group.

• Purpose of the Job

Leads and owns all production activities on an assigned shift to ensure the safe, efficient, and compliant manufacture of gelatin and related byproducts.

The Production Supervisor sets the tone for the shift by leading by example, reinforcing expectations, and driving accountability across the team. This role is responsible for supervising 15–20 union production operators while ensuring alignment to safety, quality, food safety, environmental, and cost standards.

As a relief Supervisor will cover a 4 on 4 offschedule (12 hours). Outside of covering other Supervisor shifts the hours will be Monday to Friday, 8 hours shifts, 5:00pm - 1:00am.This position operates with a high level of autonomy, making timely decisions, resolving issues in real time, and ensuring effective communication and handoff to day shift and key stakeholders (Maintenance, Engineering, Quality, EHS, and Operations Leadership).

• Leadership & Shift Ownership
• Lead the shift with a visible, hands‑on presence, setting clear expectations and holding team members accountable for performance and behaviors.
• Establish the tone for safety, quality, teamwork, and operational discipline through consistent leadership actions.
• Lead, coach, and develop union employees to build capability, ownership, and engagement.
• Make timely, sound decisions to address production, people, and equipment challenges with limited on‑site support.
• Shift Communication & Coordination
• Lead structured shift kickoff meetings covering safety topics, KPI performance indicators, production priorities, sanitation expectations, deviation review, and critical maintenance items.
• Ensure clear, timely communication across shifts to drive continuity of operations and alignment on plant priorities.
• Partner and elevate issues when necessary, with cross‑functional teams including Maintenance, Engineering, Quality, EHS, and Warehousing to resolve issues and execute plans.
• Provide detailed and actionable shift handoff updates outlining plant status, risks, and support needs for the next shift/day.
• Production & Operational Excellence
• Supervise and coordinate gelatin production activities to meet or exceed safety, quality, yield, and throughput targets.
• Monitor KPIs and take proactive action to address gaps in performance.
• Identify, elevate, and resolve process deviations to minimize impact to production and quality.
• Drive adherence to standard work, operating procedures, and process controls.
• Safety, Quality & Compliance
• Promote and maintain a strong safety culture; ensure compliance with all safety policies and proactively address hazards.
• Actively participate in behavioral based safety visits, behavioral near miss reporting, and encouraging the use of risk assessments for increased safety awareness.
• Ensure adherence to GMP, food safety, and regulatory requirements at all times.
• Own product quality on shift, ensuring specifications, documentation, and traceability requirements are met.
• Reinforce sanitation standards and ensure execution aligns with expectations.
• Maintenance Coordination (Night Shift Focus)
• Check routinely with on‑shift maintenance technicians to troubleshoot equipment issues and prioritize corrective actions.
• Support basic troubleshooting and facilitate rapid response to equipment failures.
• Communicate clearly to Maintenance leadership regarding unresolved issues, priorities, and required follow‑up actions.
• Coordinate and prioritize preventative and corrective maintenance activities to minimize downtime.
• Planning, Resources & Cost Management
• Manage labor resources including overtime scheduling, staffing coverage, and work assignments which includes providing information to support payroll.
• Review inventory levels and coordinate with Purchasing and Warehousing to ensure material availability.
• Support cost control and continuous improvement initiatives within production and environmental areas.
• Identify and implement process improvements to enhance efficiency, reduce waste, and improve performance.
• Plan and execute CIPs with Maintenance for both efficiency and effectiveness.
• Reporting & Documentation
• Ensure accurate and timely completion of production reports, yield tracking, and operational documentation.
• Review processing documentation for lot cutoffs, traceability, and compliance.
• Maintain clear records of shift performance, issues, and actions taken.

Profile

• Education, Experience, Knowledge

Education

• This position requires a highs school diploma or GED. Some secondary education is a plus.

Experience

• 5 - 8 Years of relevant experience in a similar position.

Knowledge

• MS office

Offer

• This is a relief Supervisor position to cover a 4 on 4 offschedule (12 hours). Outside of covering other Supervisor shifts the hours will be Monday to Friday, 8 hours shifts, 5:00pm - 1:00am
• Exposure to a manufacturing environment with noise, machinery, and varying temperatures
• All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.
• PB Leiner is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.
• Benefits from day one.
• External applicants must currently be eligible to work in the US