Production Supervisor

Kerry; Harrisonburg (VA); On-site; USD 64,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical benefits

Dental benefits

Vision benefits

401(k) plan

Employee Share Plan

Life insurance

Disability insurance

Paid time off

Tuition reimbursement

Job summary

Kerry, the world's leading taste and nutrition company, is seeking an operations leader for our Harrisonburg site in the United States. You will oversee daily manufacturing operations to meet production targets, safety, and quality standards while driving efficiency and continuous improvement.

Responsibilities include shift planning, line start-up readiness, material and equipment coordination, audits, and coaching high-performing teams.

Qualifications

• Proven ability to build credibility with senior stakeholders and plant leadership.
• Experience influencing, coaching, and developing leaders across the organization.
• Strong leadership and interpersonal skills to motivate and lead teams.
• Excellent communication to collaborate and influence across levels.
• Identify stakeholders to support successful project execution and change initiatives.
• Experience creating high-performing teams through coaching, facilitation, and development.
• Strong change management to drive organizational transformation.
• Strategic thinker who challenges practices and prioritizes initiatives.
• Project management experience with delivery methodologies.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities under pressure and meet deadlines.
• Business and financial acumen to translate improvements into impact.
• Lean principles, continuous improvement, and SAP desirable.

Responsibilities

• Oversee daily manufacturing operations to meet targets, safety, quality, and goals.
• Lead shift planning including labor, schedules, materials, and equipment readiness.
• Ensure line start-up with health & safety, materials, setup, audits, and pre-production docs.
• Monitor BOM production activities: materials, recipe adherence, compliance and confirmations.
• Identify and resolve production issues with corrective actions.
• Complete quality checks, control points, traceability, and visual standards.
• Drive line performance through reviews, huddles, and attainment-to-plan management.
• Lead process confirmations and participate in site and functional meetings.
• Oversee production completion: run reviews, SAP support, yield analysis, waste reduction, CIP.
• Develop employees via training plans and performance management.
• Coordinate shift management: breaks, changeovers, resource allocation, escalations.
• Lead audits/investigations: internal/external, health & safety, bottleneck analysis, Intelex.

Skills

Stakeholder management

Coaching leaders

Leadership

Communication

Project management

Strategic thinking

Change management

Prioritization

Financial acumen

Continuous improvement

Tools

SAP

Lean Six Sigma

Job description

About Kerry

Kerry is the world's leading taste and nutrition company for the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries. Every day we partner with customers to create healthier, tastier and more sustainable products that are consumed by billions of people across the world. Our vision is to be our customers' most valued partner, creating a world of sustainable nutrition. A career with Kerry offers you an opportunity to shape the future of food while providing you opportunities to explore and grow in a truly global environment.

Key responsibilities

• Oversee daily manufacturing operations to ensure production targets, safety standards, quality requirements, and operational goals are achieved.
• Lead shift planning and scheduling activities, including labor availability, production schedules, raw materials, packaging requirements, and equipment readiness.
• Ensure successful line start-up by verifying Health & Safety requirements, material availability, equipment readiness, line set-up, audits, and pre-production documentation.
• Monitor and support BOM production activities, including raw material management, recipe adherence, compliance checks, and process confirmations.
• Identify, upscale, and resolve production issues while implementing corrective actions and countermeasures to minimize operational disruptions.
• Ensure completion of quality checks, critical control point monitoring, traceability documentation, and adherence to visual standards throughout production.
• Drive line and area performance through QSHE reviews, production efficiency reviews, daily huddles, and attainment-to-plan management.
• Lead layered process confirmations and participate in site and functional meetings to maintain operational excellence and continuous improvement.
• Oversee production completion activities, including production run reviews, SAP order completion support, yield analysis, waste reduction, and CIP reviews.
• Manage employee development through training plans while supporting performance management, disciplinary processes, attendance management, and overtime requirements.
• Ensure effective shift management by coordinating breaks, changeovers, resource allocation, and daily escalated communications.
• Lead audits and investigations, including internal and external audits, complaints, Health & Safety incidents, bottleneck analysis, audit findings, and Intelex investigations.

Qualifications and skills

• Proven ability to build credibility with senior stakeholders and plant leadership teams while serving as a trusted source of knowledge and guidance.
• Demonstrated experience influencing, coaching, and developing leaders across the organization.
• Strong leadership and interpersonal skills with the ability to motivate, engage, and lead high-performing teams.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to effectively collaborate and influence stakeholders at all levels of the business.
• Ability to identify and engage key stakeholders to support successful project execution and organizational change initiatives.
• Proven experience creating high-performing team environments through coaching, mentoring, facilitation, and capability development.
• Strong change management experience with the ability to drive and sustain organizational transformation.
• Ability to think strategically, challenge existing practices, ask insightful questions, and prioritize initiatives that support broader business objectives.
• Proven project management experience with practical knowledge of project management tools, techniques, and delivery methodologies.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, work effectively under pressure, and meet demanding deadlines.
• Strong business and financial acumen with the ability to translate operational improvements into measurable business impact.
• Working knowledge of Lean principles, continuous improvement methodologies, and technology solutions; SAP experience is desirable.

Compensation Data

The pay range for this position is $63,600 - $95,400 in Annual Salary. Kerry typically does not hire an individual at the top or near the top of the range, as we are a pay-for-performance company, and this range is set to continue to reward performance annually while in role. Compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. The specific compensation offered to a candidate within the above range may be influenced by a variety of factors including skills, qualifications, experience, and internal equity. In addition, this position is also eligible to earn a performance-based incentive compensation. Kerry offers a competitive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, paid time off, a 401(k) plan with employee and company contribution opportunities, Employee Share Plan, Life, disability, and accident insurance, and tuition reimbursement. This job posting is anticipated to expire on September 11th, 2026.

We may use artificial intelligence tools to support the review and assessment of applications and assist with scheduling interviews. We do not use AI to make decisions during the interview process. All candidate assessments and hiring decisions are made by our recruitment and leadership teams.

Kerry is an equal opportunity employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age disability, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by law. Kerry will only employ those who are legally authorized to work in the United States for this opening. Any offer of employment is conditional upon the successful completion of a background investigation and drug screen. Additional information can be found at Know Your Rights Workplace Discrimination is Illegal (dol.gov).