Production Team Leader - Jackson Plant

Nicolet Plastics LLC; Town of Jackson (WI); On-site; USD 55,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

Nicolet Plastics LLC is seeking a Production Team Leader to drive day-to-day shift execution and serve as a coaching resource. The role builds a People First environment with clear expectations, respectful coaching, timely decisions, and consistent follow-through on safety, quality, delivery, and reporting.

The Leader will align people and resources to the approved production schedule and own shift results. Requires leadership experience, ERP knowledge, and a Lean mindset.

Qualifications

• Five to seven years of production experience; at least three years of leadership or supervisory experience; and three to five years of ERP experience.
• Associate’s degree or equivalent with leadership focus is required.
• Lean and continuous improvement experience; proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

Responsibilities

• Coach and develop the team on the production floor, ensuring training, tools, and support to achieve success.
• Lead safe and reliable shift execution, communicate priorities, and coordinate with resources to maintain flow.
• Conduct regular 1-on-1 meetings and develop Individual Development Plans for direct reports.

Skills

Leadership

Coaching

Problem solving

Communication

Lean & continuous improvement

Education

Associate’s degree in Leadership Development / Supervisory Management or related field

Tools

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

PowerPoint

ERP systems

Job description

The Production Team Leader owns day-to-day shift execution and serves as a Coaching Resource who helps team members succeed. This role builds a People First environment through clear expectations, respectful coaching, timely decisions, and consistent follow-through. The Team Leader aligns people and resources to the approved production schedule and owns shift results for safety, quality, delivery, productivity, and accurate reporting.

People First Leadership

Model Integrity, Collaborative, Ownership, Curious, Grit, and Ingenuity. Live our expectations through real conversations respectfully and in real time, and work across shifts and plants in the spirit of We Are ONE. Listen before drawing conclusions, invite differing viewpoints, recognize contributions, and address concerns fairly and consistently. Take ownership of outcomes, remove obstacles, and close the loop with those affected.

Essential Responsibilities

Coach and develop the team

• Build relationships on the production floor and create an environment where team members feel respected, informed, and comfortable speaking up. Explain what success looks like and give team members the training, tools, and support to achieve it.
• Partner with HR and the Plant Leader on staffing needs and interviews. Own a welcoming shift onboarding experience, verify training progress, and check in regularly with new team members to support confidence and retention.
• Provide timely recognition and specific coaching. Address performance and behavior concerns privately, understand the whole story, agree on actions and follow up. Apply the Team Member Handbook consistently and partner with HR and the Plant Leader on progressive discipline.
• Conduct monthly 1 with 1 meetings and annual Individual Development Plans for direct reports. Carry out agreed development actions and build team members’ ability to solve problems and make decisions within their roles.

Lead safe and reliable shift execution

• Lead pre-shift meetings 15 minutes before the shift begins. Communicate priorities, safety and quality concerns, staffing, changes, and open actions. Confirm understanding and provide complete handoffs between shifts.
• Assign and adjust work based on skills, training, staffing, and the approved production schedule. Coordinate with technical and support resources to remove obstacles and maintain production flow.
• Use IQMS, RealTime, and production reporting to monitor results, identify gaps early, and take corrective action. Ensure production, inventory, timekeeping, and shift records are accurate and completed on time.
• Maintain safe work practices, required PPE, housekeeping, and approved quality procedures. Address audit findings and follow applicable safety requirements and ISO 9001 requirements within the shift’s scope.
• Lead root cause analysis and practical improvements with team members and process owners. Assign actions, verify effectiveness, and communicate changes before they affect others. Participate in plant improvement planning and perform other duties as assigned.

Decision Making Authority

Make timely decisions within approved policies, procedures, training, staffing plans, and limits delegated by the Plant Leader. Consider safety, quality, team member impact, and customer commitments. When an issue exceeds this authority, contain the immediate risk, bring facts and a recommendation to the appropriate owner, and follow through until the outcome is confirmed.

Area

Team Leader authority

Approval or partnership required

Shift staffing and work

• Assign and reassign trained team members; adjust work within the approved schedule and staffing plan.
• Plant Leader approval for added staffing, changes to production priorities, or changes affecting other shifts or departments.

Timekeeping and coverage

• Review time records; approve time off and overtime within established policy, coverage needs, and delegated limits.
• Plant Leader approval when requests exceed delegated limits, budget, or required coverage.

Safety and quality

• Stop or pause affected work when safety or product quality is at risk; contain the issue and promptly notify the appropriate owner.
• Follow approved escalation and restart procedures. Quality disposition and process changes remain with authorized Quality or technical owners.

Coaching and employment

• Set expectations, recognize contributions, coach, document concerns, and follow up on agreed actions.
• Partner with HR and the Plant Leader on formal discipline and hiring decisions. Obtain authorized approval for termination, pay, or employment status changes.

Processes and resources

• Resolve routine shift issues using approved methods and available resources; recommend improvements.
• Obtain approval from the responsible owner before changing policies, controlled documents, validated process settings, customer requirements, or spending beyond delegated limits.

Communication and Follow Through

• Inform affected team members, shifts, and process owners before implementing changes whenever possible. Explain what is changing, why, when, and who owns the next step. Communicate urgent changes as soon as practical.
• Escalate unresolved safety or quality risks, staffing gaps, equipment problems, and delivery risks promptly. Share the impact, actions already taken, support needed, and recommended next step; do not let an open issue disappear at shift change.

Measures of Success

Performance is evaluated against agreed goals for safe work, product quality, on-time delivery, schedule execution, production performance, and accurate records. People First results include effective onboarding and retention, completed coaching and development commitments, consistent expectations, timely communication, and verified closure of improvement actions.

Education and Experience

• Associate’s degree in Leadership Development, Supervisory Management, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of relevant education and leadership experience.
• Five to seven years of production experience; at least three years of leadership or supervisory experience; and three to five years of ERP experience.
• Lean and continuous improvement experience; proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Training Within Industry knowledge preferred.
• Clear oral and written communication; demonstrated ability to coach, build trust, make sound decisions, and lead collaborative problem solving.

Tips: Provide a summary of the role, what success in the position looks like, and how this role fits into the organization overall.

Responsibilities

[Be specific when describing each of the responsibilities. Use gender-neutral, inclusive language.]

Example: Determine and develop user requirements for systems in production, to ensure maximum usability

Qualifications

[Some qualifications you may want to include are Skills, Education, Experience, or Certifications.]

Example: Excellent verbal and written communication skills