Production Team Leader - Shift, Safety & Lean Improvement

PepsiCo Deutschland GmbH; St. Louis (MO); On-site; USD 55,000 - 82,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, Vision

Paid time off

Retirement plan

Job summary

PepsiCo Deutschland GmbH is seeking a Production Team Leader to drive day-to-day operations in a fast-paced manufacturing environment. You will lead a line of approximately 15 union employees, partnering with operations, maintenance and plant leadership to meet safety, quality and productivity goals.

You will set line pace, lead DDS meetings, coach peers, and foster a culture of accountability while solving problems and supporting continuous improvement initiatives.

Qualifications

• Must be 18 years or older.
• Experience in manufacturing or production environment.
• Strong understanding of safety, quality and operational standards.
• Ability to lead peers and influence performance without formal authority.
• Strong communication, organization and problem-solving skills.
• Experience with daily management systems (DDS, tier meetings, or similar).
• Knowledge of continuous improvement or Lean manufacturing concepts (IWS/Lean).

Responsibilities

• Act as the primary coordination point for the manufacturing line during the shift.
• Set the pace and priorities for the line, ensuring the team is positioned to succeed.
• Monitor total line performance and adjust execution as needed to meet targets.
• Lead the line-level Daily Direction Setting (DDS) meeting.
• Bring forward the top three issues from the shift, clearly articulating risks, actions, and needs.
• Ensure team member input and voice are represented in daily discussions.
• Navigate challenges during the shift and escalates when needed.
• Support problem-solving and continuous improvement efforts on the line.
• Support a culture of ownership, accountability, and teamwork.
• Encourage team member participation and engagement through structured systems.
• Serve as a role model for safe, quality-focused, and disciplined execution.
• Elevate issues that impact safety, quality, or output in a timely manner.
• Operate all manufacturing equipment safely and perform preventative maintenance.
• Maintain clean work area through good housekeeping.
• Keep daily records of downtime and machine operations.
• Regular, reliable attendance.
• Create a positive team dynamic that encourages learning.
• Support successful on-the-job training for new team members.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Problem-solving

Team engagement

Safety awareness

DDS / Tier meetings

Lean / Continuous Improvement

Job description

PepsiCo Deutschland GmbH is seeking a Production Team Leader to drive day-to-day operations in a fast-paced manufacturing environment. You will lead a line of approximately 15 union employees, partnering with operations, maintenance and plant leadership to meet safety, quality and productivity goals.

You will set line pace, lead DDS meetings, coach peers, and foster a culture of accountability while solving problems and supporting continuous improvement initiatives.