Area Leader, Plant

The J.M. Smucker Co.•Orrville, OH

7d•Onsite

About The Position

The Area Leader is a hands-on leadership role responsible for the day-to-day performance of a critical production area in a fast-paced operation. The role sets and reinforces standards for safety, quality, and reliability across all shifts, turns priorities into action, removes barriers for teams, and ensures consistent production-line performance. The position manages 36 hourly technicians across three shifts, manages three team leaders and multiple functional leaders, and supports a department operating on a 24/5 schedule. The role is based onsite in Orrville, Ohio. The Area Leader plans and executes team work plans, holds teams accountable, directs engineering projects from conception through completion, and serves as a key member of the department leadership team. Working closely with managers, plant engineering, technicians, process engineering, and maintenance coordinators, the Area Leader addresses problems, improves production-line results, develops technician skills, and identifies and eliminates losses in safety, quality, reliability, and cost. The role also supports other parts of the plant as needed, owns a plant safety key element, monitors technician step-up cards, improves department scorecard results, and meets or exceeds process reliability targets. The successful candidate demonstrates strong organizational, planning, critical-thinking, and problem-solving abilities, along with effective presentation, verbal, and written communication skills. The organization describes its culture as rooted in its Basic Beliefs and says it seeks to support employees’ physical, emotional, and financial needs.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree; an engineering concentration is preferred.
At least 1 year of manufacturing experience.
At least 1 year of people-management experience in an operations environment.
Strong troubleshooting skills.
Knowledge of process safety and manufacturing safety protocols.
Knowledge of mechanical and maintenance processes.
Experience managing, leading, and influencing teams.
Strong organizational, planning, critical-thinking, and problem-solving skills.
Effective presentation, verbal, and written communication skills.
Ability to work independently.
Willingness to work a schedule that supports the organization, potentially beginning at 6:00 a.m. for the Daily Direction Setting meeting, and to flex to an off shift as needed.

Nice To Haves

Engineering concentration in a bachelor’s degree.
Experience in food, beverage, or pharmaceuticals.

Responsibilities

Manage a team of 36 hourly technicians across three shifts and support a department that operates on a 24/5 schedule.
Own the safety, quality, and reliability of a production line across all shifts.
Manage three team leaders and multiple functional leaders on the teams.
Plan and execute the team’s work plans.
Hold team members accountable for individual and team responsibilities.
Direct engineering projects from conception through completion.
Serve as a key member of the department leadership team.
Work with managers, plant engineering, and technicians to solve problems and improve the department.
Identify losses and develop plans and strategies to eliminate losses in safety, quality, reliability, and cost.
Develop technician skills, from new hires through team leaders.
Work with a process engineer and maintenance coordinators to improve production-line results.
Provide daily support to other parts of the plant as needed.
Own a safety key element for the plant and act as a safety role model.
Achieve and improve department scorecard results.
Monitor progress on technicians’ step-up cards.
Meet or exceed process reliability targets.
Work with manufacturing leaders, technicians, engineers, equipment manufacturers, vendors, and construction or equipment contractors.
Train technicians and explain difficult technical material so it is understood and applied.
Perform the role and its responsibilities safely.