Assistant Production Manager

J.M. Smucker Co • Columbus, GA

1d • Onsite

About The Position

The Area Leader (Assistant Production Manager) provides leadership and operational support across a 24/7 food manufacturing operation, leading hourly Technicians, Team Leaders, and Supervisors as assigned. The role ensures operating continuity and execution of daily priorities while driving performance in safety, quality, reliability, cost, and organizational capability. It also coaches and develops team members and Supervisors to strengthen capability and performance.

This position is based at the Hostess Manufacturing Plant at 1969 Victory Dr, Columbus, GA 31901 and is 100% onsite on the PM shift. It provides flexible leadership coverage across a 24/7 operation. Schedules vary with business needs and require flexibility across shifts, days of the week, weekends, holidays, and hours of work. The role may transition to a flow-to-the-work or line-assigned Area Leader schedule as business needs evolve.

The position operates in a 24/7 food manufacturing environment and requires regular presence on the production floor. The work environment can be noisy. The Area Leader collaborates across departments, pillars, and leadership teams, serving as a technical and operational resource for operating teams.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required; an Engineering, operations, business, or related field degree is preferred.
• At least 2 years of manufacturing operations experience.
• At least 2 years of supervisory or people leadership experience.
• Regular presence on the production floor in a 24/7 manufacturing environment.
• Regularly able to talk and hear; frequently able to stand, walk, handle or feel objects with hands and fingers, and reach with hands and arms; occasionally able to sit, climb or balance, and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.
• Able to frequently lift objects up to 50 pounds and may be required to push and pull heavy objects.
• Required vision abilities include close, distance, color, peripheral, and depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.
• Flexibility to work varying shifts, days, hours, weekends, holidays, and off-hours based on business needs.

Nice To Haves

• Five or more years of relevant manufacturing leadership experience.
• Demonstrated experience coaching, developing, and leading others.
• Experience planning and executing projects.
• Experience leading teams in a high-performance work environment.
• Experience in food manufacturing, consumer packaged goods, engineering, or a related manufacturing environment.

Responsibilities

• Execute daily management activities, complete Leader Standard Work, and follow through on operating team priorities and open actions.
• Provide leadership across operating teams and production areas as assigned, including coverage for vacations, scheduled days off, vacancies, training, and other operational requirements.
• Work across varying shifts, days, and hours, including nights, weekends, holidays, and other off-hours, based on business needs.
• Champion the department daily plan and participate in Daily Direction Setting (DDS) meetings and shift handoffs to communicate priorities, risks, and actions.
• Be accountable for daily operations and team performance in safety, quality, reliability, cost, and organizational capability in assigned areas.
• Execute and document Leader Standard Work, including floor presence, employee engagement, confirmation of critical standards, escalation of abnormalities, and follow-up on corrective actions.
• Role model the company’s Basic Beliefs, Our Commitment to Each Other, and Emotional Intelligence to build resonance.
• Partner with operating teams to identify, escalate, and resolve safety and quality concerns in a timely manner.
• Drive department issues to root cause and support a zero-loss and continuous improvement culture.
• Partner with line-assigned Area Leaders and the Department Manager to execute performance management, staffing, training, and capability-building priorities.
• Clearly communicate essential business information, shift expectations, and follow-up actions during transitions between leaders and shifts.
• Develop and coach the operational and leadership skills of Supervisors, Team Leaders, and Technicians through Operations Excellence (OpEx) tools and design principles.
• Lead and support key technical and organizational projects while building OpEx capability across the organization.
• Collaborate across departments, pillars, and leadership teams and serve as a technical and operational resource for operating teams.
• Transition to a line-assigned or flow-to-the-work Area Leader schedule as business needs evolve.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager