Leaf Processing Shift Supervisor - Danville, VA

JT International S.A.

6d•Onsite

About The Position

Lead and supervise shift operations in a tobacco leaf processing facility, ensuring safe, efficient, and compliant production across blending, threshing, redryer, and packing areas while driving quality and continuous improvement.

Requirements

High School Diploma or GED required; Associate Degree in management or mechanical field preferred.
Minimum 5 years in a manufacturing environment (preferably tobacco-related) and at least 3 year in a supervisory or team lead role.
Proficient in English with strong verbal and written communication skills.
Good understanding of the core business
Good understanding of different types of tobacco leaf characteristics
Basic mechanical aptitude
Proficiency in MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
Advance knowledge of Leaf Point and QIMS systems
Strong leadership
People management (goal setting, delegation, performance evaluation, feedback, employee growth)
Problem-solving
Time management
Ability to work collaboratively across teams
Good communication skills (both verbal and written)
Strong attention to detail and commitment to quality
Ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously
Open-minded with a willingness to listen and learn

Responsibilities

Operational Oversight: Supervise shift activities across blending, threshing, redrying, and packing areas. Ensure equipment maintenance, quality standards, accurate data entry, and compliance with operational guidelines.
Blending Line: Manage bale handling, blending silos, and sorting operations. Maintain blend integrity, monitor moisture/temperature, and ensure accurate data capture.
Threshing: Oversee threshing stages, picking room, and conditioning. Ensure product specs, remove NTRM, and troubleshoot equipment issues.
Redrying: Monitor drying processes for lamina, stem, and scraps. Ensure correct moisture levels, sample quality, and report equipment issues.
Prize Room: Supervise packing, presses, and by-products. Maintain housekeeping, minimize waste, and ensure accurate system transactions.
Ensure compliance with JTI technical quality standards and product integrity programs. Conduct inspections and investigations for non-conforming products, implementing corrective actions promptly. Oversee removal of NTRM (Non-Tobacco Related Material) and adherence to Leaf Contamination Prevention protocols. Monitor heat and moisture at all stages of assigned leaf processing. Identify tobacco spillage points in the line and report them as IWS DMS. Ensure the assigned team follows Leaf Contamination Prevention (Leaf CP) protocols (e.g., food, drinks, phones, bottles). Adjust machine settings to achieve the desired specifications per grade and report any issues. Operate the HMI system to load recipes during grade changes and adjust machine settings as needed.
Lead and develop the team by ensuring effective training and formal sign-off on standard operating procedures (SOPs), quality standards, and safety protocols. Establish clear goals that foster ownership, accountability, and responsibility across all assigned work areas. Promote a culture of continuous learning by providing development opportunities, conducting performance evaluations, and delivering ongoing, constructive feedback to support individual and team performance. Oversee work ethics and discipline within the assigned department, taking corrective action when necessary, and ensuring full compliance with all safety requirements. Manage employee attendance as required and provide oversight of timekeeping and approvals. Provide on-the-job training for Leaf Point and IWS procedures. Serve as a subject matter expert in IWS protocols, ensuring effective delivery of DMS and Pillar activation on the shop floor.
Enforce EHS standards, including labor safety, fire protection, and environmental regulations. Collaborate with the local EHS team to ensure practices comply with EHS standards. Conduct safety dialogues, walkthroughs, and ensure proper use of PPE and compliance with JTI’s policies. Implement and monitor 5S3R methodology to maintain a clean, organized, and safe work environment. Verify adequate equipment safety guarding.
Drive IWS (Integrated Work System) initiatives, including loss elimination, root cause analysis, and capability building.
Equipment Ownership: Perform daily tasks according to DMS and DDS cycles. Ensure timely DMS check list completion for Safety trigger, Center Line (CL), Clean/inspect/Lubricate (CIL), and execution of IWS tools. Perform peer to peer hand over following the shift handover logbook standards.
Loss Elimination and Problem solving: Track equipment losses and use root cause analyses tools such as IPS and 5 WHYs. Support creation of standards and OPL (One Point Lesson).
Capability building: Develop and continuously improve technicals skills. Attend and support training sessions according to IWS progression.
Ensure the team completes pre-shift and post-shift daily sign-off sheets for toolboxes, and report any missing tools to the maintenance lead. Conduct regular audits to ensure compliance with 5S3R standards (Sort, Set in Order, Shine, Standardize, Sustain, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle). Identify non-conformities and areas for improvement. Report findings and document them accordingly.
Organize deep cleaning and maintenance of processing equipment at the leaf factory.