Manager Trainee

Welch Packaging Group Inc•Elkhart, IN

13d•Onsite

About The Position

Welch Packaging is seeking a driven, growth-minded operations leader who aspires to advance into plant leadership. This role is designed for high-performing talent who can excel in today’s responsibilities while preparing for broader operational and people leadership roles across our manufacturing network. As a Manager Trainee, you must first learn the full operations of the corrugator. This takes 9-12 months. Ultimately, this role will lead daily production activities, coach teams, and drive performance in a fast-paced corrugator environment. You will gain exposure to cross-functional partners, participate in leadership development assignments, and receive mentorship to accelerate your long-term career growth. At Welch Packaging, we invest in developing the next generation of plant leaders. You’ll experience training in manufacturing excellence, continuous improvement, and people leadership, opportunities to relocate and broaden your experience across multiple facilities, and a culture that values innovation, safety, and growing talent from within.

Requirements

3–7 years of experience in manufacturing, operations, military leadership, or a related field
Demonstrated experience leading teams or influencing others
Strong problem-solving skills and ability to work under pressure
Strong communication skills and ability to influence across levels
High degree of ownership, accountability, and follow-through

Nice To Haves

Ability and willingness to relocate for future advancement
Exposure to high-volume, fast-paced industrial or production environments
Career ambition to move into roles of increasing responsibility
Learning agility – quickly steps into new environments and picks up new concepts
Leadership drive – seeks responsibility, leads with integrity, and motivates others
Resilience – maintains performance through challenges, change, and ambiguity
Business curiosity – wants to understand how the plant runs and how they can improve it
Mobility – open to relocating to prepare for broader leadership roles

Responsibilities

Learn Corrugator
Become proficient in all aspects from the sheet line to the control room
Demonstrate strong self-accountability and a desire to learn and be curious
Position yourself as a coach encouraging the development of others and promoting safe practices
Perform at key performance levels
Lead and coach hourly team members to achieve daily targets in safety, quality, and productivity
Oversee production activities on the corrugator or converting line
Partner with maintenance, scheduling, and quality teams to optimize equipment uptime and minimize waste
Support root cause analysis and implement corrective actions
Communicate performance expectations clearly and hold team members accountable