Production Supervisor, Extract (NS)

Ajinomoto Health & Nutrition North America•Akron, OH

4d•Onsite

About The Position

The primary responsibility of this position is to supervise and oversee all general production operations to ensure safety, quality, efficiency, and compliance with company standards. The Production Supervisor is responsible for leading daily operations, assigning work, monitoring performance, and ensuring production targets are met. This role provides coaching and performance feedback to team members, resolves operational and personnel issues, enforces safety and quality standards, and drives continuous improvement initiatives. The Supervisor partners with the Manufacturing Manager to align production activities with departmental goals and business objectives.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business Management, Operations/Production Management, Food Science, or related field strongly preferred, or significant hands on experience (7+ years) in food production environments
5+ years of manufacturing experience (food manufacturing preferred)
Knowledge of GFSI, OSHA, HACCP, or Continuous Improvement
Knowledge of Microsoft Suite (Outlook, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, etc.)
Knowledge of ERP software (SAP, E21, etc.)
Ability to obtain tow motor certification
Ability to learn all extract department processes
Ability to lead multiple teams across multiple shifts and direct daily production
Demonstrated attention to detail and accuracy
Able to safely operate a tow motor
Works in accordance with, and supports, company Standard Operating Procedures as outlined in the HACCP, SSOP and Quality manuals
Reliable, dependable, with a “team player” orientation
Willingness to be flexible on working hours, including weekends and holidays
Willing to work overtime as needed
Willingness to speak up and review problems with supervisor in order to determine best course of action, offering suggestions and providing clear communication of the problem
Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Strong Microsoft Suite skills

Responsibilities

Follow and enforce all plant Good Manufacturing Processes (GMPs) as trained, including wearing proper PPE and following safety guidelines
Understand and enforce all company safety standards and company policies/procedures, including but not limited to the company Handbook, Lock Out Tag Out, and First Aid Response
Lead production planning and scheduling, assign tasks and manage workflow across shifts
Act at the escalation resource for Team Leads
Participate in interviewing new team members, training employees, and administering performance management tools and disciplinary action when needed
Manage and approve the Team’s timecards and PTO requests
Direct the team’s daily activities, providing training, and disseminating information between the hourly workforce and management
Accountable for training all team members
Implement and enforce quality assurance procedures, verify documentation and lab results
Participate in internal audits and corrective action planning
Support Root Cause Analysis for product issues
Conduct monthly audit checks
Complete daily safety walks and maintain proper documentation
Responsible for reporting accidents and safety concerns, assigns appropriate safety training to staff when outages occur
Lead traceability and recall readiness initiatives
Conduct Quality Assurance tasks, such as cleaning and conducting swab tests, completing necessary documentation accurately, verifying product labels, and collaborating with the dedicated QA Team
Troubleshooting equipment and process errors
Enforce hygiene protocols and sanitation procedures, understand and implement the food defense program, and ensure compliance with food safety standards
Report on production metrics, issues, and improvement opportunities to the leadership team; responsible for KPIs
Identify and lead continuous improvement initiatives, participate in 5S assignments
Drive ISO 45001 policies and procedures
Lead sustainability efforts and enforce proper food waste and disposal procedures
Cover any Extract Department position as needed
Understand all equipment capabilities and production procedures
Enforces all associated regulations and procedures, including HACCP, FDA, GMPs, USDA policies, and allergen compliance
Maintain clean, organized and safe working environment
Other relevant duties as assigned and properly trained to complete