Production Team Lead

ITW • Carol Stream, IL

3d • Onsite

About The Position

Loma Systems, part of Illinois Tool Works (ITW), manufactures inspection equipment for the food and pharmaceutical industries. The Production Team Leader is responsible for day-to-day leadership, planning, and execution of North American production. The role has full line-management responsibility for the production team and ensures equipment is built safely, meets quality requirements, and is completed in line with agreed delivery commitments.

The position combines visible shop-floor leadership with operational coordination. It owns production scheduling, capacity planning, Kanban execution, and daily production performance, and works closely with Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering / Quality, Supply Chain, Logistics, and Customer Experience to maintain material and technical readiness, resolve constraints, and improve production processes.

The role is based in Carol Stream, Illinois. Compensation is $80,000–$95,000. Loma Systems offers career growth and development opportunities and a comprehensive benefits package.

Requirements

• Demonstrated experience supervising or directly leading a manufacturing or assembly team, including work allocation, coaching, and performance management.
• Practical experience in production scheduling, capacity planning, and coordinating material availability in a varied manufacturing environment.
• Technical aptitude and ability to interpret engineering drawings, bills of materials, and assembly documentation.
• Experience using ERP / MRP systems and Microsoft Excel to maintain accurate operational records, schedules, and performance information.
• Ability to prioritise competing demands, identify delivery risks, and communicate clear actions across functions.
• A hands-on, organised, and analytical approach, with evidence of implementing and sustaining improvements.
• Working knowledge of manufacturing safety practices, quality controls, and 5S principles.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in capital equipment or mechanical / electrical equipment assembly, particularly for food, packaging, or pharmaceutical applications.
• Experience with Kanban, inventory control, shipping / receiving, or production-related purchasing.
• Familiarity with Microsoft Dynamics 365, ISO 9001 quality systems, and ITW operating principles.
• A relevant qualification in manufacturing, engineering, or operations, or equivalent practical experience.

Responsibilities

• Lead, coach, and develop the production team, setting expectations for safety, quality, delivery, productivity, and workplace standards.
• Manage daily work allocation, attendance, leave planning, and performance reviews; address performance concerns with support from Human Resources and the Operations & Engineering Director.
• Maintain a regular shop-floor presence, build effective working relationships, and involve employees in identifying and implementing improvements.
• Maintain a team skills matrix and coordinate training and cross-training with Manufacturing Engineering and Engineering.
• Own and maintain a documented production schedule showing job priorities, assigned resources, expected effort, milestones, and completion dates.
• Review capacity against workload, employee skills, planned absences, and material and engineering constraints; identify risks and propose recovery actions.
• Assess requests to change order timing or add orders, and communicate feasible dates and impacts on existing commitments to Regional Sales Managers and Customer Experience.
• Coordinate engineering release and technical readiness with the Engineering Team Leader and material availability with the Senior Buyer before confirming production plans.
• Lead daily production meetings to review progress, shortages, quality concerns, shipping priorities, and actions with owners and due dates.
• Manage daily production flow, work in progress, and line clearance, keeping job status and operational records accurate and accessible.
• Manage shop-floor Kanban execution, monitor stockouts, trigger replenishment, and work with the Senior Buyer on replenishment levels and assigned purchasing activities.
• Identify material shortages and overdue items early, communicate required dates and production impacts, agree follow-up actions, monitor assigned purchase-order commitments, and escalate delivery risks.
• Coordinate production-team participation in cycle counts, annual inventory counts, and inventory reconciliation with Supply Chain, Logistics, and Accounting.
• Maintain a safe, clean, and organised production environment through housekeeping, 5S routines, clear work areas, and appropriate part presentation.
• Reinforce safe working practices, report hazards and near misses, and follow through on assigned corrective actions.
• Ensure production follows approved drawings, work instructions, inspection and test requirements, and applicable quality and compliance procedures.
• Contain and escalate production non-conformances promptly and work with Manufacturing Engineering / Quality and Engineering on investigations and corrective actions.
• Partner with the Manufacturing Engineer to improve assembly methods, layouts, standard work, and production readiness for new or changed products; ensure changes are implemented and sustained.
• Maintain and communicate production KPIs, including on-time delivery, lead time, assembly efficiency, and stockouts, using accurate and consistent data.
• Analyse performance gaps, identify contributing causes, implement or coordinate improvement actions, and escalate constraints outside the role’s authority.
• Identify and deliver practical improvements using ITW principles, including 80/20, Front-to-Back, and In-lining, with support from Manufacturing Engineering and the Business Improvement Coordinator.
• Document operating routines and improvement outcomes, establish backup coverage, and demonstrate sustained benefits to safety, quality, delivery, cost, or capacity.
• Support related business, operational, and continuous-improvement activities as reasonably directed by leadership.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision benefits
• Flexible Spending and Health Saver Accounts
• 401(k) retirement savings program
• Paid vacation, sick days, and holidays
• Wellness and fitness program
• Advancement opportunities
• Educational assistance
• Volunteer and matching charitable gifts programs
• Employee assistance program
• Employee discounts with ITW key suppliers, including cars, computers, and appliances
• Career growth and development opportunities

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager
• Education Level: No Education Listed