Retail Production Team Lead

Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee•Smyrna, TN

14d

About The Position

The Retail Production Team Lead leads and manages backroom operations in support of the store leadership team. The role ensures production goals and quotas are met while maintaining cleanliness, safety, quality, and processing standards. The Team Lead provides hands-on leadership to backroom staff and oversees donation intake, processing, sorting, pricing, and material handling. The position safeguards donations, upholds donor experience expectations, and supports efficient, compliant operations that contribute to store readiness, sales performance, and mission impact. The role promotes the organization’s TRUE Core Values of Teamwork, Respect, Uprightness, and Empowerment. The Team Lead oversees daily backroom workflows, monitors productivity, and ensures donated goods move efficiently from intake through production and onto the sales floor. They maintain quality-control and processing standards, including applicable CPSC requirements; train and develop team members; support backroom opening and closing activities; and maintain safe, clean workspaces. The role also identifies equipment or maintenance issues, supports loss-prevention and public-protection practices, and performs other duties as assigned to support store operations. The position requires a high school diploma or equivalent and one to two years of experience in production, warehouse, retail, or logistics environments. An associate’s degree in a related field is preferred. The Team Lead must be able to lead and motivate a diverse team, provide donor service, meet production metrics, communicate effectively, manage multiple priorities, and train and coach team members. The role requires standing, walking, and moving throughout the store, working a flexible schedule that includes weekends and holidays, and obtaining forklift certification; training and certification are provided by the organization. Flexibility to support morning and evening shifts, including weekend coverage, is required.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent required.
One to two years of experience in production, warehouse, retail, or logistics environments required.
Excellent oral and written communication skills.
Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining accuracy in a fast-paced environment.
Ability to learn and apply new processes, systems, equipment, and operational procedures.
Ability to lead and motivate a diverse team while promoting a positive, inclusive work culture grounded in the organization’s Mission and TRUE Core Values.
Ability to provide safe, friendly, and efficient donor service at the Donor Door.
Ability to interpret and meet production metrics, KPIs, and performance goals.
Ability to identify quality standards, classify goods accurately, and ensure compliance with CPSC and public-protection requirements.
Working knowledge of basic computer applications, including Outlook, Word, Excel, and online product research.
Ability to train, coach, and develop team members in operational procedures and production standards.
Ability to stand, walk, and move throughout the store during assigned shifts.
Ability to work a flexible schedule, including weekends and holidays, and support morning and evening shifts as needed.
Ability to operate a forklift; forklift certification must be obtained, with training and certification provided by the organization.

Nice To Haves

Associate’s degree in business, logistics, supply chain, management, retail operations, or a related field.
Completion of related retail management coursework.
Experience in fast-paced, high-volume operations.
Prior retail, nonprofit, or mission-based organization experience.
Experience supporting or working alongside eCommerce operations.
Previous experience supervising, training, coaching, or developing staff.
Bilingual language skills.

Responsibilities

Lead daily backroom production operations, including donation intake, sorting, processing, pricing, and material handling.
Provide hands-on leadership to backroom staff to ensure production goals, quotas, and processing expectations are met.
Monitor daily workflow and productivity to support efficient movement of donated goods from intake through production.
Ensure quality-control standards, accurate sorting and pricing, processing guidelines, and applicable CPSC requirements are followed.
Safeguard donated goods from loss, damage, or misuse throughout the production process.
Ensure donations are handled respectfully, professionally, and in a timely manner to meet donor experience expectations.
Train, onboard, coach, and develop backroom team members on production processes, quality standards, safety requirements, and operational expectations.
Support assigned backroom opening and closing activities to ensure production readiness and continuity.
Coordinate timely movement of processed goods from the backroom to the sales floor in alignment with store priorities and operational plans.
Maintain backroom safety and cleanliness by enforcing protocols, monitoring workspaces, and addressing hazards.
Identify and communicate maintenance needs, equipment issues, and operational barriers that may affect production, safety, or efficiency.
Support consistent execution of organizational policies, loss-prevention practices, and public-protection requirements related to backroom operations.
Follow Goodwill operational guidelines and CPSC requirements applicable to donation processing and material handling.
Perform other duties as assigned to support store operations, operational effectiveness, and leadership priorities.