Team Leader (Line Captain)

PepsiCo • Piscataway, NJ

2d

About The Position

The Team Leader is an elevated, hands-on team member role responsible for coordinating day-to-day execution on a manufacturing line in partnership with the line team. Acting as the line’s primary coordinator during the shift, the Team Leader sets priorities and coordinates people, materials, and resources to support safe, high-quality, and efficient performance. The role provides direction, training, and motivation to a team of 7–8 team members working toward daily production goals, and contributes to daily decision-making and continuous improvement as part of the line leadership triad.

The Team Leader leads line-level Daily Direction Setting (DDS), ensures team member input is represented, and helps address operational challenges and escalate issues affecting safety, quality, or output. The position also involves operating and maintaining manufacturing equipment, keeping records, maintaining a clean work area, and supporting on-the-job training for new team members. The role is presented as an opportunity to develop leadership skills and begin a people-leadership career path at PepsiCo.

Requirements

• 2–4+ years of manufacturing or production experience.
• 1+ year in a team lead or frontline leadership role.
• Strong knowledge of safety, quality, and production standards.
• Experience with daily management systems (DDS) and performance tracking.
• Strong communication, problem-solving, and computer skills, including Excel.
• Familiarity with continuous improvement methods such as Lean or IWS.
• Experience leading, coaching, and developing frontline teams.
• Ability to drive shift performance in safety, quality, and productivity.
• Strong communication, feedback, and team coordination skills.
• Experience facilitating shift meetings and daily huddles.
• Ability to influence without formal authority and support continuous improvement initiatives.

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or a related field.
• 3–5+ years in manufacturing, operations, or process improvement.
• Experience in food, beverage, or CPG manufacturing, including bottling or canning lines.
• Knowledge of Lean, Six Sigma, IWS, and production KPIs.
• Strong analytical and cross-functional collaboration skills.

Responsibilities

• Act as the primary point of coordination for the manufacturing line during the shift.
• Set the pace and priorities for the line and position the team to succeed.
• Monitor total line performance and adjust execution as needed to meet targets.
• Lead the line-level Daily Direction Setting (DDS) meeting.
• Bring forward the top three shift issues and clearly communicate associated risks, actions, and needs.
• Ensure team member input and perspectives are represented in daily discussions.
• Navigate challenges during the shift and escalate when needed.
• Support problem-solving and continuous improvement efforts on the line.
• Support a culture of ownership, accountability, and teamwork.
• Encourage team member participation and engagement through structured systems.
• Model safe, quality-focused, and disciplined execution.
• Elevate issues affecting safety, quality, or output in a timely manner.
• Operate manufacturing equipment, including new innovative technologies, efficiently and safely.
• Perform preventative maintenance.
• Maintain a clean work area through good housekeeping practices.
• Keep daily records of downtime and machine operations.
• Maintain regular, reliable, and predictable attendance.
• Create a positive team dynamic that encourages learning.
• Support successful on-the-job training for new team members.
• Coordinate, train, and motivate a team of 7–8 team members to achieve daily production goals.

Benefits

• Paid time off, subject to eligibility, including paid parental leave, vacation, sick, and bereavement leave.
• Medical, dental, vision, and disability coverage, subject to elections and eligibility.
• Health and Dependent Care Reimbursement Accounts, subject to elections and eligibility.
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP), subject to elections and eligibility.
• Accident, Group Legal, and Life insurance, subject to elections and eligibility.
• Defined Contribution Retirement Plan.

What This Job Offers

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