Shift Manager

The Shift Manager is responsible for the overall operational performance, leadership, and execution of an assigned manufacturing shift within a fast-paced food manufacturing facility. This role directly manages Department Supervisors and is accountable for ensuring that production objectives, employee safety, food safety, product quality, labor utilization, and operational performance expectations are consistently achieved.

As the primary operational leader for the assigned shift, the Shift Manager establishes clear priorities, aligns resources across departments, drives timely decision-making, and holds Department Supervisors accountable for results. This individual maintains a strong floor presence, anticipates operational challenges, removes barriers to execution, and ensures consistent application of operational standards and leadership expectations.

The Shift Manager partners with the Sr. Operations Manager to execute business objectives, improve operational performance, strengthen leadership capabilities, and support organizational growth and transformation. Success in this role requires a leader who can balance immediate production demands with long-term improvements in people, processes, and performance.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

- Shift-Wide Operational Leadership

- Leadership and Accountability of Department Supervisors

- Safety, Food Safety, and Quality

- Performance Management and Continuous Improvement

- Workforce and Resource Management

- Cross-Functional Coordination and Communication

Qualifications

- Bachelor's degree in Operations Management, Manufacturing, Engineering, Business, or a related field preferred; equivalent relevant manufacturing leadership experience may be considered.

- Minimum of 6 years of progressive manufacturing or production operations experience in food or pharmaceutical manufacturing.

- Minimum of 3 years of experience directly leading supervisors, team leaders, or other frontline leaders, with demonstrated accountability for their performance.

- Proven experience managing production activities across multiple departments or operational functions.

- Demonstrated success managing production performance, labor utilization, staffing, operational disruptions, and competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.

- Strong working knowledge of food safety, GMPs, sanitation, quality systems, employee safety, and applicable regulatory requirements.

- Experience using operational data, KPIs, root cause analysis, and structured problem-solving to drive measurable results.

- Demonstrated ability to coach leaders, address performance gaps, and build accountability across teams.

- Strong communication, organizational, decision-making, and cross-functional leadership skills.

- Proficiency with production reporting systems, ERP or manufacturing systems, and standard business applications.

Leadership Competencies

- Operational ownership: Takes responsibility for overall shift results rather than focusing solely on individual departments.

- Continuous improvement: Uses data, structured problem-solving, and employee input to improve performance and eliminate recurring issues.

- Change leadership: Builds support for new processes and expectations while maintaining operational stability.

- Leadership through others: Achieves results by developing, coaching, and holding Department Supervisors accountable.

- Communication: Provides clear direction, timely escalation, and effective handoffs.

- Leadership development: Builds a stronger, more capable supervisory team and prepares leaders for increased responsibility.

Work Environment

This position is based within a fast-paced food manufacturing facility and is dedicated to a designated production shift. The role requires consistent on-site presence and regular interaction with manufacturing employees, Department Supervisors, and cross-functional support teams. Flexibility is required to address operational needs, incidents, training, leadership meetings, and occasional schedule adjustments.

The position requires adherence to applicable personal protective equipment requirements, food safety protocols, and facility access and hygiene standards.

Shift is an 8-hour with the requirement of pre and post shift hand-off among shifts.