Extrusion Production Lead - 1st Shift

Extrusion Production Lead

Serve as a hands-on team leader with responsibility for the operations of our manufacturing processes with a drive to work in a fast-paced, growth-oriented environment with an expectation to motivate the production team to meet or exceed the company's goals.

Position Summary

The Extrusion Production Lead is responsible for leading daily manufacturing operations through active floor presence, employee engagement, process oversight, safety leadership, and execution of company objectives. This is a hands-on leadership position that requires spending most of the shift on the production floor supporting employees, troubleshooting issues, monitoring performance, and ensuring production goals are achieved safely and efficiently. This role is not an office-based supervisory position. Successful candidates will lead by example, maintain strong visibility throughout the operation, and actively participate in production activities when needed, including machine operation, break coverage, startup support, changeovers, troubleshooting, and workforce development. In office time will be spent maintaining shift logs, new hire paperwork, training documents, corrective actions, attendance items, performance reviews, and more.

Key Responsibilities

• Leadership & Employee Development
• Build a culture of trust, respect, teamwork, and continuous improvement.
• Coach employees through performance challenges and recognize strong performance.
• Hold employees accountable to safety, quality, attendance, productivity, and workplace expectations.
• Develop employee skills through training, mentoring, and daily engagement.
• Promote teamwork and collaboration across shifts and departments.

• Production Operations
• Direct daily production activities to achieve safety, quality, delivery, and efficiency objectives.
• Maintain a visible presence on the production floor throughout the shift.
• Monitor production performance and proactively address issues affecting output.
• Assist with machine operation, troubleshooting, changeovers, startups, material handling, and break coverage when necessary.
• Ensure standard operating procedures are followed consistently.
• Drive execution of company priorities and operational initiatives.

• Safety & Quality
• Promote a safety-first culture and immediately address unsafe behaviors or conditions.
• Ensure compliance with company safety procedures and regulatory requirements.
• Support quality standards through active observation, auditing, and corrective actions.
• Partner with Quality and Maintenance teams to resolve issues quickly and effectively.

• Communication & Teamwork
• Communicate expectations clearly and consistently.
• Work closely with Maintenance, Quality, Scheduling, Process Technicians, and Management to achieve company goals.
• Support company decisions and initiatives with professionalism and alignment.
• Provide timely and accurate shift communication and documentation.

Qualifications

• Previous manufacturing leadership experience preferred.
• Experience in plastics extrusion or related manufacturing environment preferred.
• Strong troubleshooting and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to lead teams through influence, accountability, and example.
• Willingness to work directly on the production floor throughout the shift.
• Ability to adapt to changing priorities and support operational needs.

• Spend most of their shift actively engaged on the production floor.
• Lead people, rather than manage from an office.
• Support company objectives, even when personal preferences differ.
• Build strong working relationships without creating favoritism.
• Collaborate across departments rather than operate independently.
• Hold themselves and others accountable.
• Demonstrate humility, teamwork, and a willingness to help wherever needed.
• Be viewed by employees as a leader who works alongside the team, not above it.

Physical Demands and Work Environment

• Must wear proper personal protection equipment while on manufacturing floor.
• Ability to be on the factory floor for long periods of time, potentially full shift.
• Ability to lift, pull, push, or carry 50 lbs., crouch, bend, stand, climb stairs, react quickly, and be alert.
• Able to perform equipment maintenance tasks that may require standing, bending, stooping, reaching, squatting, kneeling, or twisting.
• Requires full range of motion of arms, hands and fingers to reach, grasp, hold, push or pull, twist, and work with tools.
• Move two or more limbs together (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while remaining in place.
• 40+ hours/week to support manufacturing performance.
• Provide vacation coverage for other Production Leads