Production Supervisor - Mill Mfg. (Bilingual English/Spanish)

Description

Production Supervisor - Mill Mfg. (Bilingual English/Spanish)

Location: On-Site — Glendale Heights, IL

Job Type: Full-Time

Shift/Schedule: First Shift (Monday – Friday)

Reports To: Production Manager

Compensation: $75,000-$85,000

About US Spice Mills:

Join our amazing US Spice Mills team which has been a major supplier of pure spices in the U.S. food industry and global market space for over 40 years. We are SQF and Kosher Certified. We offer a full line of pure spices, herbs, and customized seasonings. If you are looking for a company where your hard work is seen, your ideas are heard, and your career can actively grow, you’ve found it. As a trusted name in the spice processing industry, we take pride in running a fast-paced, high-energy facility.

We are looking to hire a Bilingual (Spanish and English) Production Supervisor - Mill Mfg. to lead our 1st Shift of production associates/technicians to make safe, high-quality spices, seasonings and milled products on schedule and on cost. As the Production Supervisor you will lead and cover receiving, cleaning, milling and grinding, sifting, blending, pathogen reduction and packaging. In this role you will own the daily line performance, enforce food safety and GMP standards, and develop the team on the floor. It is the main link between the production floor and Quality, Maintenance, Sanitation, Warehouse and Planning.

Key responsibilities:

Production and scheduling

• Run the shift production schedule to hit daily output, yield and delivery targets.
• Assign associates to lines and stations based on skills, staffing levels and priorities.
• Lead pre-shift huddles and shift handoffs covering safety, quality, schedule and open issues.
• Monitor line speeds, downtime, changeovers and waste, and act fast to recover lost output.
• Coordinate raw material and packaging staging with Warehouse and Planning.
• Escalate equipment problems to Maintenance and track repairs to closure.

People leadership

• Train and certify associates on SOPs, equipment and food safety.
• Coach performance, give regular feedback, complete reviews and apply discipline fairly and consistently.
• Manage attendance, timekeeping, overtime and labor hours against budget.
• Build an engaged, respectful team and develop line leads for future growth.
• Communicate policies and changes clearly, and work within union agreements where applicable.

Milling, grinding and blending

• Oversee cleaning, milling, grinding, cracking, sifting and blending of whole spices, herbs, seeds, grains and dehydrated vegetables.
• Set and verify mill, grinder and screen settings to meet particle size (mesh), color, moisture and volatile oil specifications.
• Ensure formulas and batch tickets are followed exactly, with scaled ingredients verified and recorded.
• Plan run sequences and changeovers to limit allergen, color and flavor carryover (e.g., run mild to hot, non-allergen before allergen).
• Manage bulk handling of bags, totes and super sacks, and control lot tracking from raw material to finished goods.

Food Safety

• Enforce GMPs, allergen controls, sanitation and foreign-material prevention on the production floor.
• Make sure operators complete and record required CCP and preventive control checks each shift.
• Hold any suspect product and notify Quality right away.
• Verify line clearance, labels and date codes at every changeover.
• Keep the production area audit-ready and complete assigned corrective actions on time.

Key Responsibilities

Your day-to-day will never be boring as you wear multiple hats to maintain plant operational continuity and drive efficiency:

• Proactive Problem Solving: Actively spot equipment needs on the floor and independently address them before they turn into bottlenecks.
• Preventive Maintenance (PMs): Stay ahead of the game by conducting scheduled check-ups on machines to keep them in peak shape and prevent unexpected downtime.
• Rapid Diagnostics: Troubleshoot equipment malfunctions on the fly and implement smart, corrective actions to restore operations safely.
• Production Partnership: Act as a reliable technical partner to our production team, jumping in to assist whenever operational support is needed.
• Safety & Organization: Maintain a pristine, organized work environment in strict adherence to Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and OSHA safety standards.
• Digital/Written Tracking: Complete daily work orders to accurately document your repairs and maintenance milestones.

Qualifications

Required

• 3+ years of experience in food, beverage or other regulated manufacturing, including at least 2 years leading hourly teams.
• Associates or Bachelor Degree in Food Science Engineering, Operation Management, or related field is preferred.
• Working knowledge of GMPs, HACCP, allergen management and sanitation practices.
• Understanding of OSHA safety requirements, including LOTO and PPE.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Excel, Outlook, Word) and production or ERP systems.
• Ability to read and act on production data, schedules and KPIs.
• Clear written and verbal communication in both English and Spanish required
• Ability to work 1st Shift beginning @ 6:30am and Saturdays as needed.

Preferred

• HACCP Certification; PCQI (Preventive Controls Qualified Individual) training.
• Experience in an SQF, BRCGS or FSSC 22000 certified facility.
• Lean Manufacturing or Six Sigma training (Yellow / Green Belt).

Preferred for milling and spice operations

• 2+ years in spice, seasoning, flour or grain milling, or dry ingredient blending.
• Hands-on knowledge of hammer mills, roller mills, pulverizes, sifters and ribbon or paddle blenders.
• Knowledge of combustible dust hazards and dust control systems.

Requirements

Physical Requirements & Work Environment

• Sensory Environment: This position is based on-site in our spice processing facility. You should be completely comfortable working around strong, rich spice aromas, dust, and active moving equipment.
• Physical Stamina: This is a highly active role that requires the use of both hands for fine and gross motor tasks; distinguish wire colors and read gauges, standing, walking, and bending for extended periods, as well as the ability to regularly lift up to 51 pounds.
• Safety First: A strict commitment to consistently wearing all required Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and following food safety guidelines.

Work environment

• Production floor with airborne spice dust and strong aromas and irritants (e.g., chili, black pepper, garlic).
• Strict GMP dress code: hairnets and beard nets, no jewelry, plant-issued uniforms and safety footwear.

Tools and equipment used: hand and power tools, multimeters and clamp meters, megohmmeters, laser alignment tools, vibration analyzers, infrared thermometers, drill presses, grinders, lathes, chain hoists, forklifts and aerial lifts. Mechanics.

Disclaimer: This description summarizes the general nature and level of work performed. It is not an exhaustive list of duties, and management may assign other related tasks. Employment is at will.

Equal Opportunity: U.S. Spice Mills, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace where all qualified applicants receive equal consideration for employment regardless of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, veteran status, or any other legally protected characteristics. We believe that diversity of thought, background, and experience strengthens our team and helps us better serve our customers.

In accordance with Illinois state regulations, the compensation range provided reflects our good faith hourly rate for this role. Final starting pay is determined by various factors, such as specific shift assignments, relevant transferable skills, and prior operational experience.