Production Manager

General Information

Name


Production Manager


Employment Type


Direct Hire


Position level


Full-time


Virtual/Remote?


No


Labor Category


Light Industrial


Date


02-Jul-2026


City


University Park


State


Illinois


Country


United States


Ref #


9247861080


Description & Requirements

Description


Kelly Services is seeking an experienced Production Manager in University Park, IL. Candidate must have:

• Bachelor's degree in Operations Management, Food Science, Manufacturing, Engineering, Business, or related field preferred.
• 5+ years of production leadership experience in food manufacturing, food ingredient blending, nutraceutical, beverage, or related regulated industries.
• Experience with food-grade blending, batching, packaging, and distribution operations preferred.
• Strong knowledge of GMP, HACCP, SQF, FDA regulations, and food safety systems.

This is a Direct Hire, Permanent position, meaning you will be hired permanently with our client and offered their competitive benefit and vacation package upon hire.

Our client is rapidly growing and offering advancement opportunities to help build your career and skillset. They offer a culture that is second to none, where you will immediately feel like part of this company. They are a company that values its employees, provides training, support, and tools to continuously grow skill set, ability, and success. Our client offers an excellent training program, with an excellent internal promotion rate.

Interested candidates can reply to this ad, or send their updated resume to: View email address on click.appcast.io
Can also call Nancy at View phone number on click.appcast.io

Pay: $86 - $92k
Hours: Mon-Fri daytime hours

Job details:

• The Production Manager is responsible for overseeing all production, blending, packaging, warehousing coordination, and distribution activities within a food-grade manufacturing facility.
• This role ensures safe, efficient, and compliant operations while maintaining product quality, production schedules, inventory accuracy, and customer service requirements.
• The Production Manager leads production personnel, drives continuous improvement initiatives, and ensures compliance with food safety, quality, regulatory, and company standards.

Job description:

• Promote and enforce workplace safety programs and OSHA compliance.
• Conduct safety meetings, risk assessments, and corrective action initiatives.
• Ensure employees receive proper training on equipment, food safety procedures, and operational processes.
• Drive a proactive safety culture focused on incident prevention.
• Ensure compliance with GMPs (Good Manufacturing Practices), HACCP, SQF, FDA, USDA, and other applicable food safety regulations.
• Maintain strict adherence to sanitation, allergen control, traceability, and food defense programs.
• Partner with Quality Assurance to investigate and resolve quality issues, customer complaints, and non-conformances.
• Support internal, customer, and third-party audits.
• Lead, coach, and develop production supervisors, leads, and production personnel.
• Establish performance expectations and conduct regular employee evaluations.
• Foster a culture of accountability, teamwork, continuous improvement, and employee engagement.
• Manage staffing levels, scheduling, training, and succession planning.
• Plan, coordinate, and oversee daily production activities for food-grade blending, packaging, and distribution operations.
• Ensure production schedules are executed efficiently to meet customer demand and delivery commitments.

• Monitor production performance, throughput, labor utilization, and equipment effectiveness.
• Develop and implement strategies to improve productivity, efficiency, and operational performance.
• Collaborate with Sales, Customer Service, Procurement, and Logistics teams to optimize workflow and inventory availability.
• Collaborate with warehouse and logistics teams to ensure accurate inventory control and timely product shipments.
• Monitor raw material usage and finished goods inventories.
• Support inventory reconciliation, cycle counts, and inventory accuracy initiatives.
• Ensure proper product handling, storage, and shipment practices.
• Utilize Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, or similar methodologies to improve operational efficiency.
• Analyze production data and KPIs to identify improvement opportunities.
• Lead projects focused on cost reduction, waste minimization, throughput improvement, and process optimization.
• Support capital improvement projects and equipment upgrades.

Experience/Education needed

• Bachelor's degree in Operations Management, Food Science, Manufacturing, Engineering, Business, or related field preferred.
• Equivalent combination of education and industry experience may be considered.
• 5+ years of production leadership experience in food manufacturing, food ingredient blending, nutraceutical, beverage, or related regulated industries.
• 5+ years of supervisory or management experience leading production teams.
• Experience with food-grade blending, batching, packaging, and distribution operations preferred.
• Strong knowledge of GMP, HACCP, SQF, FDA regulations, and food safety systems.
• Understanding of inventory management and warehouse operations.
• Experience with ERP/MRP systems and production planning software.
• Strong leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to analyze data and make operational decisions in a fast-paced environment.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and production reporting systems.

What are the perks?
• Job stability
• Open door policy
• Very supportive management team
• Working for a company that values its employees, provides training, support, and tools to continuously grow skill set, ability, and success
• Lots of room to grow

Interested candidates can reply to this ad, or send their updated resume to: View email address on click.appcast.io

Can also call Nancy at View phone number on click.appcast.io

As part of our promise to talent, Kelly supports those who work with us through a variety of benefits, perks, and work-related resources. Kelly offers eligible employees voluntary benefit plans including medical, dental, vision, telemedicine, term life, whole life, accident insurance, critical illness, a legal plan, and short-term disability. As a Kelly employee, you will have access to a retirement savings plan, service bonus and holiday pay plans (earn up to eight paid holidays per benefit year), and a transit spending account. In addition, employees are entitled to earn paid sick leave under the applicable state or local plan. Click here for more information on benefits and perks that may be available to you as a member of the Kelly Talent Community.

Put your skills to work.
There are a lot of different light industrial jobs out there. Kelly® Professional & Industrial recruiters are focused on only offering opportunities with companies that provide competitive pay, safe work environments, and cultures that recognize your value. Whether you're looking for flexible shifts, performance bonuses, or a progressive work culture-we're dedicated to finding the very best opportunities for you.

About Kelly
Work changes everything. And at Kelly, we're obsessed with where it can take you. To us, it's about more than simply accepting your next job opportunity. It's the fuel that powers every next step of your life. It's the ripple effect that changes and improves everything for your family, your community, and the world. Which is why, here at Kelly, we are dedicated to providing you with limitless opportunities to enrich your life-just ask the 300,000 people we employ each year.

Kelly is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all qualified employees and applicants regardless of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, age, marital status, pregnancy, genetic information, or any other legally protected status, and we take affirmative action to recruit, employ, and advance qualified individuals with disabilities and protected veterans in the workforce. Requests for accommodation related to our application process can be directed to the Kelly Human Resource Knowledge Center. Kelly complies with the requirements of California's state and local Fair Chance laws. A conviction does not automatically bar individuals from employment. Kelly participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S.

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