Production Supervisor

The IRCA Group is an international leader in high-quality finished and semi-finished ingredients for the bakery, pastry, and ice cream markets. With over 100 years of industry history, the Group is headquartered in Italy (Gallarate) and operates 23 production sites with over 2,000 employees across Europe, the United States, and Vietnam. Core product categories include chocolate, compounds, chocolate decorations, sprinkles, creams, pastry mixes, gelato ingredients, nuts, and candied fruit. The recent acquisition of Kerry Sweet complements these categories with sweet particulates, chocolate confections, inclusions, variegates, and frozen fruit purees. Through its eight key brands—IRCA, Dobla®, in2food, Via Degli Orsini, JoyGelato, RaviFruit, Cesarin, and Anastasi®—the IRCA Group offers a "one-stop shop" for innovative ingredient solutions across gourmet, food manufacturing, and consumer product (retail) channels.

About the role

This role provides frontline leadership to production teams during the night shift, ensuring efficient production flow, staffing coordination, and timely resolution of operational issues in a fast-paced manufacturing environment. The Production Supervisor works closely with Production, Maintenance, Quality, and Engineering teams to maximize efficiency, reduce downtime, maintain product quality, and support continuous improvement initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Safety:
  • Enforce Safety policies, including PPE use.
  • Communicate safety awareness as a priority; maintain safe working conditions and propose improvements.
  • Ensure timely (24-hour) incident reports with detailed documentation.
  • Participate in Safety walk-through audits, ensuring operator involvement and follow-up on findings.
  • Support employee participation in safety programs and provide necessary resources.
• Quality:
  • Adhere to the production schedule in compliance with quality standards.
  • Enforce company Quality policies, GMP compliance, and Food Safety regulatory standards.
  • Coordinate with QC for timely support on issues requiring validation (e.g., swabbing, product checks).
  • Maintain high sanitation and housekeeping standards.
  • Ensure proper sanitation and CIP (Clean in Place) of processing equipment before manufacturing.
  • Monitor potential sources of product contamination and ensure product protection/food safety.
  • Follow up on Quality Hold & Foreign Material reports and develop corrective actions.
  • Participate in monthly self-audits and implement corrective actions from internal/external audits.
• Process Management:
  • Monitor daily production metrics (online percentage, pounds per hour) and manage staffing to meet service-level targets.
  • Maintain shop floor presence to address line issues promptly.
  • Ensure organization, housekeeping, zoning, and GMP compliance on mixing/batching/packaging lines.
  • Apply technical understanding of packaging lines to aid maintenance and operators in troubleshooting.
  • Balance shop floor presence with administrative duties and meetings.
  • Coordinate rework processes for products on HOLD to ensure timely disposition.
  • Serve as a resource for operators on CIP system performance issues.
  • Develop a comprehensive understanding of the production process from raw materials to finished goods for effective scheduling.
  • Maximize online production time with a target of 80% (20 hours/day) and 4-hour changeover time.
  • Focus on fast and efficient turnarounds.
• People Management:
  • Recruit new employees, determine temporary labor needs, and staff positions according to the schedule.
  • Create and enforce a defined break relief schedule.
  • Deploy labor effectively on the shop floor and ensure adherence to HR policies.
  • Follow up with HR on policy violations.
  • Spend time on the shop floor to assess operator strengths, weaknesses, and training needs; develop action plans for improvement.
  • Train employees on new machines/equipment and SOPs; ensure training effectiveness.
  • Evaluate employees through performance reviews, ongoing coaching, and feedback.
• Continuous Improvement:
  • Improve performance based on key performance indicators, focusing on operational efficiency and uptime.
  • Identify sources of unnecessary downtime (changeover, breakdowns, quality procedures, organization).
  • Monitor shift performance, coach teams, and seek improvement opportunities through observations, data gathering, and problem-solving groups.
  • Develop a proactive mindset to address problems without delay.
  • Liaise with the manufacturing team to provide data and analysis for identifying key issues and solutions.
  • Contribute to problem resolution by participating in or leading PSG efforts.
  • Communicate effectively with other shifts, maintenance, engineering, and plant management about conditions requiring attention.
• Environmental Responsibilities:
  • Oversee the implementation of quality standards and processes to improve operational efficiencies and reduce production waste and HOLD product.
  • Support environmental programs, including power conservation (e.g., turning off lights, equipment, and computers when not in use).
  • Ensure operators scrape equipment and dispose of oil-based product before washdowns to reduce liquid waste emissions.
  • Proactively identify ways to reduce negative environmental impacts.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering (Industrial, Mechanical, Manufacturing, or related field) preferred.
• 5-7 years of supervisory/management experience in a manufacturing environment; food manufacturing preferred.
• English language proficiency.
• Lean manufacturing experience preferred.
• Track record of problem-solving.
• Strong organizational skills and autonomy.
• Leadership and outstanding communication skills.
• Computer literacy.
• Ability to prioritize and meet deadlines.
• Ability to operate in a team environment.
• Ability to adapt in a changing work environment.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to safely lift 50 lbs.
• Ability to work 12-hour shifts (alternating weekend schedule).
• Ability to bend and reach files and cabinets where records are stored.
• Office environment with repetitive motion through computer use.
• Manufacturing environment with exposure to high noise, machinery, and chemicals.

Benefits

• Medical, Dental, & Vision coverage.
• 401(k) matching.
• Paid Vacation & Holidays.
• Employee Education Tuition Reimbursement Program.