Job Description

About the Company

Cérélia operates a state‑of‑the‑art commercial bakery and production facility in Whitehall, Ohio, a 150,000‑square‑foot plant that opened in September 2021 and serves as the U.S. manufacturing hub for the Jus‑Rol brand. Our Whitehall facility specializes in ready‑to‑bake chilled dough products—including pizza dough, pie crusts, puff pastry, and cookie dough—and continues to expand with new product lines to support national growth.

Team members enjoy modern onsite amenities such as a fitness center and EV charging stations, all within a clean, innovative, and fast‑growing environment. While our Whitehall plant is new, Cérélia’s roots trace back to 1974, evolving from a France based bakery into an international leader in dough innovation. As we grow, our people grow with us—if you’re passionate about doing meaningful work with a company on the rise, we’d love to hear from you.

Position Summary

The Production Lead serves as an extension of the Production Supervisor, providing day-to-day leadership and support within an assigned production area. This role is responsible for helping execute the production schedule while maintaining safety, quality, efficiency, and waste reduction standards. As the first point of contact on the production floor, the Production Lead addresses operational issues, supports team performance, and escalates concerns when needed.

As a Break Reliever and Cross-Trained Equipment Specialist, this position provides coverage across multiple workstations and equipment to ensure uninterrupted operations. The ideal candidate demonstrates initiative, urgency, problem-solving skills, and effective communication while fostering a positive and productive work environment.

This position reports directly to the Production Supervisor.

Primary Responsibilities

1. Conduct ingredient handoff inspections with Logistics personnel to verify that all ingredients delivered to the line match approved production and batch documentation.
2. Prior to production startup, verify that the production line is clean, production-ready, and equipped with all required scrapers, pumps, and tooling. Complete and document startup inspections using the designated electronic system.
3. Perform a complete line clearance inspection inside and outside the production area to ensure all ingredients, packaging materials, labels, and product from the previous production run have been removed before starting the next scheduled run.
4. Verify that all processing and packaging equipment is operating with the correct product parameters, recipes, and program settings prior to production startup.
5. Confirm that all Videojet printers are programmed with the correct date code format, expiration date, lot code, and material number (MR) for the scheduled production run.
6. Ensure production associates are positioned on the line according to staffing assignments established by the Production Supervisor.
7. Conduct and document First Piece Inspections in accordance with Quality SOP requirements. Maintain approved first-piece samples at the end of the line for the duration of the production run.
8. Lead daily line performance by monitoring key operational metrics and driving results to ensure compliance with established plant standards and production targets, including:

• Productivity (units produced per labor hour)
• Product quality and adherence to specifications
• Material waste of less than 5%
• Product giveaway of less than 2.5 grams
• Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) of 70% or greater
• Schedule attainment and production efficiency goals

1. Guide machine operators to maintain dough consistency by allowing the operator to make the necessary adjustments within the approved process parameters and operating conditions to meet product specifications and customer requirements.
2. Perform and document routine in-process quality checks throughout the shift, including lot numbers, dough temperatures, fat content, and other required production data. Immediately communicate any product, ingredient, or process deviations to the Production Supervisor and Quality team.
3. Perform and evaluate in-line bake-off testing to verify product compliance with established quality standards.
4. Lead product changeovers by ensuring:

• All finished goods from the previous production run have been properly packaged and accounted for.
• All ingredients and packaging materials from the previous run have been removed from the production area.
• The line has been properly cleared and prepared for the next scheduled production run.

1. Partner with Quality Technicians to ensure all products meet Cérélia quality standards. When directed by Quality techs, due to a food safety, quality, or specification concern, proceed to stop production as requested, notify the Production Supervisor, and assist in resolving the issue.
2. Train new operators on job duties, equipment operation, safe work practices, Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), and applicable Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
3. Assess and verify operator competency to ensure assigned tasks are performed safely, accurately, and consistently.
4. Lead daily shift huddle meetings to communicate safety topics, quality performance, production results, operational priorities, and continuous improvement opportunities.
5. Report employee performance concerns, attendance issues, policy violations, or other personnel matters to the Production Supervisor for appropriate follow-up and corrective action.
6. Communicate shift-end production results, operational issues, downtime events, and line performance metrics to the Production Supervisor.
7. Immediately report safety incidents, near misses, equipment malfunctions, and maintenance concerns to the Production Supervisor and appropriate support personnel.
8. Follow all established safety, food safety, quality, sanitation, and operating procedures while operating high-speed processing and packaging equipment.
9. Troubleshoot routine equipment and process issues and collaborate with Maintenance personnel to restore equipment performance and minimize downtime.
10. Maintain a clean, organized, and audit-ready work environment in accordance with GMP, food safety, and sanitation standards.
11. Support line changeovers and sanitation activities by preparing equipment for cleaning, verifying production readiness following sanitation, and ensuring startup requirements are completed prior to production.
12. Utilize barcode scanning systems, electronic production records, and other plant software systems as required.
13. Accurately document downtime events, process disruptions, production losses, and corrective actions using designated production tracking systems.
14. Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned by management.

Health & Safety

• Follow company safety policies and practices fostering a safe workplace and environment for ourselves and our co-workers.
• Makes SAFETY a priority, while carrying out his /her daily activities.
• Must ensure GMP policies are strictly adhered to.
• Maintain all quality standards, rules and regulations are adhered to.

Requirements

Education and/or Experience:

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• 3–6 years of experience operating multiple types of production and/or packaging equipment in a manufacturing environment.
• Demonstrated ability to operate production machinery, troubleshoot equipment or process issues, and support efficient production operations.
• Strong leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to train, guide, and motivate team members in a fast-paced manufacturing environment. Previous Lead experience is a plus.
• Ability to communicate effectively and follow written and verbal instructions in English. Bilingual fluency in English and Spanish is highly preferred.
• Demonstrated history of reliable attendance and punctuality. Internal candidates must have 4.5 or fewer attendance points.
• Positive, professional, and team-oriented approach, with a demonstrated ability to accept feedback and maintain a coachable, solution-focused attitude.
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills with the ability to adapt to changing production needs and priorities.
• Detail-oriented and organized, with the ability to manage multiple responsibilities effectively in a high-volume manufacturing environment.
• Basic computer skills, including the ability to use mobile applications and production-related systems.
• Flexibility and willingness to work across multiple production lines, shifts, or departments as business needs require.
• Ability to work extended hours, overtime, and weekends as needed to support production schedules and business demands.
• Ability and willingness to travel internationally for equipment training or operational support, if required.
• Ability and willingness to perform full sanitation of production equipment, including equipment breakdown, cleaning, and reassembly, in accordance with GMP, food safety, and sanitation requirements.
• Demonstrated commitment to workplace safety, product quality, food safety, and continuous improvement.

Other Skills and Considerations:

• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision
• Interacts professionally with honesty, integrity, and respect
• Understanding that you become disqualified from this position at 7 attendance points, NCNS or second written warning

Physical Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.

• This position requires the ability to stand and walk for extended periods while performing production or warehouse tasks.
• The employee must be able to lift, carry, push, or pull items weighing up to 50 pounds regularly as part of material handling, product movement, or equipment operation.
• The role requires the ability to bend, stoop, kneel, reach, grasp, and twist as needed to perform job duties such as loading products, handling materials, or operating machinery.
• The employee must be capable of working in varying temperature environments, including warm production areas, refrigerated rooms, and cold storage spaces.
• The employee must be able to visually inspect products, labels, equipment, and documentation, with or without corrective lenses.
• The employee must be able to operate or learn to operate production and/or warehouse equipment, which may include pallet jacks, conveyor systems, or other machinery, depending on the role.
• The position may require use of personal protective equipment (PPE) such as gloves, hairnets, hearing protection, safety glasses, and steel toe shoes when working in production or warehouse areas.
• The employee must be able to work in a food manufacturing and distribution environment where pork products, alcohol, gluten, dairy, and common allergens—including tree nuts and peanuts—are present.
• The role may involve working overtime, weekends, or varying shifts based on operational needs.

Core Competencies

Leadership Behaviors

• LEADERSHIP: Leading by example, others looking up to you, providing guidance & direction, follows through to completion
• SAFETY: Ensures safe work environment, follows safety regulations, ambassador for safety culture
• COMMUNICATION: Able to communicate clear & concise objectives and changes, bridge within and across departments, collaborate with others
• PROBLEM SOLVING & CONTINOUS IMPROVEMENT: Identify & address challenges, suggest & implement improvements
• ADAPTABILITY: Able to accept change with a positive attitude, adjust on the fly
• TEAM PLAYER: Understands success is achieved by working with others to accomplish the goals of the job and work group, respectful and welcoming of team’s diversity.