<p>Job Title: Production Team Leader</p> <p>Job Description</p> <p>This hands-on Production Team Leader role leads day-to-day manufacturing operations on the production floor, driving output, quality, and efficiency in a fast-paced contract packaging environment. The position owns the execution of the daily production schedule, leads and develops production teams, and champions continuous process improvement to deliver reliable, cost-effective results. This role is intended to grow into a full Plant Manager position for a leader who consistently demonstrates ownership, process discipline, and leadership maturity.</p> <p>Responsibilities</p> <ul> <li>Lead floor-based production operations, maintaining a strong and visible presence on the production floor for the majority of each shift. </li><li>Own the execution of the daily production schedule and ensure production output meets targets for volume, quality, and timeliness. </li><li>Monitor key performance indicators including throughput, downtime, labor efficiency, and quality metrics, and take action to address gaps. </li><li>Identify production bottlenecks in material flow, changeovers, staging, and labor allocation, and implement corrective actions quickly. </li><li>Make real-time production decisions to keep lines running efficiently, escalating issues appropriately while avoiding unnecessary dependency. </li><li>Take full responsibility for production outcomes, analyze root causes when issues occur, and implement lessons learned to prevent recurrence. </li><li>Build credibility with the workforce through consistent action, follow-through, and clear communication. </li><li>Design and implement structured process improvements that drive measurable gains in output, cost control, and reliability. </li><li>Develop sustainable systems and standard work practices rather than relying on temporary fixes. </li><li>Lead, coach, and support production leads and hourly team members to achieve high performance and engagement. </li><li>Set clear expectations around urgency, accountability, safety, and quality for all production staff. </li><li>Develop team bench strength by promoting cross-training and building depth across roles and lines. </li><li>Champion lean manufacturing and continuous improvement practices within the production area. </li><li>Support and adhere to any applicable Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) or regulated environment standards when required. </li><li>Contribute to a culture of consistent execution, demonstrated ownership, and continuous process improvement. </li></ul> <p>Essential Skills</p> <ul> <li>Proven experience in production supervision within a manufacturing environment. </li><li>Demonstrated success managing workers in production environments as a supervisor or frontline leader. </li><li>Strong production management skills, including scheduling, resource allocation, and performance monitoring. </li><li>Ability to monitor and interpret metrics such as throughput, downtime, labor efficiency, and quality. </li><li>Hands-on leadership style with the ability to spend the majority of time on the production floor. </li><li>Experience driving process improvement initiatives in a manufacturing setting. </li><li>Ability to identify inefficiencies in material flow, changeovers, staging, and labor allocation and implement corrective actions. </li><li>Demonstrated ownership mindset, taking responsibility for outcomes and learning from mistakes. </li><li>Strong leadership maturity, including clear communication, accountability, and follow-through. </li><li>Experience working in manufacturing environments that produce packaged products such as bottles, bags, or similar items. </li><li>Knowledge of lean manufacturing and continuous improvement principles. </li></ul> <p>Additional Skills & Qualifications</p> <ul> <li>Experience in packaging, blending, chemical, food, or consumer packaged goods (CPG) manufacturing is a plus. </li><li>Exposure to GMP or other regulated manufacturing environments is a nice-to-have. </li><li>Bilingual English/Spanish communication skills are preferred and considered an advantage. </li><li>Prior exposure to lean manufacturing or continuous improvement (CI) tools and methodologies is beneficial. </li><li>Ability to grow into a full Plant Manager role by demonstrating consistent execution, process improvements, and leadership maturity. </li><li>2-5 years in a team lead position </li></ul> <p>Work Environment</p> <p>This is a hands-on, floor-based leadership position in a fast-paced contract manufacturing facility that produces packages, bottles, and bags, then labels, seals, and ships them to customers. The Production Plant Manager spends approximately 85% of the time on the production floor and 15% in the office, actively driving output, improving processes, leading teams, and making real-time decisions. The typical schedule runs Monday through Thursday from 6:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with Fridays off when production work is completed. The environment emphasizes autonomy and trust, with minimal micromanagement and strong support for implementing improvements on the production lines. Benefits include medical, dental, and vision coverage, access to a 401(k) plan when hired directly, and paid time off, including vacation and standard paid holidays through the staffing partner. The culture rewards consistent execution, demonstrated ownership, process discipline, and leadership maturity, and the role is designed to develop into a full plant manager position for the right leader.</p> <p>Job Type & Location</p> <p>This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Louisville, KY.</p> <p>Pay and Benefits</p> <p>The pay range for this position is $38.00 - $49.00/hr.</p> <p>Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following:</p> <ul> <li>Medical, dental & vision </li><li>Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital </li><li>401(k) Retirement Plan - Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available </li><li>Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) </li><li>Short and long-term disability </li><li>Health Spending Account (HSA) </li><li>Transportation benefits </li><li>Employee Assistance Program </li><li>Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave) </li></ul> <p>Workplace Type</p> <p>This is a fully onsite position in Louisville,KY.</p> <p>Application Deadline</p> <p>This position is anticipated to close on Apr 29, 2026.</p> <p>Diversity, Equity & Inclusion</p> <p>At Actalent, diversity and inclusion are a bridge towards the equity and success of our people. DE&I is embedded into our culture through:</p> <ul> <li>Hiring diverse talent </li><li>Maintaining an inclusive environment through persistent self-reflection </li><li>Building a culture of care, engagement, and recognition with clear outcomes </li><li>Ensuring growth opportunities for our people </li></ul> <p>Actalent is an equal opportunity employer.</p> <p>About Actalent</p> <p>Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services. For more than 40 years, we've helped visionary companies advance their goals. Headquartered in the United States, our teams span 150 offices across North America, EMEA, and APAC-with four delivery centers in India led by 1,000+ extraordinary employees who connect their passion with purpose every day.</p> <p>Our Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune, and Chennai delivery centers are hubs of engineering expertise, with core capabilities in mechanical and electrical engineering, systems and software, and manufacturing engineering. Our teams deliver work across multiple industries including transportation, consumer and industrial products, and life sciences. We serve more than 4,500 clients, including many Fortune 500 brands. Learn more about how we can work together at actalentservices.com.</p>