Job summary:The Packaging Supervisor is a frontline leader responsible for safe, efficient, and high-quality packaging operations during an assigned shift. This role provides hands-on leadership to packaging teams, sets clear shift priorities, and ensures compliance with production, safety, food safety, and quality standards. The Packaging Supervisor fosters a positive, accountable team environment while driving performance across people, processes, and equipment.
responsibilities: - Own shift-level performance for packaging operations, including safety, quality, service, and cost, across blow molding, filling, sleeving, case packing, palletizing, and all auxiliary and cleaning equipment.
- Directly supervise, coach, and develop packaging operators, ensuring employees are trained, certified, and capable of safely operating equipment to standard while meeting daily production requirements.
- Hold employees accountable to company policies, procedures, processes and conduct through timely coaching, documentation, and collaboration with management on progressive discipline.
- Ensure accurate time and attendance administration, validating attendance points, and addressing discrepancies promptly.
- Lead all aspects of shift execution, including production runs, sanitation activities, changeovers, and planned shutdowns, ensuring adherence to schedules, standards, and priorities.
- Facilitate effective shift handover and daily direction-setting meetings, clearly communicating priorities, risks, performance gaps, and expectations to ensure continuity and accountability across shifts.
- Champion a strong safety culture by immediately addressing unsafe conditions or behaviors, escalating hazards and incidents appropriately, adjusting production plans to mitigate risk, and serving as first responder when trained.
- Communicate proactively with cross-functional partners (Maintenance, Quality, Warehouse, Sanitation, Planning) regarding operating condition changes, production issues, preventative maintenance/work order and quality risks.
- Maintain continuous GMP and safety audit readiness by ensuring cleanliness and compliance of floors, drains, conveyors, and equipment.
- Execute and audit sanitation and equipment standards including Master Sanitation Schedule, Centerline, and Clean-Inspect-Lubricate (CIL) tasks.
- Verify proper execution of CIP processes to ensure equipment is production-ready within required timelines.
- Initiate and manage product holds per Quality standards and coordinate with Quality and Warehouse teams for proper segregation and traceability.
- Lead held-product rework activities in alignment with Quality guidance and documentation requirements.
- Lead root cause analysis for shift losses, ensuring corrective actions are implemented and sustained.
- Manage consumable inventory daily to support planned production requirements.
- Contribute to the creation, revision, and deployment of SOPs and One Point Lessons (OPLs), ensuring changes are trained and embedded into standard work.
skills/qualifications required: - Bachelor's degree in a related field or prior supervisory or people-leadership experience with direct oversight of hourly production employees in a high-volume environment
- Minimum of one (1) year of manufacturing experience in a food and/or beverage environment
- Proven ability to lead, coach, train, and fairly and consistently hold employees accountable for safety, quality, attendance, and performance expectations
- Experience leading shift-based manufacturing teams, including setting priorities, managing labor, and responding to real-time production challenges
- Dairy manufacturing experience, including ESL and/or aseptic processing, preferred
- Strong working knowledge of automated packaging operations and equipment, including blow molding, filling, labeling/sleeving, case packing, palletizing, and ancillary systems
- Strong commitment to workplace safety, with the ability to identify hazards, respond to incidents, and promote a culture of safety and accountability
- Knowledge of food safety, sanitation, and quality standards, with experience maintaining audit readiness
- Ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional partners such as Quality, Maintenance, and Warehouse teams
- Strong communication, organizational, and problem-solving skills
- Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced manufacturing environment with changing priorities and high accountability
working conditions and physical requirements: - 12 hours sitting/standing/walking around the production floor
- Ability to lift up to 40 lbs of materials
- Reaching/bending requirements including climbing ladders or elevated areas
- Hand dexterity for operating machinery or computer systems
- Exposure to hazards (machinery noise, confined spaces, chemical handling, etc.)
- Wearing PPE such as safety glasses, hearing protection, and slip-resistant boots
- Specific atmospheric conditions and environmental factors
- Any other physical requirements including desk work, meetings, and data entry
food safety requirements: - Notify leadership of any repairs or adjustments that may affect product quality or food safety.
- Understand, observe, and comply with the handling and usage of the color-coded container policy while in the Production Areas.
- Perform all duties necessary to meet Company, Customer and/or Government requirements/standards as prioritized by the Company.
- Ability to initiate action to prevent the occurrence of nonconformities relating to Food Safety and the Quality of the product, processes, quality system, or safety system.
- Identify and record any problems relating to Food Safety and the Quality of the ingredients, processes, quality system, or safety system.
- Control further processing or delivery of nonconforming product in terms of Food Safety and Quality issues until the deficiency or unsatisfactory condition has been corrected.
- In the event of absence, another employee with the same skill level will assume the duties and responsibilities as required.
how fairlife nourishes you: At fairlife, we believe in better - and that includes how we support our people. We offer a comprehensive suite of benefits and wellbeing resources designed to support you physically, emotionally, socially, and financially, both in and out of work.
- Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, effective day one!
- Supplemental health plans (hospital indemnity, accident, and critical illness insurance)
- Paid Time Off to recharge and support work-life balance
- Paid parental leave & adoption assistance (up to $10,000)
- Parental support & family care benefits, including childcare resources and lactation support
- 401(k) to support retirement planning with up to 9% in employer match
- Wellness reimbursement (up to $500 for qualified wellbeing expenses)
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for emotional wellbeing and work-life support
- Company-paid life insurance and short-term disability
- Employer HSA funding (for HDHP participants)
- Tuition reimbursement (up to $10,000) and student loan repayment ($200/month)
- Learning & development programs to unlock your full potential
- Rewards & recognition, matching gifts, free product, and Business Resource Groups
- Our manufacturing facilities are climate-controlled and have a pristine work environment
fairlife's nour!sh program is designed to meet you where you are - supporting your individual wellbeing journey while enabling you to do your best work every day.
Position location: Coopersville, MI
Reports to: Packaging Manager
Travel requirements: <10%
exempt/nonexempt: exempt
base rate: $85,000
*Base pay offered may vary depending on geography, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. A full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the position, is offered.
Base pay range:
$80,000-$85,000 USD
