Team Leader (Line Captain)
1 month ago
Piscataway
The Team Leader (Captain) is an elevated team member role responsible for coordinating day-to-day execution on a manufacturing line. Acting as the "quarterback" of the shift, this role aligns people, materials, and resources to deliver safe, high-quality, and efficient performance. While remaining a hands-on operator, the Team Leader provides direction, coaching, and motivation to a team of 15-20 employees to achieve daily production goals. As a key member of the line leadership triad, the Team Leader ensures priorities are clear, issues are addressed quickly, and performance targets are met. This is an empowered role with a strong voice in daily decision-making and continuous improvementan excellent entry point into leadership at PepsiCo. This is an excellent position to begin your career path at PepsiCo! Success in this role drives a greater skillset as a people leader while learning how each member of a team plays a part to drive a stronger, better, and faster business. Shift Leadership & Execution • Serve as the primary point of coordination for the manufacturing line during the shift, • Set pace and priorities to position the team for success, • Monitor total line performance and adjust execution to meet safety, quality, and productivity targets, • Maintain regular, reliable, and predictable attendance Daily Direction Setting (DDS) • Lead the line-level DDS meeting, • Bring forward the top three issues from the shift, clearly articulating risks, actions, and needs, • Elevate the top issues from the shift, clearly outlining risks, actions, and support needed, • Ensure team member input is represented in daily discussions, • Support problem-solving and continuous improvement efforts on the line Problem Solving & Continuous Improvement • Navigate operational challenges and escalate when appropriate, • Support structured problem-solving and continuous improvement activities, • Keep accurate daily records of downtime and machine operations Team Engagement & Culture • Foster a culture of ownership, accountability, and teamwork, • Encourage team participation through structured engagement systems, • Serve as a role model for safe, quality-focused, and disciplined execution, • Elevate issues that impact safety, quality, or output in a timely manner, • Support on-the-job training for new team members and create a positive learning environment Line Operations & Equipment • Operate all manufacturing equipmentincluding new technologiessafely and efficiently, • Perform preventative maintenance tasks, • Maintain a clean and organized work area using good housekeeping practices Travel - 5% Compensation and Benefits • The expected compensation range for this position is between $60,200 - $90,200., • Location, confirmed job-related skills, experience, and education will be considered in setting actual starting salary. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range during the hiring process., • Paid time off subject to eligibility, including paid parental leave, vacation, sick, and bereavement., • In addition to salary, PepsiCo offers a comprehensive benefits package to support our employees and their families, subject to elections and eligibility: Medical, Dental, Vision, Disability, Health, and Dependent Care Reimbursement Accounts, Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Insurance (Accident, Group Legal, Life), Defined Contribution Retirement Plan. Required Experience & Skills • 24+ years of experience working in a manufacturing or production environment, • 1+ year of experience in a lead operator, team lead, or front-line leadership role (direct or indirect people leadership), • Strong understanding of safety, quality, and operational standards in a manufacturing setting, • Proven ability to lead peers and influence performance without formal authority, • Strong communication, organization, and problem-solving skills, • Demonstrated accountability for shift or line performance, • Experience working with daily management systems (DDS, tier meetings, etc.), • Basic to intermediate computer skills (Excel, production tracking systems, or similar), • Working knowledge of continuous improvement principles (Lean, IWS, or similar) Preferred Qualifications • Bachelor's degree in Industrial, Mechanical, Chemical, Electrical Engineering, or related field (preferred), • 35+ years of experience in manufacturing, operations, process improvement, or operational excellence environments, • Experience in food, beverage, or consumer packaged goods (CPG) manufacturing (preferred), • Hands-on experience with bottling, canning, or BIB lines, • Exposure to or certification in Lean, Six Sigma, IWS, or continuous improvement methodologies, • Strong understanding of production processes, KPIs, and performance metrics, • Proven analytical and structured problem-solving capability, • Ability to influence across multiple shifts and cross-functional teams, • Technical or engineering background (education or hands-on experience) Leadership & People Skills • 1+ year leading or coordinating frontline employees (direct or indirect), • Ability to drive team performance during a shift (safety, quality, productivity), • Strong communication skills with ability to give clear direction on the floor, • Ability to give and receive constructive feedback, • Experience coaching or training team members, • Ability to facilitate shift meetings (DDS / huddles) and align priorities, • 2+ years of people leadership experience in manufacturing, • Experience improving team performance or coaching underperformance, • Ability to influence across shifts or cross-functional teams, • Experience supporting continuous improvement or change initiatives