Senior Group Leader - Wolcott

Grade 6

Summary

The Senior Group Leader located in the Wolcott facility reports to the Operations Manager and serves as a working leader responsible for supporting daily production operations while developing employee capabilities and driving operational excellence. This position leads assigned teams to safely achieve quality, delivery, productivity, and efficiency objectives through effective training, coaching, scheduling, problem-solving, and continuous improvement activities.

The Senior Group Leader plays a critical role in building a highly skilled, flexible workforce through employee development, cross-training, and standardized work. This role promotes and sustains Lean Manufacturing principles including 5S, visual management, waste elimination, problem-solving, and kaizen activities while fostering a culture of accountability, engagement, teamwork, and continuous improvement.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Safety, Quality, Delivery & Production

• Lead assigned production teams to safely meet customer delivery requirements, quality expectations, productivity targets, and labor efficiency goals.
• Ensure timely completion of orders as assigned by Planning, Operations, or Plant Leadership.
• Assign work based on employee qualifications, training status, and production requirements.
• Ensure assigned duties are performed safely and in accordance with established quality standards, work instructions, and labor expectations.
• Assist in resolving quality, material, equipment, capacity, and employee performance issues that impact operational performance.
• Troubleshoot routine production issues and escalate concerns when necessary to maintain production flow and delivery commitments.
• Communicate production issues that may affect safety, quality, cost, or delivery to appropriate personnel.
• Maintain familiarity with all production processes, products, and operational requirements within the facility.

Training & Workforce Development

• Lead the onboarding, training, and development of employees to ensure safe and effective job performance.
• Maintain and actively manage training matrices to identify skill gaps and support workforce flexibility.
• Coordinate and promote cross-training activities to improve operational agility and business continuity.
• Coach employees on job performance, quality standards, safety requirements, standardized work practices, and Lean Manufacturing principles.
• Ensure employees are trained, qualified, and capable of performing assigned work independently and consistently.
• Verify training effectiveness through direct observation, skills assessments, qualification sign-offs, process audits, standardized work compliance, and operational performance results.
• Identify and develop employee skills to support succession planning, workforce capability growth, and future leadership opportunities.
• Foster a culture of continuous learning, knowledge sharing, and employee engagement.

Lean Manufacturing & Continuous Improvement

• Promote and sustain Lean Manufacturing principles throughout daily operations.
• Drive adherence to standardized work and participate in the continuous improvement of work instructions and processes.
• Lead and participate in kaizen events and continuous improvement activities focused on safety, quality, delivery, productivity, and waste reduction.
• Identify opportunities to eliminate waste, improve workflow, reduce variability, and increase process efficiency.
• Support implementation and sustainment of 5S workplace organization and visual management systems.
• Utilize structured problem-solving methodologies and root cause analysis to address recurring operational issues.
• Encourage employee participation in improvement activities and implementation of team-generated ideas.
• Support daily management processes through the use of production metrics, performance boards, and accountability discussions.

Communication & Leadership

• Maintain effective communication with employees to promote engagement, teamwork, and positive morale.
• Lead by example in safety, quality, attendance, accountability, and professional conduct.
• Provide timely feedback, coaching, and recognition to support employee performance and development.
• Ensure all plant policies, procedures, and work rules are consistently followed.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Safety Performance
• Productivity
• On-Time Shipments
• First Pass Yield
• DPPM
• Schedule Attainment
• Training Matrix Completion
• Cross-Training Coverage
• Standardized Work Compliance
• Kaizen and Continuous Improvement Participation

Required Skills / Experience

• Demonstrated ability to lead and develop employees in a manufacturing environment.
• Working knowledge of Lean Manufacturing principles, including 5S, standardized work, visual management, waste elimination, and continuous improvement.
• Strong coaching, training, and employee development skills.
• Ability to identify performance gaps and implement corrective actions.
• Strong problem-solving and root cause analysis capabilities.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
• Ability to manage work orders, production priorities, and employee assignments.
• Ability to communicate effectively and report operational performance in a team environment.
• Familiarity with MRP systems, production scheduling, and material flow management.
• Quality-focused mindset with a commitment to continuous improvement and operational excellence.

Physical / Mental Requirements

• Ability to lift up to 50 pounds with assistance.
• Ability to climb stairs and ladders.
• Ability to count, sort, and maintain accuracy.

Position Purpose:

To develop a highly trained, cross-functional workforce while leading daily operations, sustaining standardized work, driving continuous improvement, and ensuring safe, quality-focused execution that supports Wolcott's operational excellence objectives.

We believe in transparent and equitable pay. All U.S. job postings include a good-faith salary range based on role, location, experience, and internal equity. We’re happy to discuss compensation openly throughout the hiring process.