Position: Manufacturing Lead
Location: Champaign, IL
Starting Minimum Pay: $26.50/hour
JOIN THE BEST TEAM ON THE FIELD IN SPORT, SPIRIT & ACHIEVEMENT
At Varsity Brands, we believe every student deserves the opportunity to succeed and every educator wants to make a difference. It takes a team to make a real impact, and through our three distinct brands – BSN SPORTS, Varsity Spirit and Herff Jones – and our network of 9,000 employees and independent representatives, we are proud to partner with schools, colleges and universities across the country to transform the student journey in SPORT, SPIRIT and ACHIEVEMENT.
Are you looking to play an important role on a winning team? Are you looking for more than “just a job,” but a place where you can truly thrive and have your daily contributions make a real difference in someone’s life? At Varsity Brands we’re a growing company where you can lend your skills and talents in support of a greater mission. In return, you get to work with great people on challenging assignments that will accelerate your professional growth.
HERFF JONES, Department Lead (Manufacturing) – Champaign, IL
YOUR OPPORTUNITY:
The Herff Jones Operations team, based in Champaign, IL is looking for a Department Lead to join our Manufacturing team.
HERE'S HOW YOU’LL MAKE AN IMPACT:
Reporting to the Manufacturing Supervisor, you will be responsible for assisting in coordinating, tracking, and training activities of employees in the Monogram department and helping regulate, balance, and expedite the work throughout the departments. At Herff Jones we may have been around for 100 years, but we still have the mentality of a scrappy startup. For you, that means your job may grow and change over time. But don’t worry, we would never ask an employee to take on an assignment they didn’t already have the right skill sets they needed to succeed. As we see it for right now, however, here are the challenges that we want you to tackle:

• Support supervisor in ensuring proper workflow through the department
• Log production flow and rejected product
• Assist with daily preventive maintenance
• Prioritize customer orders
• Work with all operators to maintain quality and efficiency standards
• Assist in the training of new personnel
• Assist in checking finished product quality to meet standards
• Helps conduct daily/weekly, department meetings to discuss quality & efficiency
• Aids and assists supervisor as needed

WHAT YOU’LL BRING TO THE TABLE:
3-5 years production experience (manufacturing preferred), in addition to meeting the following requirements:

• High school diploma or equivalent required, bachelors’ degree preferred
• Experience with planning and tracking production/workflow experience desired
• Proficiency with MS Office, specifically Excel
• Must be able to work in a fast paced environment, must be highly organized and disciplined to complete tasks independently. Must have strong leadership abilities and communication skills.

Physical Activities:
Daily activity includes but is not limited to:

• Lifting, carrying, sitting, grasping, reaching, standing, kneeling, walking, bending, twisting.
• Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Reading, communication, simple math.
• Be able to regularly lift/move up to 25lbs.
• Noise level in the work environment is usually moderate to above moderate.

About Herff Jones:
Indianapolis-based Herff Jones is the leading provider of graduation and educational products and services designed to inspire achievement and create memorable experiences for students. Herff Jones’ products include class rings and jewelry, caps and gowns, diplomas and announcements as well as motivation and recognition programs. Focused on building long-term relationships through a nationwide network of over 1,400 employees and sales partners, the professionals at Herff Jones have been helping elevate the student experience throughout the lifelong journey of education for more than 100 years. For more information about Herff Jones, please visit www.herffjones.com.
Herff Jones, Inc. and its affiliates are equal opportunity employers and maintain affirmative action plans to recruit, retain, develop, and promote qualified individuals without unlawful consideration of race, gender, gender identity, color, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, citizenship status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. Herff Jones strives to maintain a work environment free from unlawful discrimination and harassment, where associates are treated with respect and dignity.
Any employment agency, person or entity that submits a résumé into this career site or to a hiring manager does so with the understanding that the applicant's résumé will become the property of Herff Jones. Herff Jones will have the right to hire that applicant at its discretion without any fee owed to the submitting employment agency, person or entity.