Processing Lead

Location of the job: Jonesboro, AR

Shift Assignment:

1st Shift = 7:00 am to 3:15 pm (Monday - Friday) Hours may vary slightly

Base Pay Rate: $32.50 (after successful 90-day evaluation base pay will be $33.45)

Benefits Overview (non-union)

Additional Perks for the “Jonesboro” location
• Onsite company store for employees, family and friends to purchase Unilever products at a discount
• Company dinners and fun engagement activities periodically
• Free fresh popcorn
• Free coffee

Background & Purpose of the Job:

Unilever Jonesboro provides a holistic and hygienic choice of personal care brands that benefit the mind, body, and health of consumers while minimizing environmental footprints and promoting the individual growth of our people. Our "mission of wellbeing" is quickly becoming the new status symbol for health and beauty.

The Processing Lead is the 24-hour owner of Pre-Weigh readiness, performance, and process discipline. The role leads approximately 13–17 Pre-Weigh Technicians across three shifts and ensures ingredients are weighed, documented, and staged ahead of Compounding so batches reach the fill lines safely, accurately, and on schedule.

The Lead establishes the 24-hour plan, targets 48-hour readiness when the production schedule is available, assigns resources, protects FEFO and inventory accuracy, owns training and team development, and drives root-cause analysis and sustained process improvement. Same-shift adjustments are coordinated with Compounding Leads.

Success requires visible leadership, disciplined follow-through, and the willingness to address process and performance failures rather than walk past them.

What You'll Do

24-Hour Planning, Readiness & Coordination
• Review 24-hour progress, the production schedule, backlog, hot batches, shortages, inventory risks, expiring materials, and open handoff items; assign first-shift work and publish the next 24-hour plan.
• Keep all batches for the next shift ready and target at least 24 hours ahead of the fill schedule, with a 48-hour target when the schedule is released in time; request schedule visibility when it is insufficient.
• Coordinate priorities with the Area Lead and Compounding Leads; maintain the 24-hour plan while Compounding Leads make necessary same-shift adjustments.
• Ensure a ready batch has all required ingredients weighed, correct quantities verified, containers labeled, SAP transactions and legible paperwork completed, materials staged in the correct rack location, the communication form updated, and Compounding notified.
• Escalate shortages, schedule conflicts, missing chemicals, equipment outages, and other risks early enough to prevent Compounding downtime.

People Leadership, Training & Accountability
• Lead more than perform: assign work across shifts, set expectations, verify follow-through, engage the team, and intervene when standards are missed.
• Distinguish attitude, ability, and awareness concerns; apply accountability, training, or coaching accordingly and involve leadership for formal corrective action.
• Own the training system, including the matrix, trainer assignments, trainee schedules, qualification verification, overdue training, retraining, cross-training, new materials, and development of future Leads.
• Approve vacation and authorize overtime or send-home decisions within established guardrails; escalate needs outside those limits.
• Develop employee capability while holding the line on FEFO, productivity, documentation, 5S, GMP, safety, and established work processes.

Inventory, FEFO, Hot Box & HEBE Readiness
• Protect chemical inventory accuracy through FEFO discipline, accurate SAP execution, investigation of missing inventory, and timely escalation of shortages or process failures.
• Use SAP inventory and FEFO reports, expiration reporting, the batch schedule, and Hot Box tracking to identify risks and set priorities.
• Conduct targeted FEFO and staging audits, including spot checks when capacity allows, and verify approved quantity reductions, substitutions, or other batch exceptions are understood and communicated.
• Own the 24-hour Hot Box system: identify required items, maintain availability and inventory visibility, sustain organization and 5S, investigate missing items, and escalate capacity or equipment issues.
• Plan HEBE Noodle conversion from supersacks to drums by forecasting required bags and completed drums; keep this work ahead of Compounding and drive RCA to restore a stable standard process.
• Review expiring chemicals and the weekly POI list; pull approved material and coordinate with Material Planning for disposition or write-off processing.

RCA, Efficiency & Area Ownership
• Contain failures, identify and document root causes, establish corrective actions, train the team, verify sustained effectiveness, and report progress to department leadership.
• Develop or restore practical measures for schedule attainment, batches staged ahead, weighs per labor hour, FEFO compliance, weighing errors, Hot Box execution, HEBE output, and Pre-Weigh-attributed waiting or downtime.
• Use RCA to distinguish people, process, equipment, material-handling, inventory, training, and schedule constraints before assigning accountability.
• Own daily condition and escalation for scales, printers, Hot Box equipment, chemical racks, and staging areas; share drum-dumper and pallet-jack concerns with Compounding and support maintenance notifications, calibration follow-up, and improvement work.
• Walk the area to verify equipment condition, rack cleanliness, 5S, staged work, employee engagement, and process adherence; close known outages and do not accept repeated failures without action.
• Participate in Gemba, schedule lock, and other required operating meetings and represent Pre-Weigh when supporting the Area Lead or Compounding Leads.

Daily Operating Rhythm & Handoff
• Start of day: assess 24-hour progress and risks, follow up on email, Teams, and verbal handoffs, inspect the area and equipment, assign work, and align priorities with the Area Lead and Compounding Lead.
• Mid-shift: review efficiency and performance gaps, conduct RCA, plan coaching or accountability, address training and process needs, review disposals and expirations, and advance future readiness.
• End of day: verify 5S and assigned work, confirm equipment and staged-batch readiness, communicate risks and actions, align the incoming Compounding Lead, and issue the next 24-hour plan.

What You'll Need to Succeed
• High school diploma or GED equivalent
• Pre-Weigh or manufacturing experience and forklift certification preferred; ability to perform technician duties when recovery support is required.
• Working knowledge of SAP, inventory and FEFO controls, batch documentation, staged-material flow, and Microsoft Outlook, Teams, and Excel.
• Leadership experience in manufacturing, operations, material preparation, or a comparable environment; ability to lead across shifts through clear plans, influence, and follow-through.
• Demonstrated skill in difficult conversations, team accountability, coaching, training-system development, and employee engagement.
• Strong root-cause analysis, problem-solving, process-development, and change-sustainment capability.
• Ability to translate production demand into a 24- to 48-hour readiness plan and adjust priorities without becoming reactive.
• Ability to recognize when performance loss comes from people, process, equipment, material flow, inventory, training, or schedule conditions.
• Commitment to safety, quality, GMP, 5S, inventory accuracy, schedule attainment, and continuous improvement.

Employment is subject to verification of pre-screening tests, which may include drug screening, physical and background check.

*Any coverages for health insurance and retirement benefits will be in accordance with the terms and conditions of the applicable plans and associated governing plan documents

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At Unilever, inclusion is at the heart of everything we do. We welcome applicants from all walks of life and are committed to creating an environment where everyone can thrive/succeed. All applicants will receive fair and respectful consideration, and we actively support the growth and development of every employee.

Unilever is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Persons with Disabilities.

For more information on your federal rights, please see Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal

Employment is subject to verification of pre-screening tests, which may include drug screening, background check, credit check and DMV check.

If you are an individual with a disability in need of assistance at any time during our recruitment process, please contact us at NA.Accommodations@unilever.com. Please note: This email is reserved for individuals with disabilities in need of assistance and is not a means of inquiry about positions or application statuses. The Protected Veterans or Individuals with Disabilities AAP narratives are available for inspection by any employee or applicant for employment Monday through Friday during normal business hours at establishment.

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Processing Lead

Skills

About the role