A mutually rewarding experience.

Work. Realize your ambitions. And realize there’s more to being in business than just making a profit. That’s the Mars philosophy. And the opportunity we offer every one of our Associates. An opportunity to take what you do and make it mean more for you, for those around you and for the planet.  What you get here is challenging, interesting work. You get the tools you need to do a great job and you get to have the best possible people on your side to help you do it. And at the same time as getting to find ways to do business better today than we did it yesterday and driving a great career, you also get to build a more enlightened business and drive sustainability.

Because it’s never just about a single person, a single project or a single brand. It’s about how you can grab everything that’s within your reach here and use it to pursue mutual, long-term gain. It’s about having ideas. And ideals. Being prepared to risk failure because the promise of success means we’ll all be a little better off. It’s that mix of integrity and ambition that makes Mars such a special place to work. And why working here is always about more than just a job.

About Mars, Incorporated 

Mars is a family-owned business with more than a century of history making diverse products and offering services for people and the pets people love. With almost $35 billion in sales, the company is a global business that produces some of the world’s best-loved brands: M&M’s®, SNICKERS®, TWIX®, MILKY WAY®, DOVE®, PEDIGREE®, ROYAL CANIN®, WHISKAS®, EXTRA®, ORBIT®, 5™, SKITTLES®, UNCLE BEN’S®, MARS DRINKS and COCOAVIA®. Mars also provides veterinary health services that include BANFIELD® Pet Hospitals, Blue Pearl®, VCA® and Pet Partners™. Headquartered in McLean, VA, Mars operates in more than 80 countries. The Mars Five Principles – Quality, Responsibility, Mutuality, Efficiency and Freedom – inspire its more than 100,000 Associates to create value for all its partners and deliver growth they are proud of every day.

 

Job Purpose/Overview

A Shift Lead’s role is to manage a team of associates who effectively and efficiently communicate, facilitate, coordinate, and prioritize all activities and production within their area.  This position requires working closely with other support groups particularly Quality Control and Maintenance to ensure consistent product quality, productivity, and safety.  The Shift Lead will make assignments and monitor progress, coordinate training, develop associates in their area of responsibility.  The Shift Lead is responsible for identifying, developing, and implementing continuous improvement activities that address safety, quality, and efficiency.  Shift Leads must have in-depth knowledge of their entire operational area and recognized as an expert in multiple technologies. The Lead role requires strong leadership, communication, interpersonal and team building skills to support site objectives.

Key Responsibilities

• Responsible for directing managing and leading an entire production team for their shift. 
• The Shift Lead is the key point of contact for the support groups on all tactical activities.
• Ensures shop floor transactions are accurately completed in Enterprise Software such as SAP.
• Contact for all externally driven activities in their area.
• Lead the performance management process of associates on their shift.
• Shift Leads will participate in developmental assignments and/or any new product/technology projects in their area including lean manufacturing and the Mars Operating System.
• Will work without direct supervision.
• 1st Level of escalation for associates on shift.

 

Context and Scope

Quality Control Responsibilities

• Train operators to interpret data (trend data, identify root cause, implement solution).
• Train operators to formulate actions to address non-conformance issues.
• Analyze and develop permanent solutions to prevent chronic or significant quality issues.
• In-depth knowledge of quality systems and all work instructions for area.  Provide input for improvements/changes to work instructions.

• Oversee of quality or product conformance issues to ensure corrective/preventative actions are implemented and completed.

 

Safety Compliance

• Train operators on safe operating procedures.
• Provide input to any investigation for area of responsibility.

• Provide input as appropriate regarding safety.
• Ensure working conditions are Normal and enforce safety requirements.

• Provide input to project safety reviews (SSEPR) on systems in area.

 

Implement Continuous Improvement

• Seek innovative solutions and develop step-function improvements including the use of new technology.
• Demonstrates lean competencies and the ability to implement them in the workplace.
• Primary project support to engineering and maintenance.
• Technical resource to area and across site.
• Drive continuous improvement by developing and implementing systems that optimize all phases of the manufacturing process and support key business objectives (waste, labor, reliability, ATS, line capacity, etc.).
• Provide input to feasibility and change management requests.
• Resource to other sites and across areas.

 

Equipment Maintenance and Sanitation

• Effectively communicates and works with the Reliability group to co-ordinate and complete PMs and improvements to area.
• Identify, report and help any potential product contamination issue.
• Maintains clean work environment including 5S adherence and follow through to ensure completion of action plans to address sources of contamination.
• Leadership role in cleaning and sanitation of area.

      

Performance Management & Associate Engagement

• Prepare annual performance reviews for each associate and provide this feedback to the associate.
• Team Engagement including facilitation of team building discussions
• Work with direct reports to develop and agree annual IBO’s
• Monitor attendance of each associate and take actions as necessary according to company policy.
• Job and development expectations for associates by area/job

 

Recognized expert for operations

• Participate on core teams and cross functional project team
• Provides non-exempt leadership to deliver shift production, ensure efficient logistics and use of resources throughout the entire line (full-time and temporary manpower). 
• Prioritizes all of the operational activities such as unplanned work orders, cleaning activities, and operational preventative maintenance programs.
• Ensure compliance on shift transactions and documentation not limited to SAP, HACCP, Quality Documentation and production logs.
• Demonstrated ability to resolve non-routine issues at root cause and incorporate into preventive actions.
• Detailed knowledge of area including process flow, rates, critical control points, metrics (Cost / Lb., Cost per Labor Hour, Waste).
• Develop best practices for area and ensure best practices are followed.
• Lead or participate in continuous improvement efforts.
• Effective shift communications.  Leads shift overlaps; attends and active participant in quality reviews, and daily meetings as required.
• Ability to complete root cause failure analysis on issues involving reliability, product/packaging defects, downtime and slow time.
• Effectively works and communicates with all support departments (scheduling, engineering, R&D, IE, logistics, etc.).

 

Job Specifications/Qualifications

Education & Professional Qualifications	High School diploma or equivalent; in-house training is required. Must meet all job specific education requirements as deemed necessary Associate Degree or equivalent training is considered a plus.
Knowledge / Experience	5 + years of manufacturing, or Maintenance experience with increasing responsibility. Understanding MSE pillars and  Manufacturing Safety requirements.

 

Mars is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. If you need assistance or an accommodation during the application process because of a disability, it is available upon request. The company is pleased to provide such assistance, and no applicant will be penalized as a result of such a request.