Production Lead

The Production Lead oversees day to day operations on the production floor in a textile and pillow manufacturing environment. This role ensures production lines operate efficiently, quality standards are met, and team members have the support and direction needed to meet daily output goals. The Production Lead acts as a hands on leader, coordinating workflow, training operators, and troubleshooting issues to maintain a safe, efficient, and high performing operation.

Key Responsibilities

Production Operations

• Coordinate, monitor, and support production activities including filling, and finishing of pillows and textile products.
• Ensure production orders, schedules, and targets are met daily.
• Balance labor across workstations based on skill, workload, and production needs.
• Identify workflow bottlenecks and act to maintain continuous production.
• Become fully trained on all filling, sewing, and packing equipment for garnetted and blown polyester pillow and feather and down pillows. Train operators on the equipment.
• Fill in when operators are away from their work station.

Quality Assurance

• Perform preproduction checks for correct work order production, raw material component use, construction methods and packing specifications.
• Inspect in process and finished products to ensure they meet quality, safety, and customer specifications.
• Enforce quality standards and ensure corrective actions are followed when defects occur.
• Document quality issues and assist with root cause investigation.

Team Leadership & Training

• Provide daily direction to production line workers, machine operators, and material handlers.
• Train team members on proper techniques, equipment use, safety procedures, and production standards.
• Assist with onboarding new hires and evaluating skill levels.
• Promote a positive, collaborative, and safe work environment.
• Make corrections when SOP’s aren’t followed

Safety & Compliance

• Ensure compliance with all plant safety protocols and OSHA requirements.
• Monitor the use of PPE, safe equipment operation, and adherence to workplace safety rules.
• Support practices to maintain a clean and organized production floor. Be certain 5S standards are met.

Equipment & Materials

• Oversee safe operation of filling machines, sewing stations, bale feeds, packing and other production equipment.
• Communicate equipment malfunctions and support basic troubleshooting with maintenance and department leadership.
• Coordinate with warehouse staff to ensure materials such as textile pillow shells, fiberfill, foam, packaging, and labels are staged and ready.

Documentation & Reporting

• Maintain accurate production records, output counts, downtime logs, and shift reports.
• Track production to targets for schedule attainment.
• Support inventory accuracy by reporting material usage and waste.
• Relay production updates, issues, and improvement opportunities to supervisors.

Required Qualifications

• 24 years of experience in manufacturing or production; textile or pillow manufacturing preferred.
• Prior experience in a lead or supervisory support role.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing workflows, quality standards, and production equipment.
• Ability to read and interpret production work orders, specs, and measurements.
• Strong communication and coaching skills.
• Ability to stand for long periods and lift up to 50 lbs.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in manufacturing lines and filling operations.
• Sewing experience.
• Basic computer skills for data entry and reporting.

Core Competencies

• Leadership & Mentorship
• Quality & Detail Focus
• Safety Awareness
• Problem Solving
• Communication
• Time & Workflow Management
• Reliability, Flexibility & Professionalism

About WELSPUN USA INC

Welspun is one of the world’s fastest-growing conglomerates with a global footprint in over 50 countries. With a team of over 26,000 dedicated employees spanning varied ethnicities, cultures, and geographies, Welspun provides its customers with products through innovation and technology while always striving to create a smarter, more sustainable planet. Welspun has been a global leader in home textiles for over 35 years. The product range is unparalleled in breadth and depth, including sheets, comforters, towels, bath rugs, utility bedding, pillows, beach towels, accent and area rugs. Today, every 5th towel and every 7th sheet sold in the U.S. is made by Welspun, and that success has primarily been driven by our commitment to innovation.