About Ingredion:
Join Ingredion, where innovation impacts lives worldwide! Without even realizing it, you’ve experienced our work in your favorite chocolate, your pet’s food, the paper you write on, and your everyday snacks. As a global powerhouse across more than 60 industries, we harness the potential of natural ingredients to transform lives. Whether you’re just starting your career or bringing years of experience, there's a place for you here to make a real difference. Be part of our team that values a wide range of perspectives and is committed to shaping a better world with every product we create.
Location: Bedford Park, IL (Argo Plant)
Workplace type: On Site
Are you ready to take the next step in your manufacturing leadership journey? As a Shift Lead, you will play a critical role in leading safe, efficient, and reliable operations while developing people and driving business results. This position provides the opportunity to expand your leadership skills, gain exposure to plant-wide operations, and build experience that can prepare you for future management opportunities.
As a Shift Lead , you will lead production operations during a rotating shift, ensuring the safe, efficient, and reliable operation of the manufacturing process. You will serve as the frontline leader for hourly operations employees, balancing operational performance with employee engagement, workforce accountability, and continuous improvement initiatives. This role reports to the Unit Manager and will supervise hourly employees during the shift.
What you will do:
Direct day-to-day production activities to achieve safety, quality, throughput, yield, and reliability targets.
Serve as the primary leadership contact during nights, weekends, holidays, and other periods when plant leadership is not onsite.
Lead response and recovery efforts during operational disruptions, equipment issues, and plant upsets.
Coordinate activities across production, maintenance, quality, and logistics teams to ensure operational success.
Coach, develop, and support hourly employees through performance feedback, training reinforcement, and career development conversations.
Lead safe operations by ensuring compliance with environmental, health, safety, quality, and food safety requirements.
Drive continuous improvement initiatives through problem solving, root cause analysis, action tracking, and use of Ingredion Performance System (IPS) tools.
Facilitate shift handoffs, communicate operational risks, and ensure appropriate escalation of critical plant issues.
What you will bring:
Manufacturing, production, operations, maintenance, military, or industrial leadership experience.
Demonstrated ability to lead teams, influence others, and drive accountability Additionally, flexibility to lead teams across a rotating shift schedule and serve as the primary leadership resource during off-hours, weekends, and holidays
Experience working in a safety-focused manufacturing environment.
Strong decision-making, communication, and critical thinking skills.
Ability to manage competing priorities and respond effectively in a fast-paced operational environment.
Experience working in a unionized manufacturing environment is preferred
High school diploma or equivalent required; associate or bachelor’s degree in a technical, engineering, manufacturing, or related field preferred.
Who you are:
Visible leader who builds trust, develops people, and promotes a culture of accountability.
Strong communicator who can effectively collaborate across shifts, departments, and leadership levels.
Proactive problem solver who remains calm and focused during operational challenges.
Continuous improvement champion who looks for ways to improve safety, quality, reliability, and productivity.
Learner who is motivated to expand leadership capabilities and prepare for future growth opportunities.
Why Join Ingredion?
Discover why Ingredion is the ideal place to advance your career with our exceptional rewards and…