iLocatum

Joliet, IL Job ID: 4786a0d7-f03a-4491-94f2-5224f0636eeb

Production Manager – Cold Storage

Production Manager

Joliet, IL | $95,000 – $125,000 Per Year | Full-Time

A temperature-controlled logistics and food operations company based in Joliet, IL is hiring a Production Manager to lead daily warehouse production operations. This is a floor-level leadership role responsible for boxing, unboxing, repackaging, labeling, rework, and end-to-end production flow within a refrigerated environment. The right candidate brings a track record of leading hourly production teams, managing labor productivity metrics, and maintaining operational discipline in high-volume settings.

Schedule

Full-time, on-site in Joliet, IL.

Compensation

$95,000 – $125,000 annually, commensurate with experience.


What You’ll Do

As Production Manager, you will have direct accountability for all production operations across the facility. On a daily basis, you will plan and oversee boxing, unboxing, repackaging, labeling, palletizing, and rework activities, ensuring that production schedules are executed safely, on time, and in line with customer requirements. You will monitor throughput, labor efficiency, quality, and inventory accuracy throughout each shift, using WMS and KPI tracking tools to maintain operational visibility and guide decision-making.

A core part of this role is labor leadership. You will supervise production leads and hourly employees, set clear performance expectations, and coach team members through ongoing feedback and hands-on floor presence. When performance gaps appear, you will identify the root cause and implement corrective actions. When operational bottlenecks emerge, you will take ownership of diagnosing and resolving them.

You will also maintain full compliance with food safety, sanitation, and cold chain requirements. This includes enforcing proper product handling procedures, leading housekeeping standards, and partnering with warehouse, quality, and shipping teams to ensure cross-functional alignment and customer satisfaction. You will regularly analyze KPI trends and bring forward recommendations for continuous improvement.


Required Qualifications

  • 5 or more years of leadership experience in warehouse, production, packaging, food processing, or related operational environments

  • Experience working in cold storage, food distribution, or temperature-controlled operations

  • Hands-on experience managing repackaging, rework, or value-added production services

  • Demonstrated ability to lead hourly production or warehouse teams directly

  • Working knowledge of labor productivity metrics and throughput management

  • Experience operating within KPI-driven environments

  • Familiarity with warehouse management systems (WMS) or production tracking platforms

  • Strong organizational skills and a disciplined approach to operational execution

Preferred Qualifications

  • Bilingual in English and Spanish

  • Experience managing production operations in a startup or high-growth logistics environment

  • Formal training or certification in food safety (ServSafe, HACCP, or equivalent)

  • Experience implementing or contributing to continuous improvement initiatives (Lean, Kaizen, or comparable frameworks)

Compensation and Benefits

  • Competitive base salary commensurate with experience

  • Medical, dental, and vision insurance

  • 401(k) retirement plan

  • Paid time off

  • On-site, floor-level leadership role with direct operational visibility and impact

To Apply

Submit your resume and a brief summary of your production or warehouse leadership experience. Qualified candidates will be contacted to schedule an initial conversation.

This employer is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local employment laws.

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