Assistant Production Manager
J.M. Smucker · Emporia, KS
- Level
- Manager
- Team
- Production
- Degree
- Required
- Experience asked
- 2+ years
- Industry
- Food & beverage
- Posted
- 30+ days ago
The role in 30 seconds
A management production role at J.M. Smucker (food & beverage) in Emporia, KS.
- They ask for
- 2+ years · degree required
- Tools it names
- Root cause
- Day to day
- some off-shift / weekend coverage
Read from the posting. The full description is below.
From the plant jobs report · week of October 19, 2026
Production Engineer roles in Kansas: typical posted base $93k–$154k.
Median of the low and high ends of 5 live postings that list pay, out of 15 production engineer openings in Kansas, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.
Kansas plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →
How this role compares
Against 14 other live production postings in Kansas.
- Experience asked
- Less than usual (2+ vs 5+)
Similar roles usually ask 5+ years.
Skills these teams ask for most
- ✓ Team leadership 67%
- EHS / safety 40%
- Lean 40%
- FDA / GMP 33%
- Six Sigma 27%
- SAP 20%
✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.
At a glance
Pulled from the posting text. If it's not listed here, the posting didn't say.
How to get in at this plant
Five moves over a week or two. The first one takes ten minutes.
- 1
Pick 2–3 people on the Production team at J.M. Smucker
We found 3 people at this company and state: 3 leaders, plus 1 likely hiring manager. Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. See them ↓
- 2
Send a short, curious note
One real question about their work. No favors yet. Each person gets a different note, written for this role.
Write to Wes → (free) - 3
Turn a reply into a short call
Questions worth asking about this team:
- What does a normal week look like on your team?
- How does off-shift and weekend coverage work?
- How did you land the job? What stood out in your interviews?
- 4
Apply with someone vouching for you
If the call went well, ask whether they’d pass your résumé to the hiring manager. Send your résumé link, apply that day, and let them know.
- 5
Bring proof to the interview
One page of before-and-after numbers from projects you led: scrap, OEE, cycle time, cost. Plant managers hire on results.
This plant: J.M. Smucker in Emporia
5 other open roles at this site · 3 people we found in production roles at J.M. Smucker.
- QA Technician - 2nd shift · Quality · Technician
- Maintenance Technician (Apprentice Engineer) · Reliability
- Maintenance Supervisor · Reliability · Supervisor
- Assistant Maintenance Manager · Reliability · Manager
- Production Supervisor · Production · Supervisor
Full description from J.M. SmuckerAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
In this Role You Will
- ◆Champions department daily plan and following through on open items needed by the team. Participates in the department Daily Direction Setting (DDS) meetings
- ◆Accountable for the daily operations and team performance (Safety, Quality, Reliability, Cost, Org. Capability)
- ◆Role models our Basic Beliefs, Our Commitment to Each Other, and Emotional Intelligence to build resonance
- ◆Works with operating teams to address safety concerns and assist in resolution
- ◆Responsible for driving department issues to root cause and developing a zero-loss and continuous improvement culture
- ◆Performance management, staffing strategy and developing a “flow to the work” culture
- ◆Partner with Manager in developing and delivering Department Master Plan
- ◆Ensures that essential business information and general expectations are clearly communicated and understood by all members of the team
- ◆Develop and coach operational and leadership skills of Team Leaders and Technicians to enhance peak performance through Smucker Quality Management Systems (SQMS) and High-Performance Organization (HPO) tools and design principles
- ◆Assist in developing and executing key technical and organizational projects while increasing Smucker Quality Management System (SQMS) capability within the organization
- ◆Responsible to collaborate across all pillars and leadership
- ◆Acts as the technical resource for operating teams
Requirements
- ✓A Bachelor's degree
- ✓2 years of manufacturing operational experience
- ✓2 years of experience as a supervisor is required
Additional skills and experience that we think would make someone successful in this role:
- ✓An Engineering degree is preferred but not required
- ✓5 years’ relevant management experience preferred
- ✓Experience coaching, developing, and leading others
- ✓Project planning experience
- ✓Prior experience managing people and/or teams in a high-performance work environment
- ✓Food processing, pet, or human food manufacturing, and/or engineering experience
Work Environment: This job operates in a manufacturing environment. The noise level in the work environment and manufacturing sites can be high.
Show full description ↓Show less ↑
Your Opportunity as an Area Leader
The Area Leader will be responsible for the leadership and business results of a team of hourly Technicians and Team Leaders; ensure the team meets safety, quality, and operational standards; and facilitate team development and skill building through coaching and mentoring team members.
Location: 1525 Industrial Road Emporia, KS (Hostess Manufacturing Plant)
Work Arrangements: 100% on-site. Day Shift. Flexibility required. Willingness to work off shift (including nights, weekends, and/or holidays) and flow to the work as needed
Physical Demands
- •Regularly required to talk and hear.
- •Frequently required to stand; walk; use hands and fingers to handle or feel; and reach with hands and arms.
- •Occasionally required to sit; climb or balance; and stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl.
- •Able to lift objects up to 50 pounds frequently.
- •May push and pull heavy objects
- •Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.
#INDSA
The Right Place for You
We are bold, kind, strive to do the right thing, we play to win, and we believe in a strong community that thrives together. Our culture is rooted in our Basic Beliefs , and we believe in supporting every employee by meeting their physical, emotional, and financial needs.
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