
Manufacturing Manager - Night Shift
Unilever · Independence, MO
- Level
- Manager
- Team
- Manufacturing
- Base pay
- $103k–$154k
- Travel
- Includes overnights
- Degree
- Preferred
- Experience asked
- 35+ years
- Industry
- Food & beverage
- Posted
- 7 days ago
The role in 30 seconds
A management manufacturing role at Unilever (food & beverage) in Independence, MO. You will.
- They ask for
- 35+ years · degree preferred
- Tools it names
- Lean, Six Sigma, TPM, Root cause, FDA / GMP, SAP
- Base pay
- $103k–$154k
- Day to day
- some off-shift / weekend coverage · overnight travel
Read from the posting. The full description is below.
From the plant jobs report · week of October 19, 2026
Manufacturing Engineer roles in Missouri: typical posted base $99k–$133k. This one lists $103k–$154k.
Median of the low and high ends of 12 live postings that list pay, out of 31 manufacturing engineer openings in Missouri, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.
Missouri plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →
How this role compares
Against 30 other live manufacturing postings in Missouri.
- Base pay
- About 23% above similar roles
- Experience asked
- More than usual (35+ vs 5+)
Typical $89k–$121k, from 10 postings that list pay.
Similar roles usually ask 5+ years.
Skills these teams ask for most
- ✓ Lean 55%
- New product launch 45%
- ✓ Root cause 42%
- Tooling 35%
- ✓ Six Sigma 32%
- Validation (IQ/OQ/PQ) 29%
✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.
Stands out: this posting asks for TPM, SAP, Union environment, which few similar roles mention. If you have it, lead with 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 Manufacturing team at Unilever
We found 1 person at this company and state: 1 in this kind of role. 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 William → (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?
- Is the work mostly new product launches or sustaining existing lines?
- How much time do you spend on the floor versus at a desk?
- 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: Unilever in Independence
4 other open roles at this site · 1 person we found in manufacturing roles at Unilever.
- Associate Maintenance Manager · Reliability · Manager
- Instrumentation Technician · Reliability · Technician
- Continuous Improvement Manager · Lean / CI · Manager
- Night Shift Production Supervisor · Production · Supervisor
Full description from UnileverAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
Day-to-Day
- ◆Lead all manufacturing activities during assigned night shift coverage.
- ◆Coach and develop supervisors and front-line leaders to strengthen capability and performance.
- ◆Monitor and improve KPIs related to safety, quality, service, productivity, labor, and cost.
- ◆Coordinate cross-functional teams including Production, Maintenance, Quality, Warehouse, and Engineering.
- ◆Lead incident response, risk mitigation, root cause analysis, and corrective actions.
- ◆Ensure compliance with OSHA, GMP, HACCP, food safety, environmental, and quality standards.
- ◆Facilitate effective communication, issue escalation, and shift transition processes.
- ◆Champion continuous improvement initiatives that improve reliability, efficiency, and employee engagement.
- ◆Build credibility across union and non-union teams through visible leadership and accountability.
Required Qualifications
- ✓Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, Business, or a related field preferred.
- ✓Willingness to work a flexible night shift operation.
- ✓5+ years of manufacturing, operations, or supply chain experience within food, consumer goods, or a similar manufacturing environment.
- ✓3+ years of leadership experience managing manufacturing teams.
- ✓Experience operating in a unionized manufacturing environment.
- ✓Strong experience managing safety, quality, productivity, and labor performance metrics.
- ✓Proven ability to lead teams, develop talent, solve complex problems, and drive operational results.
- ✓Ability to work a night shift schedule and act as the senior site leader during assigned coverage.
Preferred Qualifications
- ✓Experience leading large-scale manufacturing operations in a 24/7 environment.
- ✓Food manufacturing experience with GMP, HACCP, and regulatory compliance requirements.
- ✓Knowledge of TPM, Lean Manufacturing, WCM, Six Sigma, or related operational excellence systems.
- ✓Labor relations, grievance management, and collective bargaining experience.
- ✓SAP experience.
- ✓Track record of leading cultural and performance transformation initiatives.
Pay: The pay range for this position is $103,000 to $154,400. Unilever takes into consideration a wide range of factors that are utilized in making compensation decisions including, but not limited to, skill sets, experience and training, licensure and certifications,
qualifications
and education, and other business and organizational needs.
Bonus: This position is bonus eligible.
Long-Term Incentive (LTI): This position is LTI eligible.
Benefits: Unilever employees are eligible to participate in our benefits plan. Should the employee choose to participate, they can choose from a range of benefits to include, but is not limited to, health insurance
(including prescription drug, dental, and vision coverage), retirement savings benefits, life insurance and disability benefits, parental leave, sick leave, paid vacation and holidays, as well as access to numerous voluntary benefits. Any coverages for health insurance and retirement benefits will be in accordance with the terms and conditions of the applicable plans and associated governing plan documents.
- ✓-----------------------------------
At Unilever, inclusion is at the heart of everything we do . We welcome applicants from all walks of life and are committed to creating an environment where everyone can thrive/succeed. All applicants will receive fair and respectful consideration, and we actively support the growth and development of every employee.
Employment is subject to verification of pre-screening tests, which may include drug screening, background check, credit check and DMV check.
If you are an individual with a disability in need of assistance at any time duri
Show full description ↓Show less ↑
Earlier this year (March 2026), Unilever announced an agreement to separate our Foods business. Our Foods business, including brands such as Hellmann's and Knorr, will join forces with McCormick to become a global flavour leader, with leading positions across spices, seasonings, condiments and complementary food categories, supported by a strong retail and foodservice platform. McCormick has 135+ years of heritage, a presence in 150+ countries and territories, and a portfolio of trusted brands. The transaction remains subject to consultation, regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions with a targeted deal close of mid-2027.
Job Purpose
We're looking for a proven manufacturing leader to serve as the senior operational leader for overnight operations at our Independence facility. In this highly visible role, you'll lead production, maintenance, quality, warehouse, and supervisory teams to deliver safe, reliable, and efficient manufacturing performance across a 24/7 food manufacturing operation.
This is an opportunity to make a direct impact on people, performance, and culture while leading a team responsible for producing some of the world's most recognized consumer brands.
As the Night Shift Manufacturing Manager, you will
- •Lead the factory's overnight operation, ensuring safety, complaint, and efficient production execution.
- •Deliver key operational targets across safety, quality, service, productivity, and cost.
- •Drive accountability and performance through front-line supervisors and shift leadership teams.
- •Serve as the primary escalation point for operational, maintenance, quality, and people-related issues during night shift operations.
- •Build a high-performance culture focused on employee engagement, development, and continuous improvement.
- •Partner with day-shift leadership to ensure seamless communication, execution, and shift handovers.
- •Drive loss elimination and operational improvements using Lean Manufacturing, TPM, WCM, or similar methodologies.
