Back-Up Team Leader

Job Title : Back-Up Team Leader

Location: Lewes, DE
Department: Production
Reports To: Production Team Leader / Operations Manager

Summary

The Back-Up Team Leader is an experienced production professional who supports safe, compliant, and efficient manufacturing operations while providing front-line leadership and direction when the Production Team Leader is unavailable.

The role remains hands-on in assigned production processes while serving as a technical resource, trainer, and coach for production employees. The position helps execute the daily production plan, coordinates staffing and work priorities, responds to operational issues, supports operator development, and reinforces safety, environmental, quality, cGMP, and documentation requirements.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Support a safety-first culture by following and reinforcing all safety, environmental, security, and emergency response requirements.
• Ensure work is completed in accordance with approved SOPs, batch records, cGMP requirements, permits, and Good Documentation Practices.
• Operate and monitor assigned pharmaceutical manufacturing processes and equipment, which may include continuous process reactors, rotary vacuum filters, bulk receiving, packaging support, and wastewater handling and discharge.
• Execute the daily production schedule, adjust work assignments within approved priorities, and communicate barriers that may affect safety, quality, schedule adherence, or staffing coverage.
• Perform equipment setup, cleaning, line clearance, sampling, material handling, process monitoring, and in-process checks and adjustments as required by procedure.
• Complete required inventory and production transactions using approved scanners, warehouse systems, or other site systems.
• Monitor and communicate key process measures, production status, downtime, OEE, quarantined material, yield, and other assigned performance indicators.
• Use structured troubleshooting to identify process or equipment issues and coordinate with Maintenance, Quality, Warehouse, EHS, and management as appropriate.
• Provide day-to-day coaching, mentoring, and feedback to production operators and support onboarding, qualification, and cross-training of employees.
• Provide support for investigations, audits, validations, and continuous improvement activities.
• Address routine concerns respectfully and escalate performance, attendance, conduct, or employee relations issues to management and Human Resources.
• Reinforce company values, policies, behavioral expectations, teamwork, accountability, and a respectful work environment.
• When acting in place of the Production Team Leader, direct shift activities, assign work, coordinate staffing, communicate priorities, escalate issues, and help ensure production goals are achieved safely and compliantly.
• Operate a powered industrial truck after completing required training and authorization.
• Maintain good housekeeping and perform other related duties as assigned.

Education, Skills and Experience

• High school diploma or GED.
• At least 5 years of manufacturing experience in pharmaceutical, food, chemical, nutraceutical, or another regulated environment. Equivalent internal experience may be considered.
• Proficiency in at least one major production area or process.
• Ability to lead work, train others, communicate priorities, and make sound decisions.
• Working knowledge of cGMP, SOPs, batch records, safety requirements, and Good Documentation Practices.
• Basic computer and production math skills.
• Ability to successfully complete required powered industrial truck training, evaluation, and site authorization and maintain qualification as required.

Other Skills and Abilities

• Organized, dependable, and able to balance production responsibilities with shift leadership duties.
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to respond calmly to changing priorities.
• Able to communicate clearly and work effectively with employees at all levels.
• Comfortable providing direction, correction, coaching, and hands-on training to operators.
• Able to work collaboratively with Production, Quality, Maintenance, Warehouse, EHS, and Human Resources.
• Basic computer skills, including Microsoft Word, Excel, email, and production systems.
• Able to support teamwork, accountability, and a respectful work environment.
• Exposure to Lean manufacturing, 5S, or continuous improvement is preferred but not required.

Physical and Work Requirements

• • Ability to perform the essential functions of the position, with or without reasonable accommodation.
  • Ability to work 12-hour rotating shifts, including days, nights, weekends, holidays, and overtime as needed.
  • Ability to work safely around industrial equipment, chemicals, heat, pressure, noise, and other manufacturing hazards while wearing required PPE.
  • Ability to frequently lift and carry up to 50 pounds and perform standing, walking, climbing, bending, reaching, pushing, and pulling activities.