The posting
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 benefits package designed to help you thrive. Create the future with us and enjoy:
- Total Rewards Package – Competitive salary and performance-based pay recognizing your contributions to our success.
- Comprehensive Benefits & Wellness Support – Health, long-term savings, and resources for your physical, mental, and emotional well-being
- Career Growth – Learning, training, and development opportunities, including tuition reimbursement.
- Employee Recognition Program – A culture of real-time appreciation, with personalized recognition rewards globally
- Employee Discount Program – Provides exclusive discounts on everyday products, services, and travel.
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We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. Ingredion seeks to provide a work environment that is free from harassment and discrimination. We will not tolerate any form of discrimination based on race, color, religion, age, gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, ancestry, handicap or disability—mental or physical—marital status, sexual orientation, veteran status, disability resulting from military service, or any other classification protected by law (“protected classifications”). We are committed to establishing and maintaining a work environment where everyone is treated with dignity and respect.
Ingredion provides accommodations to job applicants with disabilities throughout the hiring process. If a job applicant requires an accommodation during the application process or through the selection process, we will work with the applicant to meet the job applicant's accommodation needs.
Ingredion uses AI-enabled tools to support parts of the recruitment process, including resume screening and interview scheduling. These tools help match candidate skills to job requirements and streamline communication. All AI-assisted decisions are reviewed by our Talent Acquisition team to ensure fairness and compliance with applicable laws. By applying, you acknowledge that AI may be used to support your application journey.
Relocation Available:
No
Pay Range:
This pay range is not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Final base salary will be determined based on several factors which may include but are not limited to responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data and applicable bargaining agreement (if any).
Incentive Compensation:
As a part of the total compensation package, this role may be eligible for the Ingredion Annual Incentive Plan or a role-specific commission/bonus.
Benefits:
Full-time roles are eligible for our comprehensive benefits package which includes medical, dental and vision coverage as well as a 401(k) plan with an competitive company match.
