Production Kitting Lead

Job DetailsJob Location: Mt Juliet - Mt. Juliet, TN 37122POSITION SUMMARY: The Picking Lead (Material Handler) is responsible for leading the daily material flow activities that support manufacturing. This position coordinates order picking, kitting, replenishment, supermarket inventory, and material delivery to production lines while ensuring inventory accuracy and on-time availability of components. The role prioritizes daily workloads, coordinates expedite orders, supports inventory control activities, trains team members, and works closely with Production, Warehouse, Customer Service, and Planning to eliminate shortages and maintain uninterrupted production flow. Responsible for compliance with applicable Quality System Regulations (QSR), C-TPAT requirements, and all company safety procedures. PRINCIPAL JOB DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES: Production Support Coordinate daily picking priorities based on the production schedule, customer demand, backlog, and line requirements. Build complete and accurate kits for production work orders using work orders, pick lists, scan guns, JDE, and applicable standard work. Deliver kits, replenishment material, and shortage parts to production lines in the required sequence and at the required time. Ensure production lines remain supplied with kitted orders throughout the shift and respond quickly to line-side material requests. Monitor supermarket inventory levels, kanban signals, broadcasts, and flow-line functionality and replenish material as required. Identify and escalate shortages, incorrect parts, location issues, and inventory discrepancies before they affect production output. Team Leadership Assign and fairly distribute daily workloads based on production priorities, order rates, staffing, and backlog. Communicate daily goals, priorities, overtime needs, process changes, policies, and announcements to the picking team. Train and coach new and existing material handlers on scan guns, JDE transactions, equipment, safety, quality requirements, picking methods, and standard work. Monitor picking accuracy, productivity, attendance, housekeeping, and adherence to established processes. Coordinate expedites and schedule changes and adjust resources to protect production flow. Assist the Operations Supervisor with staffing recommendations, performance concerns, and workload balancing. Inventory Control and Material Flow Ensure inventory accuracy through correct scanning, transfers, replenishment, and other required inventory transactions. Support cycle counts, physical inventory, and investigation of inventory or location discrepancies as needed. Monitor FIFO (supermarket), location control, and material handling practices to protect product quality and traceability. Assist receiving, put-away, and other warehouse functions when production-support workload allows or business needs require. Performance and Continuous Improvement Maintain and communicate department measures such as pick accuracy, kit completion, on-time kit delivery, production shortages, backlog, inventory accuracy, quality, and safety. Work with Production, Planning, Quality, Warehouse, and other departments to keep production flow moving and resolve material-related issues. Recommend practical improvements to picking routes, supermarket layout, location sequencing, replenishment methods, and standard work. Support Lean Manufacturing, kanban, 5S, visual management, and waste-reduction activities. Participate in special projects and assignments as requested. Safety and Compliance Follow and reinforce all applicable safety, housekeeping, equipment inspection, and preventive maintenance requirements. Observe and enforce C-TPAT security policies and procedures. Operate forklifts, pallet jacks, carts, and other material-handling equipment safely and only when properly trained and authorized. Report safety, quality, inventory, equipment, and associate-related concerns to the Operations Supervisor promptly. QualificationsREQUIRED SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE, AND EXPERIENCE:  High School Diploma or GED is required. Two or more years of warehouse, logistics, kitting, or material-handling experience is preferred. Previous experience leading, training, or coordinating employees is preferred. Knowledge of JDE or a similar computerized inventory system is preferred. Knowledge of BarTender or similar label printing software preferred. Knowledge of kanban, production supermarkets, line-side replenishment, and Lean Manufacturing is preferred. Forklift certification or the ability to become forklift certified is required. Ability to read and comprehend work orders, pick lists, work instructions, diagrams, policies, procedures, and safety documentation in English. Ability to perform basic math, including addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, rate, ratio, and percent calculations. Strong organizational, prioritization, communication, and practical problem-solving skills. Must be detail-oriented and able to work effectively in a fast-paced manufacturing environment. Regular attendance is required. Must be able to work overtime as required. COMPETENCIES: Analytical Thinking – Approaching a problem by using a logical, systematic, sequential approach. Forward Thinking – Anticipating the implications and consequences of situations and taking appropriate action to be prepared for possible contingencies. Initiative – Identifying what needs to be done and doing it before being asked to or required by the situation. Oral Communications – Expressing oneself clearly in conversations and interactions with others. Building Collaborative Relationships – Developing and maintaining partnerships with others. Self Confidence – Faith in one’s own ideas and ability to be successful; taking an independent position in the face of opposition. Personal Credibility – Demonstrated concern that one be perceived as responsible, reliable and trustworthy. Flexibility – Openness to different and new ways of doing things; willingness to modify one’s preferred way of doing things. PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:  The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an associate to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Static Strength -- The ability to exert maximum muscle force to lift, push, pull, or carry objects up to 40 pounds. Multilimbed Coordination — The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion. Trunk Strength — The ability to use your abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body repeatedly or continuously over time without 'giving out' or fatiguing. Control Precision — The ability to adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle quickly and repeatedly to exact positions. Manual Dexterity — The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects. Near Vision — The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer). Oral Comprehension — The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences. Stamina — The ability to exert yourself physically over long periods of time without getting winded or out of breath. Deductive Reasoning — The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense. Dynamic Strength — The ability to exert muscle force repeatedly or continuously over time. This involves muscular endurance and resistance to muscle fatigue. Extent Flexibility — The ability to bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs. Far Vision — The ability to see details at a distance. Problem Sensitivity — The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem. Speech Recognition — The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person. Written Comprehension — The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing. Attendance – Regular attendance is required. Overtime – Must be able to work overtime, as required.