Production Group Leader

Salary
Sterling, IL
Posted on October 20, 2026
$76,460.80 - $76,460.80

Group Leader: Sterling, IL

Are you a hands-on manufacturing leader who thrives in a fast-paced production environment and enjoys developing high-performing teams? Our client is seeking a motivated and results-driven Group Leader to oversee daily production operations, drive continuous improvement, and foster a culture of safety, quality, and accountability. In this role, you will lead a team of approximately 10–15 employees, ensuring production goals are met while maintaining efficient workflows, standardized processes, and high-quality standards. The ideal candidate is a proactive problem-solver who leads by example, motivates others, and takes pride in achieving operational excellence.

Key Responsibilities:

Lead, coach, train, and develop a team of 10–15 production employees
Provide performance feedback and reinforce accountability
Oversee daily production operations, workflow, scheduling, resource allocation, and reporting
Collaborate with cross-functional teams to achieve safety, quality, delivery, and productivity goals
Drive continuous improvement initiatives, including 5S, standardized work practices, root cause analysis, scrap reduction, and corrective actions to improve operational efficiency
Maintain ISO 9001:2015 quality standards

Skills & Experience:

Education: High School Diploma, required; Associate or bachelor’s degree, preferred
Experience: Minimum of 1-2 years of supervisory experience in a manufacturing environment, required; 5+ years of manufacturing leadership experience, preferred
Abilities: Proficiently read & interpret manufacturing drawings & prints, AND forklift & overhead crane experience, required
Software: Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, required

What We Offer:

Comprehensive Medical, Dental, & Vision Insurance
401(k) w/ company match
Company-paid Life & Disability Insurance
Vacation Time
PTO
Paid Holidays
And More!

Please Note:

This role does not offer visa sponsorship or relocation assistance. Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States without the need for current or future sponsorship.

Pay: Starting at $36.76/hour

Type: Full-time, 1st Shift, On-site

Schedule: Monday – Friday 7:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Apply today and take the next step in your manufacturing leadership career!

Hughes Recruiting & Consulting is a full-service human resources agency headquartered in Freeport, IL, and has 11 locations across Illinois, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. We are a growing company that embodies professionalism, pursues excellence, embraces challenges, and has fun! We find valuable placements for employees looking for work and employers looking for staff. Put us to work, finding you work. Visit us online to complete an application today.

{“@context”:”http://schema.org”,”@type”:”JobPosting”,”baseSalary”:null,”datePosted”:”2026-10-20″,”validThrough”:”2027-10-20″,”description”:”<div fr-original-style="font-size:16px;" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit;">Group Leader: Sterling, IL</div><div fr-original-style="font-size:16px;" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit;">Are you a hands-on manufacturing leader who thrives in a fast-paced production environment and enjoys developing high-performing teams? Our client is seeking a motivated and results-driven Group Leader to oversee daily production operations, drive continuous improvement, and foster a culture of safety, quality, and accountability. In this role, you will lead a team of approximately 10–15 employees, ensuring production goals are met while maintaining efficient workflows, standardized processes, and high-quality standards. The ideal candidate is a proactive problem-solver who leads by example, motivates others, and takes pride in achieving operational excellence.</div><div fr-original-style="font-size:16px;" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit;"> </div><div fr-original-style="font-size:16px;" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit;">Key Responsibilities:</div><ul fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px;" type="disc"><li fr-original-style="font-family:serif;font-size:16px;" style="font-family: serif; font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box;">Lead, coach, train, and develop a team of 10–15 production employees</li><li fr-original-style="font-family:serif;font-size:16px;" style="font-family: serif; font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box;">Provide performance feedback and reinforce accountability</li><li fr-original-style="font-family:serif;font-size:16px;" style="font-family: serif; font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box;">Oversee daily production operations, workflow, scheduling, resource allocation, and reporting</li><li fr-original-style="font-family:serif;font-size:16px;" style="font-family: serif; font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box;">Collaborate with cross-functional teams to achieve safety, quality, delivery, and productivity goals</li><li fr-original-style="font-family:serif;font-size:16px;" style="font-family: serif; font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box;">Drive continuous improvement initiatives, including 5S, standardized work practices, root cause analysis, scrap reduction, and corrective actions to improve operational efficiency</li><li fr-original-style="font-family:serif;font-size:16px;" style="font-family: serif; font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box;">Maintain ISO 9001:2015 quality standards</li></ul><div fr-original-style="font-size:16px;" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit;">Skills & Experience:</div><ul fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px;" type="disc"><li fr-original-style="font-family:serif;font-size:13px;" style="font-family: serif; font-size: 13px; box-sizing: border-box;">Education: High School Diploma, required; Associate or bachelor’s degree, preferred</li><li fr-original-style="font-family:serif;font-size:13px;" style="font-family: serif; font-size: 13px; box-sizing: border-box;">Experience: Minimum of 1-2 years of supervisory experience in a manufacturing environment, required; 5+ years of manufacturing leadership experience, preferred</li><li fr-original-style="font-family:serif;font-size:13px;" style="font-family: serif; font-size: 13px; box-sizing: border-box;">Abilities: Proficiently read & interpret manufacturing drawings & prints, AND forklift & overhead crane experience, required </li><li fr-original-style="font-family:serif;font-size:13px;" style="font-family: serif; font-size: 13px; box-sizing: border-box;">Software: Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, required</li></ul><div fr-original-style="font-size:16px;" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit;">What We Offer: </div><ul fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px;" type="disc"><li fr-original-style="font-family:serif;font-size:16px;" style="font-family: serif; font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box;">Comprehensive Medical, Dental, & Vision Insurance </li><li fr-original-style="font-family:serif;font-size:16px;" style="font-family: serif; font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box;">401(k) w/ company match</li><li fr-original-style="font-family:serif;font-size:16px;" style="font-family: serif; font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box;">Company-paid Life & Disability Insurance</li><li fr-original-style="font-family:serif;font-size:16px;" style="font-family: serif; font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box;">Vacation Time</li><li fr-original-style="font-family:serif;font-size:16px;" style="font-family: serif; font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box;">PTO</li><li fr-original-style="font-family:serif;font-size:16px;" style="font-family: serif; font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box;">Paid Holidays</li><li fr-original-style="font-family:serif;font-size:16px;" style="font-family: serif; font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box;">And More!    </li></ul><div fr-original-style="font-size:16px;" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit;"> </div><div fr-original-style="font-size:16px;" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit;">Please Note:</div><div fr-original-style="font-size:16px;" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit;">This role does not offer visa sponsorship or relocation assistance. Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States without the need for current or future sponsorship.</div><div fr-original-style="font-size:16px;" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit;"> </div><div fr-original-style="font-size:16px;" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit;">Pay: Starting at $36.76/hour</div><div fr-original-style="font-size:16px;" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit;"> </div><div fr-original-style="font-size:16px;" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit;">Type: Full-time, 1st Shift, On-site </div><div fr-original-style="font-size:16px;" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit;"> </div><div fr-original-style="font-size:16px;" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit;">Schedule: Monday – Friday 7:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.</div><div fr-original-style="font-size:16px;" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit;"> </div><div fr-original-style="font-size:16px;" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit;">Apply today and take the next step in your manufacturing leadership career!</div><div fr-original-style="font-size:15px;" style="font-size: 15px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit;"> </div><div fr-original-style="font-size:15px;" style="font-size: 15px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit;">Hughes Recruiting & Consulting is a full-service human resources agency headquartered in Freeport, IL, and has 11 locations across Illinois, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. We are a growing company that embodies professionalism, pursues excellence, embraces challenges, and has fun! We find valuable placements for employees looking for work and employers looking for staff. Put us to work, finding you work. Visit us online to complete an application today.</div><div fr-original-style="font-size:16px;" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit;"> </div>”,”employmentType”:”FULL_TIME”,”hiringOrganization”:{“@type”:”Organization”,”name”:”Hughes Resources”},”jobLocation”:{“@type”:”Place”,”address”:{“@type”:”PostalAddress”,”streetAddress”:null,”addressLocality”:”Sterling”,”addressRegion”:”IL”,”postalCode”:null,”addressCountry”:null}},”title”:”Production Group Leader”,”url”:”https://hughesrecruiting.com/jobs/?cjobid=KJ6730471014&rpid=1742891&postid=j3CXeia5YOM”,”identifier”:{“@type”:”PropertyValue”,”name”:”Hughes Resources”,”value”:null}}