Production Lead

Description

{Mur-chol-uh-jee | The science of company merch; the skill of creating and delivering custom-branded apparel and corporate gifts around the world.}

Merchology is a leading eCommerce retailer in B2B sales of co-branded merchandise including apparel, headwear, drinkware, gifts, and accessories. We are family-owned, people-powered, and we are adding to our #MerchTeam at our facility in Plymouth. Come see why we are a three-time Star Tribune Top Workplaces award winner! 

Merchology seeks a Production Lead to provide hands-on technical working-lead support within Production. Reporting to the Production Supervisor where one exists, otherwise to the assigned Operations Supervisor, or otherwise to the applicable functional or site Manager, this role drives daily Production execution, routine order-conformance approvals, Production tickets, damage cases, first response, and qualification training. Method or area assignments are positional practices rather than separate job descriptions, and the role has no employment-management authority.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

A successful Production Lead will:

• Perform qualified Production Operator work as part of the direct-labor operating team.
• Translate the approved Production plan into station assignments, work sequencing, Operations Associate support, coverage, and routine floor adjustments.
• Serve as designated owner of the active Production ticket, damage, and approval queue for the assigned site, shift, method, or operating area.
• Own accepted tickets through documented closure or a complete, acknowledged handoff to the next designated owner.
• Review decorated samples against items, approved artwork, location, color, method, and special instructions; approve routine conforming work only when qualified and authorized.
• Escalate disputed requirements, deviations, substitutions, unapproved changes, and nonstandard conformance decisions to the applicable Supervisor or Manager.
• Serve as first response for setup, equipment, material, quality, quantity, priority, system, and flow issues on the Production floor.
• Train, cross-train, observe, and assess Production Operators and Operations Associates on documented methods, support qualifications, safety, quality, transactions, and handoffs; the Supervisor or Manager approves final qualification.
• Coordinate corrective action and internal status when a ticket or approval issue threatens safety, quality, schedule, inventory, or customer commitments.
• Coordinate with Workflow, Inventory & Warehouse, Fulfillment, Purchasing, Technology, Logistics, and internal customer-facing departments while preserving each function's accountability.
• Monitor floor workload, WIP, approval volume, ticket aging, damage patterns, recurring defects, staffing, supplies, equipment condition, and schedule risk.
• Maintain complete, searchable, and auditable approval, ticket, count, status, and shift-handoff records.
• Provide cross-method, cross-area, and cross-shift backup according to current qualifications and Position Scope assignments.
• Coordinate coverage and escalation with Operations Supervisors, Operations Leads, and other qualified Production Leads.
• Reinforce safe work, equipment care, preventive checks, product protection, housekeeping, and 5S.
• Escalate staffing, attendance, performance, safety, material quality, structural capacity, policy, customer-commitment, and unresolved cross-functional decisions.
• Lead through work direction, training, communication, and example without exercising hiring, corrective-action, attendance-management, or performance-review authority.
• Additional projects or duties as assigned.

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent and 2+ years of Production, manufacturing, decoration, or related operational experience; equivalent relevant experience considered.
• Demonstrated proficiency and current qualification in at least one assigned decoration method.
• Working knowledge of work-order verification, equipment setup, routine conformance approval, in-process quality, Production transactions, and downstream handoffs.
• Demonstrated ability to own a ticket or exception from intake through documented closure or acknowledged handoff.
• Ability to provide clear work direction, hands-on training, qualification assessment, first-response problem solving, and reliable status communication.
• Sound judgment regarding conforming approval authority, nonconforming work, deviations, customer commitments, and escalation boundaries.
• Experience using ERP, Production tracking, ticketing, artwork/file, scanning, or related systems.
• Ability to stand for 7-9 hours per day and lift up to 40 pounds repeatedly.
• Ability to read, write, speak, and understand English effectively.
• Respect and embody Merchology's Core Values.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Previous working-lead, trainer, ticket ownership, damage case, first-sample approval, or Production-control experience.
• Qualification in multiple decoration methods or advanced equipment such as Embroidery or DTF Print Equipment.
• Experience coordinating work across shifts, sites, methods, or multiple functional owners.
• Experience with NetSuite, HubSpot, Production planning, ticketing, artwork files, or quality systems.
• Bilingual English/Spanish.

WHAT WE OFFER

In addition to an outstanding creative culture, authentically nice people, and interesting work, we have:

• Generous PTO (18 days per year)
• 8 company-paid holidays
• Hybrid work schedule for select departments
• 40 hours of paid volunteer time
• 401(k) with match
• Medical and dental insurance options, FSA, and HSA (with company HSA match), Critical Illness and Hospital Indemnity, Short- and Long-Term disability insurance options
• Company-paid life insurance 
• Company-sponsored social events 
• Premium brand partner discounts 
• Employee-led Committees 

LOCATIONS

• 3000 Niagara Lane North, Plymouth, MN 55447
• Fully onsite role

INDUSTRY

• Business to Business eCommerce and Apparel

Merchology is an equal opportunity employer and certified Disability-owned Business Enterprise. We celebrate diversity and are committed to a workplace where personal and professional growth are achieved through inclusion. If you require disability resources to submit your application, please email [email protected] for assistance.