Business Title: Production Associate – Team Leader
Reports to: Supervisor
Leadership Scope: Individual Contributor
Company Info: With a heritage of nearly 120 years, we aren’t just a company; we are a brand of trust. But more than anything, we are a collection of individuals who, together, give Grote Industries a decisive competitive advantage. At Grote, our shared vision is clear – to meet the needs of the customers we serve. We accomplish that mission every day by following a set of core values that makes us who we are.
Innovation has been the hallmark of Grote Industries from the start. From durable, easy to see stop lights to the latest in LED lighting technology, Grote has been leading the way in advanced vehicle system solutions from early in the last century right up to today. With these innovations, Grote has helped millions of people throughout North America and the world benefit from the innovation and design excellence of Grote products.
Position Summary: The Production Associate – Team Leader plays a critical role in supporting daily manufacturing operations by ensuring process stability, product quality, team development, and continuous improvement execution.
This role is responsible for leading assigned production areas by ensuring compliance with standardized work, responding to operational abnormalities, supporting production goals, and developing team member capability. The position combines hands-on operational execution with leadership responsibilities to maintain safe, efficient, and high-quality production processes.
Position Duties: Operational Execution and Production Support
- Assemble, fit, wire, and install parts to produce subassemblies or finished products.
- Operate and support production equipment in compliance with work instructions and safety procedures.
- Receive, stock, pick, and supply materials to workstations and production areas.
- Perform or assist with equipment setup and changeovers.
- Enter and maintain production data within ERP, PLC, and scanning systems.
- Match product numbers to Bill of Materials and production documentation.
- Support packaging, shipping, receiving, and internal material movement as required.
- Perform cycle counts and inventory verification activities.
Process Stability and Standard Work Leadership
- Ensure compliance with standardized work instructions and operational procedures.
- Monitor production flow and escalate abnormalities impacting safety, quality, delivery, or cost.
- Support implementation and sustainment of production control plans and quality checks.
- Assist in troubleshooting equipment or process issues in coordination with support teams.
- Maintain accurate production records including scrap tracking, routing verification, and production reporting
Continuous Improvement and Problem Solving
- Participate in structured problem-solving activities including root cause analysis and corrective action implementation.
- Support Kaizen activities and continuous improvement initiatives.
- Identify waste reduction opportunities related to materials, motion, defects, or inefficiencies.
- Support sustainment of improvements and standardized work updates.
Team Member Development and Communication
- Provide functional leadership and daily guidance to production team members when assigned as Team Leader.
- Assist in training and onboarding new or cross-trained employees.
- Support skill development and adherence to training standards.
- Promote teamwork, communication, and accountability within the production team.
- Facilitate effective communication between production team members, supervisors, and support departments.
Safety, Quality, and Workplace Organization
- Promote and enforce safety policies, PPE compliance, and safe work practices.
- Identify and escalate safety concerns or improvement opportunities.
- Maintain 5S standards and workplace organization.
- Support environmental compliance and proper handling of hazardous materials when required.
Other Duties
Perform additional tasks as assigned by supervision or management to support business needs.
Requirements: A high school diploma or GED is required. A two-year technical degree in an applicable area of study is a plus. Prior experience is preferred. Incumbents in this role must be able to operate RF devices, motorized or nonmotorized material-moving equipment, and run machines while standing for long periods of time. Basic math skills and knowledge of the metric and U.S. measurement system is required. Attention-to-detail and basic computer skills are necessary.
JOB NAME Operations Associate UPDATED ON 1/30/2026
BUSINESS TITLE Production Associate – Team Lead PEOPLE LEADER?
MANAGER TITLE Production Supervisor INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTOR?
JOB SUMMARY
This position will have Team Lead responsibilities with it and when working as a Team Lead there will be an additional incentive pay of $3/hr. The Production Associate is the primary role for the manufacturing operations at Grote. They assemble, fit, wire, and install parts to form subassemblies or finished products. The assigned areas may include the following: shipping, packing, receiving, and/or supplying and/or moving materials within the department or between departments.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- Assemble various products
- Receive and stock various materials
- Key information into PLC controlled equipment as required
- Perform cycle counts
- Pick product from production areas or storage bins
- Lift and supply parts to workstations or designated areas as needed
- Accomplish package requirements as instructed
- Perform or assist with setups of machinery as needed
- Operate scanners and/or computers as necessary
- Match product numbers to Bill of Material or other documents
- Edit and release work orders to production entry into ERP system
- Communicate with others to ensure needed material for production is available
- Record work such as scrap results, control plan checks, routings, production information, and other as directed
- Maintain 5S and keep work area cleaned/organized
- Hanlde, dispose of, identify, ship, and receive hazardous waste materials as needed
95%
Other duties as assigned by supervisor or management. 5%
100%
- This list of duties is not intended to be comprehensive and other tasks not mentioned here may be required. Changing business conditions may lead to changes to job responsibilities.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
Required Education:
A high school diploma or GED is required. A two-year technical degree in an applicable manufacturing area of study is a plus.
Required Experience: Prior Team Lead Experience is Preferred.
Required Skills/Abilities:
Any incumbents in this role must be able to operate RF devices, motorized or nonmotorized material moving equipment such as pallet jacks, fork lifts, walk-behind lifts, stand-up lifts, and run machines and stand for long periods of time. Basic math skills and knowledge of the metric and U.S. measurement system is required. Attention-to-detail and basic computer skills are necessary.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: Employees may be required to stand for extended periods of time, walk, reach with hands and arms, climb or balance, stoop or kneel, talk and hear, and use fingers and hands to feel objects, tools or controls. Fully functional vision is required (prescription lenses are acceptable) for roles in the manufacturing areas of the business. Extremes of temperature, noise, odor or fumes may be applicable. Proper PPE will be required. Safety training or protocols will apply.
Sedentary: Lift up to 10 lbs. occasionally; work involves sitting most of the time Moderate: Lift up to 50 pounds frequently and up to 75 pounds occasionally
Limited: Lift up to 10 lbs. frequently and up to 25 lbs. occasionally Heavy: Lift up to 75 pounds frequently and up to 100 pounds occasionally
- Light: Lift up to 25 lbs. frequently and up to 50 lbs. occasionally Occasionally = 50 percent of the time
THIS POSITION IS EXPECTED TO WORK: On-Site Hybrid Remote
- Work conditions may necessitate changes to this arrangement. The manager will have final discretion.
THIS POSITION IS EXPECTED TO TRAVEL: Yes No If yes, Choose an item.
Grote Industries is committed to providing opportunities to all qualified individuals. We will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified applicants and employees with disabilities to enable them to perform the essential functions of the job. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please contact our Human Resources department.
Grote Industries is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We value diversity and are dedicated to fostering an inclusive environment where all employees can thrive. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, veteran status, or any other protected status. We believe that a diverse workforce enhances our ability to innovate and create the best outcomes for our customers, employees, and community.
