Production Manager Jobs in East Rutherford, NJ (NOW HIRING)

With more than 150 years of industry-leading experience, the businesses of SGS & Co and SGK are uniting to form SGX—a powerful force in innovative packaging production. Building on the legacy of trusted service since 1947 and 1953, SGX will deliver the full suite of packaging graphics, plate and cylinder production, and metal deco services to brand owners, retailers, and printers—all with a focus on reducing complexity, delivering flawless in-market execution, and leveraging global reach to drive consistency and impact at scale.

Position Summary

We are looking for a proactive and hands-on Production Manager to lead our operations in Mauritius, supporting international projects for a leading Swiss multinational in the food & beverage industry.

This is a great opportunity to step into a dynamic, fast-paced environment where you will drive production excellence, lead and develop teams, and collaborate closely with international stakeholders, particularly across European projects.

If you enjoy optimizing processes, leading teams, and delivering high-quality output at scale, this role offers strong exposure and impact within a global organization.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and manage day-to-day production operations, ensuring high-quality output aligned with client expectations, SLAs, and deadlines
• Drive team performance across quality, productivity, and operational KPIs (daily, weekly, monthly)
• Provide leadership, coaching, and development to Production Supervisors, Team Leaders, Artists, and Coordinators
• Plan and allocate resources effectively, ensuring optimal workload distribution and team efficiency
• Collaborate closely with Client Services and Commercial teams to anticipate workload fluctuations and ensure appropriate staffing
• Ensure compliance with standard operating procedures (SOPs) and global production standards
• Promote adoption of systems, tools, and automation technologies to enhance productivity and accuracy
• Oversee artwork production processes, ensuring high standards in prepress and print readiness (e.g., color separation, trapping, image resolution, barcode accuracy)
• Act as the escalation point for production issues, proactively identifying and resolving challenges
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives, including workflow optimization and process enhancements
• Ensure proper documentation, reporting, and tracking of performance metrics and quality incidents
• Conduct root cause analysis and implement corrective and preventive actions
• Foster cross-training and team collaboration to ensure business continuity
• Build strong relationships with internal stakeholders and international teams

Requirements

• University degree or equivalent (Business management, Art & Design, Printing Technology, or related field is a plus)
• 5+ years of experience in a production, operations, or similar environment, including team leadership
• Experience in packaging, printing, prepress, or related industries is highly valued but not mandatory
• Strong leadership and team management skills, with the ability to motivate and develop talent
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
• Problem-solving mindset with the ability to anticipate and address challenges proactively
• Ability to work under pressure and manage multiple priorities in a deadline-driven environment
• Familiarity with Adobe tools (Illustrator, Photoshop) is a plus

Additional Information

• Location: Phoenix, Mauritius (on-site role)
• Ideal starting date: as soon as possible
• Work environment: Fast-paced, collaborative, and international
• Exposure to European projects and global processes
• Opportunity to work with a leading global brand in the food & beverage industry
• Strong focus on professional development and continuous improvement

The businesses of SGS & Co and SGK have united to form Propelis, a go-to-market ecosystem that enables marketers to move their brands forward with greater speed, clarity, and confidence. Our broad range of integrated solutions include brand creative, packaging, print solutions, branded environments, and content production. Services are delivered through our family of brands: SGX, Marks, Equator, Collide, and 5Flow. With a combined legacy spanning more than 150 years, Propelis commences operations with 10,000 employees in 30+ countries, nearly $1 billion in annual sales, and a diverse client base of over 2,000 leading companies.