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How to hire a lead production associate

Lead production associate hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring lead production associates in the United States:

  • The median cost to hire a lead production associate is $1,633.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • HR departments typically allocate 15% of their budget towards recruitment efforts.
  • Small businesses spend $1,105 per lead production associate on training each year, while large companies spend $658.
  • It takes approximately 12 weeks for a new employee to reach full productivity levels.
  • There are a total of 53,302 lead production associates in the US, and there are currently 57,439 job openings in this field.
  • Aliso Viejo, CA, has the highest demand for lead production associates, with 2 job openings.

How to hire a lead production associate, step by step

To hire a lead production associate, you should clearly understand the skills and experience you are looking for in a candidate, and allocate a budget for the position. You will also need to post and promote the job opening to reach potential candidates. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to hire a lead production associate:

Here's a step-by-step lead production associate hiring guide:

  • Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
  • Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
  • Step 3: Make a budget
  • Step 4: Write a lead production associate job description
  • Step 5: Post your job
  • Step 6: Interview candidates
  • Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new lead production associate
  • Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist
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  1. Identify your hiring needs

    Before you start hiring a lead production associate, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

    Determine employee vs contractor status
    Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

    A lead production associate's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, lead production associates from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

    The following list breaks down different types of lead production associates and their corresponding salaries.

    Type of Lead Production AssociateDescriptionHourly rate
    Lead Production Associate$13-23
    Shop LeadA shop lead is responsible for overseeing their crew. They ensure the safety of their crew by giving regular training... Show more$13-38
    3rd Shift SupervisorA 3rd shift supervisor is responsible for monitoring the operations and staff performance of a specific shift. 3rd shift supervisors strategize on effective business techniques to maximize staff's productivity and improve customers' experience... Show more$12-19
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Safety Regulations
    • Computer System
    • Data Entry
    • Safety Procedures
    • GMP
    • Production Numbers
    • PPE
    • Product Quality
    • Production Equipment
    • Lean Manufacturing
    • R
    • Assembly Line
    • Quality Standards
    • Quality Issues
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Lead targeted decision-making across fast-pace production operations for this growth-orient USDA food factory producing quality meat products.
    • Lead targeted decision-making across fast-pace production operations for this growth-orient USDA food factory producing quality meat products.
    • Perform process validation with QA for all job startups.
    • Oversee scheduling, receiving, shipping, ordering, quality and preventive maintenance of machinery and equipment (TPM).
    • Maintain a successful working relationship with USDA inspectors to facilitate timely resolutions to regulatory and procedural issues.
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in your lead production associate job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A lead production associate can vary based on:

    • Location. For example, lead production associates' average salary in florida is 46% less than in wyoming.
    • Seniority. Entry-level lead production associates 40% less than senior-level lead production associates.
    • Certifications. A lead production associate with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
    • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a lead production associate's salary.

    Average lead production associate salary

    $37,537yearly

    $18.05 hourly rate

    Entry-level lead production associate salary
    $29,000 yearly salary
    Updated December 28, 2025
  4. Writing a lead production associate job description

    A job description for a lead production associate role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a lead production associate job description:

    Lead production associate job description example

    Job DescriptionSalary:

    We're seeking a self-motivated Production Associate Team Lead to join our team in Bowling Green, KY. We work with social media influencers to monetize their followers by creating products to sell via our eCommerce platform. Our team is fun, creative and willing to take smart risks. Essential to operations is assembling products with care to ship to our awaiting customers, so we need you! As a Production Associate, you will work on-site at our climate-controlled warehouse, primarily Monday through Friday from 8am-5pm. You’ll process piece work, assemble and ship lightweight, direct-to-consumer orders and assist with inventory management. We work at a fast pace to come through for our customers and have lots of fun along the way.


    WHAT YOU’LL DO


    • Team Support – Lead the team in support of training and tasks. Act as a subject matter expert in all areas of production.
    • Process piecework – This could be repetitive tasks such as cutting trim or counting/bagging items.
    • Order Fulfillment – Assemble orders, pulling various products, assembling embellishments and packing contents with care. Pull orders with accuracy in a timely manner and packed securely for transit. Packages will be primarily lightweight, direct-to-consumer shipments.
    • Inventory Management – Help conduct a monthly inventory of all products on-site to ensure accuracy. Follow processes and procedures with accuracy to minimize inventory errors.
    • Provide support to the team in other duties as assigned.
    • Support continuous improvement, challenging the status quo and offering creative solutions.
    • Contribute to and support a positive, creative, and collaborative culture and continuously improve efficiency, communication, and work product.


    WHAT YOU’LL BRING TO THE TABLE


    • Passion for your role in our customer’s experience and commitment to personal work ethic.
    • Detail Orientation – Exhibits a high level of accuracy.
    • Organizational Skills – Demonstrates strong organization, prioritizing and managing conflicting demands to meet deadlines; effectively ‘wears multiple hats’.
    • Communication – Superb interpersonal and communication skills. Builds relationships and works collaboratively in a team environment.
    • Change Agility – Able to navigate successfully and positively in a fast-paced, high-growth environment where change occurs rapidly.
    • Judgment and Decision Making – Considers the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one; looks beyond things accepted as “given” to suggest creative approaches, pulling information from many sources.
    • Cultural Fit - Embodies and inspires a positive attitude, in support of our unique culture founded on the principals of excellence, respect, accountability, integrity, enjoyment and diversity.
    • Physical Ability - Ability to walk and stand a majority of the day, bend and stoop, and lift up to 50lbs.
  5. Post your job

    There are a few common ways to find lead production associates for your business:

    • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
    • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
    • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
    • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.
    Post your job online:
    • Post your lead production associate job on Zippia to find and recruit lead production associate candidates who meet your exact specifications.
    • Use field-specific websites.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    Recruiting lead production associates requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

    It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

    The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

  7. Send a job offer and onboard your new lead production associate

    Once you've found the lead production associate candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

    It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

    To prepare for the new lead production associate first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

  8. Go through the hiring process checklist

    • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
    • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
    • Define job responsibilities and requirements
    • Establish budget and timeline
    • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
    • Write job description
    • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
    • Promote the job internally
    • Process applications through applicant tracking system
    • Review resumes and cover letters
    • Shortlist candidates for screening
    • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
    • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
    • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
    • Conduct background checks on top candidates
    • Check references of top candidates
    • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
    • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
    • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
    • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
    • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
    • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)
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How much does it cost to hire a lead production associate?

Before you start to hire lead production associates, it pays to consider both the one-off costs like recruitment, job promotion, and onboarding, as well as the ongoing costs of an employee's salary and benefits. While most companies that hire lead production associates pay close attention to the initial cost of hiring, ongoing costs are much more significant in the long run.

Lead production associates earn a median yearly salary is $37,537 a year in the US. However, if you're looking to find lead production associates for hire on a contract or per-project basis, hourly rates typically range between $13 and $23.

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