Production Supervisor

 PURPOSE AND SCOPE

The Production Supervisor is a critical leadership role responsible for overseeing daily manufacturing operations, ensuring that production schedules, safety protocols, and quality standards are consistently met. This position requires a balanced leader who can drive high-performance results while cultivating a positive, collaborative culture. The ideal candidate will leverage lean manufacturing principles to optimize efficiency, manage costs, and empower a team of production personnel to achieve operational excellence within a dynamic, mid-sized manufacturing environment.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include but not limited to the following:

Operational Leadership and Execution:

• Develop and execute daily production schedules that align with customer demand, inventory availability, and labor capacity.
• Coordinate resources and manage workflow across multiple work cells, resolving bottlenecks promptly to ensure on-time delivery.
• Analyze production data and track key performance indicators (KPIs) such as scrap rates, labor efficiency, and equipment utilization.
• Implement corrective actions when targets are not met and ensure adherence to all company policies and standards without compromise.
• Manage overtime, consumables, and operating supplies for the department to control costs.

Safety, Quality, and Continuous Improvement:

• Enforce all safety protocols, conduct regular audits, and immediately address any hazards or near-miss incidents.
• Champion quality assurance by ensuring adherence to standardized work instructions and collaborating with the Quality team to identify root causes of defects.
• Utilize lean methodologies—such as 5S, Gemba walks, and SQDC boards—to drive continuous improvement initiatives that reduce waste and enhance overall operational effectiveness.
• Develop and maintain Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the department.
• Coordinate with Maintenance and Manufacturing Engineering to schedule preventive maintenance and process improvement projects.

Team Development and Culture Building:

• Foster an inclusive, transparent, and trusting environment where every team member feels valued, heard, and safe.
• Provide ongoing coaching, cross-training, and professional development opportunities to help team members grow and reach their full potential.
• Conduct regular performance evaluations, address interpersonal issues professionally, and follow progressive discipline procedures.
• Recognize and celebrate individual and team achievements to build camaraderie and engagement.
• Articulate the company’s vision and mission to the team, connecting their daily work to a larger purpose and motivating them to take ownership of their processes.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs):

• Safety Incident Rate: Maintain zero recordable safety incidents through proactive hazard identification and training.
• On-Time Delivery (OTD): Achieve and sustain a minimum of 95% on-time completion of scheduled production orders.
• Scrap and Rework Reduction: Reduce material waste and rework by 10% year-over-year through root cause analysis and process improvements, or as otherwise instructed by the management team,
• Labor Efficiency: Meet or exceed labor utilization targets while minimizing unnecessary overtime expenditures.
• Employee Retention and Engagement: Improve departmental retention rates and cross-training matrix completion scores.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

· Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in Operations Management, Engineering, or a related field is preferred, or a high school diploma or GED/High School Equivalency is required with at least 5 years of experience in a supervisory role and 2 years of experience with Lean Manufacturing shop floor tools.

· High school diploma or GED/High School Equivalency will be considered with at least 10 years of experience in a supervisory role and 5 years of experience with Lean Manufacturing shop floor tools.

· At least 2 years managing a team of 10+ individuals with responsibilities for performance management, including disciplinary functions and taking a leadership role in the hiring/mentoring of new employees.

· Experience with lean manufacturing, including daily management systems such as SQDC or Gemba, standardized work, 5S, and root cause/corrective action tools are highly preferred

· Experience working in metal fabrication, assembly, or the trailer/trucking industry highly preferred

· Experience having a dynamic role in a mid-sized company highly preferred

COMPUTER SKILLS

· Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint)

· MRP/ERP experience required; hands-on experience with production planning modules is a significant advantage

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

· Competitive base salary commensurate with experience

· Comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, and vision insurance

· 401(k) retirement plan with company match

· Paid time off (PTO) and paid holidays

· A work environment where ideas are valued and professional growth is actively encouraged

WORK ENVIRONMENT

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly exposed to vibration. The employee occasionally works near moving mechanical parts and in high, precarious places. The employee is occasionally exposed to a high level of heat/humidity conditions due to working in a non-climate controlled facility. The noise level in the work environment is usually loud, requiring appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE).

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The employee is frequently required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls and to climb or balance. The employee must be able to stand and walk for long periods of time (up to 8-10 hours per day), reach with hands and arms; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; and talk or hear. Must also be able to bend and twist as necessary.

The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 25 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

This employer is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.