Production Supervisor

About the role

This is a hands-on leadership position responsible for directing the daily activities of a production team and achieving operational goals while maintaining employee safety, food safety, product quality, and regulatory compliance. Hands-on leadership means maintaining a strong floor presence, observing processes, coaching employees, verifying standards, and responding to abnormalities; it does not mean routinely filling operator positions in place of leading the shift. The Production Supervisor is accountable for safe, consistent, and productive shift performance and works closely with Production, Quality, Maintenance, Sanitation, Warehouse, Scheduling, and other support functions. The Supervisor uses production data and floor observations to identify losses, take corrective action, escalate issues when necessary, and ensure effective follow-through.

Responsibilities

• Monitor equipment performance and production downtime; ensure downtime is accurately documented; coordinate troubleshooting with Maintenance; escalate prolonged or recurring equipment failures; and follow up on corrective actions to prevent recurrence.
• Monitor and evaluate teammate performance and provide appropriate feedback through use of positive reinforcement, coaching, counseling, and disciplinary action.
• Continuously train and develop employees on job skills, best practices, SOP, and the Company vision by coaching and role modeling.
• Maintain a safe and clean work environment by educating and directing teammates on the use of equipment, resources, and processes.
• Provide production information by recording, compiling, and analyzing production performance records and data.
• Effectively communicate job expectations to a wide range of in-house and temporary employees.
• Monitor facilities and equipment for safety (food and teammate) issues and respond appropriately.
• Resolve problems by analyzing data, investigating issues, identifying solutions, and recommending action.
• Coordinate with the recruiter to conduct interviews for new candidates and fill out evaluation sheets.
• Perform required computer-based tasks and maintain accurate records within the ERP system.
• Communicate effectively with team members from other shifts to ensure clarity and continuity.
• Utilize the company's ERP system to enter, retrieve, and update information accurately.
• Follow instructions as directed by the Production Manager or other plant executives.
• Identify and implement cost reductions and/or process improvements.
• Direct the day-to-day operations of a production shift.
• Create schedules and work assignments.
• Write, review, and modify SOP's.
• Monitor shift performance against established KPIs, including safety, quality, production attainment, OEE/efficiency, waste/scrap, downtime, changeover performance, and labor utilization.
• Investigate significant performance deviations, establish corrective actions, assign ownership, and follow through to closure.
• Execute the approved production schedule and promptly communicate risks, delays, staffing limitations, material constraints, or equipment conditions that may prevent schedule attainment.
• Ensure production lines are prepared for scheduled startups by verifying staffing, materials, equipment readiness, documentation, sanitation status, and required support functions.
• Plan and coordinate production changeovers so materials, personnel, tooling, equipment, sanitation, documentation, and quality requirements are ready prior to the changeover; monitor duration and address delays or recurring losses.
• Review production waste and scrap throughout the shift; ensure losses are accurately recorded, categorized, and supported with meaningful notes; investigate abnormal or excessive waste and implement or escalate corrective actions.
• Lead or participate in root-cause investigations for significant production, safety, quality, waste, and equipment events. Establish corrective actions, assign responsibility, verify completion, and monitor effectiveness.
• Ensure employees are trained and qualified before independently performing assigned tasks; monitor attendance, staffing, work assignments, and performance throughout the shift and address deviations promptly and consistently.
• Immediately stop, hold, or escalate production when conditions may compromise employee safety, food safety, product quality, or regulatory compliance, in accordance with established procedures.
• Complete required daily and weekly production reporting accurately and on time, including significant production losses, waste, downtime, quality issues, staffing concerns, and corrective actions.
• Make day-to-day decisions within established policies and procedures and escalate issues outside the Supervisor's authority, including significant safety or quality