Green End Supervisor

Department: Sawmill Operations / Green End

Reports To: Sawmill Superintendent / Plant Manager

FLSA Status: Exempt (Supervisor)

Position Summary

The Green End Supervisor is responsible for the safe, efficient, and productive operation of the green end of the sawmill — including the log deck, debarker, headrig/primary breakdown, edger, and trimmer areas — up through the green chain or sorter. This role leads a crew of machine operators and laborers, drives production and quality targets, enforces safety standards, and coordinates with maintenance, the dry kiln/planer mill, and mill leadership to keep material flowing smoothly through the front end of the mill.

Key Responsibilities

• Supervise and coordinate daily activities of green end crew members, including log deck operators, headrig/carriage operators, edger and trimmer operators, and green chain/sorter personnel.
• Monitor production flow from log yard intake through debarking, primary breakdown, edging, trimming, and sorting to meet daily volume, grade recovery, and quality targets.
• Enforce all safety policies, lockout/tagout (LOTO) procedures, and PPE requirements; conduct safety talks, near-miss reporting, and incident investigations for the green end.
• Monitor lumber grade, target sizes, and recovery rates; work with quality control/graders to reduce mis-cuts, downgrade, and waste.
• Identify and troubleshoot equipment slowdowns or stoppages; coordinate promptly with maintenance on repairs and preventive maintenance scheduling.
• Train new operators and cross-train crew on green end equipment and safe operating procedures.
• Track and report daily production, downtime, scrap/waste, and labor hours to mill management.
• Manage crew scheduling, attendance, and performance; provide coaching and corrective action as needed in line with company policy.
• Ensure housekeeping and 5S standards are maintained in the green end area.
• Participate in continuous improvement efforts to increase throughput, reduce downtime, and improve lumber recovery.
• Coordinate log inventory and infeed with the log yard/deck to avoid starving or overloading the line.
• Ensure compliance with company policies and applicable safety regulations (e.g., OSHA) in the Green End Work area.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED required; technical/vocational training in wood products manufacturing a plus.
• 3 years of experience in sawmill or wood products manufacturing, including hands-on experience with green end equipment (headrig, edger, trimmer, debarker).
• 1 years of supervisory or lead experience preferred.
• Working knowledge of lumber grading standards, mill production metrics, and recovery optimization.
• Familiarity with mill safety programs, LOTO, and OSHA general industry standards.
• Basic computer skills for production reporting and scheduling (e.g., Excel, mill production software).
• Strong communication and leadership skills; ability to manage and motivate a production crew.
• Ability to troubleshoot mechanical and process issues under time pressure.

Physical Requirements & Working Conditions

• Ability to stand, walk, climb stairs/ladders, and move around an industrial mill environment for extended periods.
• Ability to lift up to [amount, e.g., 50 lbs] occasionally.
• Exposure to noise, dust, sawdust, moving machinery, and varying outdoor/indoor temperatures typical of a sawmill environment.
• Required use of PPE, including hearing protection, eye protection, hard hat, and safety footwear.
• Availability to work assigned shift, including occasional overtime, weekends, or on-call coverage as production needs require.

What Success Looks Like

• Green end production targets (volume, recovery, uptime) are consistently met or exceeded.
• Recordable safety incidents in the green end trend toward zero.
• Crew turnover and unplanned absenteeism remain low, with a trained, cross-skilled team.
• Downtime is minimized through proactive coordination with maintenance.
• Excel in Communication