What are the responsibilities and job description for the Production Supervisor position at Vanguard Soap?
Position Summary
The Production Supervisor is responsible for leading and developing a high-performing operations team of 20–30 associates, including temporary employees, in a fast-paced manufacturing and packaging environment. This role drives daily production execution to ensure safety, quality, service, and cost objectives are consistently achieved. The Supervisor provides hands-on leadership on the production floor, ensuring packaging and processing equipment is operated efficiently, materials are verified and staged correctly, and finished goods meet established quality standards and target production rates.
This position champions Lean manufacturing principles, continuous improvement initiatives, and standard work to eliminate waste, improve efficiency, and sustain operational excellence.
Key Responsibilities
Minimum Education Or Equivalent Experience Required
2-year Associate Degree required (or special cases, current enrollment in such a program), Bachelor's Degree preferred. 1-3 years' supervisory experience preferred and should have experience managing production lines in a manufacturing environment.
The Production Supervisor is responsible for leading and developing a high-performing operations team of 20–30 associates, including temporary employees, in a fast-paced manufacturing and packaging environment. This role drives daily production execution to ensure safety, quality, service, and cost objectives are consistently achieved. The Supervisor provides hands-on leadership on the production floor, ensuring packaging and processing equipment is operated efficiently, materials are verified and staged correctly, and finished goods meet established quality standards and target production rates.
This position champions Lean manufacturing principles, continuous improvement initiatives, and standard work to eliminate waste, improve efficiency, and sustain operational excellence.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead and develop a team of 20–30 production associates, including temporary employees, to achieve safety, quality, delivery, and cost (SQDC) objectives on second shift.
- Execute the production schedule established by the Production Planner to ensure work orders are completed accurately, on time, and in accordance with specifications and standard production rates
- Ensure operational readiness by verifying raw materials, components, packaging supplies, and line clearances prior to start-up and throughout production.
- Drive safety performance by enforcing plant safety standards, conducting routine floor audits, addressing hazards proactively, and modeling safe behaviors at all times.
- Maintain product quality and compliance by ensuring adherence to SOPs, quality standards, GMP requirements, and regulatory guidelines; oversee accurate and timely completion of production and quality documentation.
- Monitor line performance and productivity using key metrics (efficiency, yield, downtime, scrap, labor utilization) and implement corrective actions to meet or exceed targets.
- Partner with Maintenance, Quality, Planning, and Warehouse teams to minimize downtime, resolve production issues, and ensure smooth shift-to-shift transitions.
- Partner with the Production Planner / Buyer to communicate production constraints, labor availability, downtime risks, and material issues that may impact production schedules.
- Lead Daily Management System (DMS) activities, including shift start-up meetings, performance board reviews, and problem-solving discussions.
- Drive continuous improvement initiatives using Lean manufacturing principles to reduce waste, improve throughput, and sustain standard work.
- Ensure appropriate staffing and training to meet production requirements; coach employees on performance expectations and develop team capability.
- Maintain accurate reporting and administrative processes, including production metrics, material usage, labor reporting, downtime tracking, and temporary staffing payroll.
- Promote a culture of accountability, teamwork, and clear communication across departments and shifts.
- Escalate operational risks and performance gaps to the Production Manager and recommend practical solutions.
- Experience supervising teams in a manufacturing, production, or high-speed packaging environment.
- Hands-on experience with packaging and production equipment in an industrial setting.
- Lean manufacturing experience strongly preferred.
- Strong computer proficiency and math skills.
- Effective written and verbal communication skills.
- Proven ability to lead diverse teams, including temporary workforce members, in a results-driven environment.
Minimum Education Or Equivalent Experience Required
2-year Associate Degree required (or special cases, current enrollment in such a program), Bachelor's Degree preferred. 1-3 years' supervisory experience preferred and should have experience managing production lines in a manufacturing environment.