Production Supervisor

A production supervisor (sometimes known as a shift manager or team leader) reports to the production manager or plant/works manager and is responsible for achieving immediate and short-term objectives laid down by the production manager; for example, output, quality, waste, yield, safety and overtime costs.

In particular, the supervisor can have a significant effect on how effectively their production staff performs as a team. Typical activities include: general operations, labour resourcing and absence management, general housekeeping and continual improvement activities, reallocating tasks or rescheduling production, where necessary.

Much of the work requires the ability to make immediate decisions and time for mature reflection is very scarce. Although advice may be available from personnel departments.

It may not be immediately available at critical moments; the supervisor has to be able to make things work, there and then. Inevitably, supervisors have production plant or equipment under their wings too. The responsibility they carry again varies with the situation.

In some cases they may have to take technical decisions on a regular basis, whereas in others they may call upon maintenance or other technical staff for backup when necessary. Many new graduate entrants start out in this role