Supervisor Manufacturing

Job Summary

The Materials Supervisor leads and supports bargaining unit employees and team leaders within manufacturing, assembly, fabrication, distribution, and product development operations. This role is responsible for ensuring the safe, efficient, and uninterrupted flow of materials and information required to meet production objectives. The position oversees both physical and system-based material management processes, including shipping, receiving, inventory control, material delivery, and internal logistics.

The Materials Supervisor provides leadership, coaching, direction, and resources to drive operational excellence, continuous improvement, quality, safety, and employee engagement. This role partners with cross-functional teams to achieve production schedules, maintain process discipline, resolve issues proactively, and ensure customer requirements are met on time and within budget.

Job Responsibilities

• Lead and support bargaining unit employees and team leaders in achieving safety, quality, delivery, and cost objectives.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives focused on operational excellence, waste reduction, and productivity enhancements.
• Ensure adherence to standardized work, operating procedures, and process discipline.
• Hold teams accountable for performance, safety compliance, and achievement of business objectives.
• Coordinate and support production scheduling, manpower planning, and material availability to meet customer demand.
• Conduct daily startup meetings and communicate schedule changes, production priorities, quality concerns, and operational updates.
• Monitor material flow and inventory accuracy through shipping, receiving, warehousing, and internal logistics processes.
• Partner with union leadership and stewards to proactively address employee concerns and resolve issues in a timely and respectful manner.
• Provide coaching, feedback, and development opportunities to improve team performance and engagement.
• Facilitate problem-solving activities and root cause analysis to address safety, quality, delivery, and inventory issues.
• Perform layered process audits to ensure compliance with standards and prevent defects from being passed to downstream operations.
• Utilize key performance indicators (KPIs) to identify trends, measure results, and drive corrective actions.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams including Operations, Quality, Engineering, Supply Management, and Human Resources to achieve business objectives.
• Support implementation and sustainment of lean manufacturing principles, continuous improvement tools, and inventory control processes.

Education Requirements

Education Specifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business, Engineering, Operations Management, Supply Chain Management, Manufacturing Technology, or a related field.

Experience Requirements

Required

• Minimum of 3 years of leadership experience in manufacturing, materials, logistics, warehousing, supply chain, or a related operational environment.
• Previous direct supervisory, team leadership, or demonstrated leadership experience.
• Experience working in a unionized, high-volume manufacturing or distribution environment.
• Experience leading high-performance teams and driving employee accountability.
• Knowledge of inventory management, material flow, logistics, and production support processes.
• Experience implementing and monitoring process controls, continuous improvement initiatives, and quality management systems such as ISO 9001.
• Strong problem-solving, communication, and conflict-resolution skills.

Preferred

• Experience leading materials, warehousing, inventory control, shipping, receiving, or internal logistics operations.
• Experience partnering with union leadership to jointly lead and develop work groups.
• Experience with ERP systems such as SAP and warehouse management systems.
• Knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, and Toyota Production System principles.
• Demonstrated success leading continuous improvement and cost-reduction initiatives.