Production Supervisor

Reports To: Production Manager
Location: All Company Manufacturing Facilities. Must be within reasonable commute to Hackettstown, NJ to be considered

Schedule: Monday - Friday, some weekend requirements, 45 hours per week minimum requirement, which may fluctuate. Exact schedule may be assigned by Plant Manager, and may change based on departmental needs.

Position Summary

The Production Supervisor is responsible for the direct execution of manufacturing operations during their assigned shift. This role leads production personnel, ensures adherence to operational standards, and drives safe, efficient, and compliant production execution.

The Production Supervisor is the frontline leader responsible for shift performance, operator accountability, execution discipline, and immediate response to operational issues. This role ensures production goals are achieved while maintaining compliance with safety, food safety, quality, and operational standards.

Success in this role will be measured through defined KPIs including safety, quality, labor utilization, output attainment, downtime response, waste reduction, attendance management, and execution consistency.

Key Responsibilities

Shift Execution & Production Oversight

• Lead daily production activities for assigned shift
• Ensure production schedules and priorities are communicated clearly to operators
• Monitor output, downtime, scrap, labor utilization, and production flow throughout the shift
• Ensure operators follow standardized work instructions and operating procedures
• Drive immediate corrective action when performance gaps occur
• Ensure startup, changeovers, and shutdowns are executed properly
• Escalate unresolved operational issues to the Production Manager

Team Leadership, Development, & Accountability

• Directly supervise production operators and leads
• Maintain accountability for attendance, conduct, GMP compliance, and production execution
• Provide coaching, instruction, and performance feedback to employees
• Support training and onboarding of new operators
• Ensure shift handoff communication is accurate and complete
• Partner with HR and Production Manager regarding disciplinary actions and employee performance concerns

Personnel Safety, Food Safety & Quality

• Enforce all safety policies, GMPs, and food safety requirements
• Ensure employees wear required PPE and follow safe operating practices
• Immediately address unsafe behaviors or conditions
• Support QA requirements and production responsibilities related to food safety systems
• Ensure production documentation is accurate, complete, and timely
• Assist with investigations, corrective actions, and process deviations as required
• Understand that QA maintains authority over food safety verification and product hold/release activities

Operational Discipline & Continuous Improvement

• Maintain clean, organized, and inspection-ready production areas
• Support downtime reduction and waste reduction initiatives
• Identify operational inefficiencies and communicate improvement opportunities
• Reinforce production standards and consistency across all operators
• Support implementation of new procedures, process improvements, and operational changes

Cross-Functional Coordination

• Coordinate with QA, Maintenance, Warehouse, and Sanitation teams during shift operations
• Communicate equipment issues and production risks proactively
• Ensure materials and equipment are available to support production execution
• Support maintenance troubleshooting and operational recovery efforts

Qualifications

Education & Experience

• High school diploma or equivalent required
• Previous manufacturing leadership experience required
• Food manufacturing experience required
• Experience leading teams in a fast-paced production environment preferred

Knowledge & Skills

• Strong leadership and communication skills
• Ability to enforce standards and maintain accountability
• Basic understanding of manufacturing operations and production KPIs
• Working knowledge of GMPs and food safety expectations
• Ability to troubleshoot operational issues in real time
• Basic computer and production documentation skills required

Work Environment & Expectations

• Full-time onsite production-floor role
• Ability to stand and walk for extended periods
• Exposure to heat, noise, moving equipment, and active manufacturing environments
• Flexible schedule required based on operational needs
• PPE required at all times in production areas
• Expected to maintain active floor presence for the majority of the shift

Accountability & Ownership

The Production Supervisor is responsible for ensuring that all assigned employees operate safely, follow company policies, and execute production activities in compliance with operational, food safety, and quality standards. This role is expected to lead by example, maintain execution discipline, and drive operational consistency across the assigned shift.