Production Supervisor
Location: Wentzville, MO
Work Environment: Onsite – Automotive Manufacturing
Schedule: Must be flexible to work 1st, 2nd, or 3rd shift
Overtime: Approximately 12 hours per week; extended workweeks may be required
Position Overview
We are seeking an experienced Production Supervisor to lead manufacturing operations within a fast-paced automotive assembly environment. This position will supervise approximately 40 production employees and is responsible for daily production performance, employee leadership, safety, quality, manpower, and continuous improvement.
The Production Supervisor will provide hands-on leadership on the manufacturing floor, hold employees accountable to established safety and quality standards, resolve production and personnel issues, and ensure required documentation and production data are completed accurately and on time.
This position requires a confident, independent leader who can make timely decisions, effectively manage a large production team, and operate successfully in a UAW-represented manufacturing environment.
Key Responsibilities
Production Leadership
- Supervise and coordinate the daily activities of production and operating employees.
- Lead a production team of approximately 40 employees in a high-volume automotive manufacturing environment.
- Monitor daily operations, manpower, production performance, and workflow to ensure production requirements are achieved.
- Provide clear direction, coaching, and frequent performance feedback to production employees.
- Maintain a strong presence on the manufacturing floor and proactively address operational and personnel issues.
- Make timely, confident decisions with limited direction in a fast-paced environment.
- Coordinate with other departments and leadership to resolve issues affecting production.
Safety & Quality
- Maintain a strong focus on employee safety and ensure established safety procedures are consistently followed.
- Hold employees accountable for safe work practices, particularly within general assembly operations.
- Perform and administer required safety and quality checks.
- Identify safety or quality concerns and implement appropriate corrective actions.
- Monitor production, quality-control, and maintenance information to identify potential manufacturing problems.
- Support manufacturing performance objectives related to Safety, People, Quality, Responsiveness, Cost, and Environment (SPQRCE).
Employee Supervision & Development
- Train, coach, evaluate, and develop production employees.
- Address attendance, performance, conduct, and other employee-relations matters.
- Conduct employee discussions and fact-finding meetings related to attendance, safety, quality, and workplace issues.
- Resolve employee concerns and grievances in accordance with established policies and procedures.
- Build productive working relationships with employees while maintaining appropriate accountability and performance expectations.
- Effectively lead employees within a union/UAW manufacturing environment.
Continuous Improvement
- Identify opportunities to improve production methods, equipment performance, product quality, efficiency, and operator processes.
- Recommend and support improvements designed to increase manufacturing efficiency.
- Work with technical, maintenance, quality, and administrative personnel to resolve production and processing problems.
- Encourage employee ideas and participation in continuous-improvement initiatives.
- Apply a process-driven approach to identifying and resolving manufacturing issues.
Production Tracking & Documentation
- Follow established production tracking and quality-control systems.
- Analyze production, quality, and maintenance information to identify operational issues.
- Prepare and maintain required daily production and personnel documentation.
- Ensure manufacturing and employee data are entered accurately and on time.
- Utilize computer systems and applications to support scheduling, timekeeping, reporting, and production activities.
Required Qualifications
- High school diploma or GED.
- 5+ years of manufacturing experience preferred based on the hiring team's stated requirements.
- Previous experience leading or supervising employees in a manufacturing or production environment.
- Strong computer skills, including proficiency with Microsoft Excel and Word and the ability to work with systems such as Kronos.
- Strong time-management and organizational skills.
- Ability to effectively multitask in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
- Strong verbal communication and interpersonal skills.
- Strong attention to detail and problem-solving abilities.
- Ability to work independently and take ownership of assigned responsibilities.
- Ability to confidently address difficult employee conversations and performance issues.
- Willingness and ability to learn manufacturing processes and individual production jobs.
- Knowledge of manufacturing processes, production methods, quality control, equipment, and tools.
- Ability to understand technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and related manufacturing documentation.
The hiring team specifically identified manufacturing experience, willingness to learn, communication, computer proficiency, and multitasking as the most important candidate requirements.
Preferred Qualifications
- Previous automotive manufacturing experience.
- Previous Production Supervisor, Group Leader, Team Leader, or similar people-leadership experience.
- Experience supervising large production teams.
- Experience working in a union or UAW manufacturing environment.
- Experience with Kronos or similar workforce/timekeeping systems.
- Experience supporting automotive general assembly operations.
- Familiarity with continuous-improvement methodologies and production performance metrics.
Schedule Requirements
Candidates must have significant schedule flexibility and be willing to work any of the following shifts:
- 1st Shift: 6:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
- 2nd Shift: 2:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.
- 3rd Shift: 10:00 p.m. – 7:00 a.m.
Candidates will initially start on first shift and then receive their ongoing shift assignment. The position may require significant overtime and extended consecutive workdays based on production needs. 12 hours of overtime per week, with periodic seven-day workweeks.
Key Skills
- Production Supervision
- Automotive Manufacturing
- People Leadership
- UAW / Union Environment
- Safety & Quality
- General Assembly
- Manufacturing Operations
- Production Tracking
- Continuous Improvement
- Employee Relations
- Performance Management
- Root Cause Problem Solving
- Microsoft Excel & Word
- Kronos
- Time Management
- Production Documentation
- Cross-Functional Collaboration
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