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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Unit Leader

💰 $50,000 - $85,000

OperationsLeadershipManagement

🎯 Role Definition

The Unit Leader is the on-the-ground operational leader responsible for planning, coordinating, and executing the daily functions of a specific unit, shift, or program. This role balances people leadership, process optimization, compliance, and stakeholder communication to meet productivity, safety, quality, and financial targets. The Unit Leader drives team performance through coaching, scheduling, resource allocation, and continuous improvement while maintaining a customer- and outcomes-focused environment.

Primary keywords: Unit Leader, team management, operations management, staff supervision, performance metrics, process improvement, compliance, safety, scheduling, budget control.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Team Lead / Shift Supervisor with 1–3 years frontline supervisory experience
  • Senior Associate or Specialist promoted for demonstrated operational competence
  • Assistant Manager or Coordinator transitioning from related functions

Advancement To:

  • Operations Manager / Department Manager
  • Program Director / Site Manager
  • Senior Manager of Operations or Regional Manager

Lateral Moves:

  • Project Manager (operations projects)
  • Quality / Continuous Improvement Specialist
  • Training & Development Lead

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Lead, coach and directly supervise a cross-functional unit of front-line staff, including performance management, daily direction, onboarding, and career development to achieve unit goals and improve employee engagement.
  • Develop and execute daily and weekly operational plans and schedules, allocating staff and resources to meet customer demand, shift coverage requirements, and productivity targets while minimizing overtime.
  • Own unit-level performance metrics (KPIs) such as throughput, on-time delivery, accuracy, quality defects, customer satisfaction, attendance, and safety incidents; prepare and present routine performance reports to leadership with trend analysis and action plans.
  • Drive continuous improvement initiatives within the unit by identifying process bottlenecks, leading root-cause investigations, implementing corrective actions, and documenting standard work to sustain gains.
  • Manage staffing forecasts and work with HR to recruit, interview, hire and onboard new team members; maintain accurate headcount and labor cost records to meet budgeted labor targets.
  • Implement and enforce health, safety and regulatory compliance programs (OSHA, HIPAA, internal policies, or industry-specific regulations) including conducting safety walks, incident investigations, and corrective action tracking.
  • Ensure consistent adherence to quality and operational standards by conducting audits, spot checks, and coaching sessions; escalate systemic issues and collaborate with quality assurance teams on resolution.
  • Coordinate cross-functional communication with upstream and downstream teams (logistics, production, clinical, customer service, sales) to ensure seamless handoffs and end-to-end process alignment.
  • Manage inventory, equipment and supplies for the unit, monitoring stock levels, initiating replenishment, reducing waste, and ensuring equipment is maintained and calibrated according to schedule.
  • Prepare and manage unit-level budgets, monitor spend against forecasts, identify cost-saving opportunities, and implement efficiency measures without compromising service or safety.
  • Lead change management for process updates, system rollouts and new initiatives by creating rollout plans, training materials, and feedback loops to drive adoption and minimize disruption.
  • Conduct structured daily huddles, shift briefings and debriefs to cascade priorities, recognize high performers, and rapidly address operational issues.
  • Resolve employee relations issues at the unit level by coaching, documenting performance concerns, conducting fair investigations, and working with HR on corrective action plans and terminations if necessary.
  • Serve as the subject-matter expert for unit-level policies, procedures and systems; provide actionable guidance and troubleshooting for front-line employees and act as a point of escalation for complex customer or operational issues.
  • Drive a culture of customer focus by monitoring service delivery, collecting feedback, investigating complaints and implementing service recovery processes to protect brand reputation.
  • Maintain accurate and auditable records including timekeeping, incident logs, training completion, calibration checks and compliance documentation for internal and external audits.
  • Lead and participate in continuous training programs to upskill team members on technical tasks, soft skills, safety and compliance; create individualized development plans tied to business objectives.
  • Design and implement performance incentive programs, recognition initiatives and team-building activities to boost morale, reduce turnover and improve unit productivity.
  • Plan for seasonal and cyclical demand by developing surge staffing models, cross-training employees, and creating contingency plans for absenteeism or unexpected volume spikes.
  • Coordinate with maintenance, facilities and IT teams to ensure timely repairs, system availability and access to essential tools; prioritize service requests based on operational impact.
  • Monitor and optimize workflow layout and ergonomics to improve safety, reduce movement waste, and enhance throughput using lean techniques or workplace improvement methodologies.
  • Support higher-level strategic initiatives by collecting unit-level data, participating in cross-functional projects, testing pilot programs, and championing best practices across locations.

Secondary Functions

  • Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis.
  • Contribute to the organization's data strategy and roadmap.
  • Collaborate with business units to translate data needs into engineering requirements.
  • Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies within the data engineering team.
  • Assist with month-end close tasks for unit expenses and provide variance explanations to finance.
  • Prepare training materials and quick reference guides for new procedures and systems.
  • Mentor junior supervisors and contribute to manager development programs.
  • Represent the unit at safety committees, site leadership meetings, and town halls.
  • Support vendor coordination for outsourced functions and participate in vendor performance reviews.
  • Facilitate root cause analysis sessions for recurring issues and follow through on corrective action plans.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Team leadership and direct supervision of hourly and salaried employees, including coaching, performance reviews, discipline and succession planning.
  • Workforce management and scheduling tools experience (e.g., Kronos, Workday, ADP, Deputy) with a track record of optimizing labor productivity and controlling overtime.
  • Strong knowledge of operational KPIs and analytics: throughput, cycle time, first-pass yield, error rates, fill rates, CSAT/NPS and staff utilization.
  • Hands-on experience with Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen or other continuous improvement methodologies; ability to lead rapid process improvement events.
  • Proficient in Microsoft Excel (pivot tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, conditional formatting) and experience with reporting tools (Power BI, Tableau, or similar).
  • Budget management and cost control experience at the unit level, including forecasting, variance analysis and cost-reduction initiatives.
  • Familiarity with industry-specific compliance and safety standards (OSHA, HIPAA, GMP, local/state regulations) and execution of corrective/preventive actions.
  • Inventory and materials management experience, including cycle counting, FIFO/LIFO, and minimizing shrink/waste.
  • Experience using ERP/WMS/TMS systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle, Manhattan, JDA) or industry-specific operational platforms.
  • Ability to design, deliver and track training programs, including competency assessments and on-the-job evaluation.
  • Basic project management skills: creating project charters, timelines, resource planning and stakeholder communication.
  • Incident investigation and root cause analysis tools (5 Whys, fishbone, FMEA) with documented follow-up actions.

Soft Skills

  • Strong people leadership with empathy, accountability, resilience, and the ability to motivate diverse teams in fast-paced environments.
  • Clear and persuasive verbal and written communication skills for frontline coaching, cross-functional alignment, and executive reporting.
  • Problem-solving mindset with critical-thinking skills to synthesize data, diagnose operational issues, and implement pragmatic solutions.
  • Conflict resolution and mediation skills to address interpersonal disputes and maintain a productive work environment.
  • Time management and prioritization to balance reactive issues and proactive improvement work.
  • Adaptability to shifting priorities, unexpected volume changes, and evolving business needs.
  • Coaching and mentorship orientation focused on skill development, constructive feedback and career progression for team members.
  • Customer-oriented mindset with the ability to translate customer requirements into operational practice.
  • Attention to detail while managing multiple moving parts, ensuring compliance and minimizing errors.
  • Facilitation and meeting-leadership skills to run effective huddles, training sessions and cross-functional problem-solving meetings.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • High school diploma or GED; combination of education and relevant work experience accepted.

Preferred Education:

  • Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Operations Management, Supply Chain, Healthcare Administration, Social Work, Criminal Justice, or a related field.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Business Administration
  • Operations Management
  • Supply Chain Management
  • Healthcare Administration
  • Human Resources
  • Industrial Engineering

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 3–7 years of progressive operational experience with at least 1–3 years in a supervisory or team lead role.

Preferred:

  • 5+ years of experience managing frontline teams or unit operations in retail, manufacturing, healthcare, logistics, or service industries with demonstrated results in KPI improvement, cost control, and employee development.
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