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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Unit Supervisor

💰 $45,000 - $85,000

OperationsSupervisionManagementManufacturingRetailHealthcare

🎯 Role Definition

The Unit Supervisor is a front-line operations leader responsible for day-to-day supervision of a defined work unit or shift. This role coordinates people, processes and resources to meet production, service and quality targets while enforcing safety and compliance requirements. The Unit Supervisor acts as the primary point of contact for escalations, coaching, continuous improvement activities and inter-departmental coordination to ensure consistent, efficient unit performance.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Team Lead / Shift Lead
  • Senior Associate / Senior Technician
  • Production Operator / Senior Customer Service Representative

Advancement To:

  • Operations Supervisor / Assistant Manager
  • Operations Manager / Area Manager
  • Plant Manager / Department Manager

Lateral Moves:

  • Quality Supervisor
  • Training & Development Supervisor
  • Scheduling or Logistics Supervisor

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Supervise and lead a team of hourly and salaried personnel during assigned shifts, including staffing, shift handoffs, daily briefing, and real-time direction to meet unit-level production, service, and quality targets.
  • Create, publish and manage weekly and daily schedules to ensure appropriate coverage for peak demand while minimizing overtime and balancing labor cost against production requirements.
  • Coach, mentor and develop direct reports through one-on-one feedback, performance improvement plans, formal evaluations and succession planning to increase competency and retention.
  • Conduct regular performance reviews and document coaching, disciplinary actions and corrective measures in accordance with company policies and HR guidelines.
  • Monitor unit Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) — such as throughput, cycle time, first pass yield, on-time delivery, customer satisfaction and safety incident rates — and drive corrective actions when targets are not met.
  • Lead daily stand-ups and shift-change meetings to communicate priorities, safety reminders, production goals and operational issues to the team.
  • Ensure compliance with safety, regulatory and company policies (e.g., OSHA, HIPAA, GMP as applicable), perform safety observations, complete incident reports and lead root cause investigations for injuries or near-misses.
  • Enforce standard operating procedures (SOPs), work instructions and quality checks to maintain consistent output and minimize rework, rejects and customer complaints.
  • Assign daily tasks, balance workloads, and reallocate resources dynamically to address bottlenecks, equipment downtime, or unexpected volume spikes.
  • Support hiring and onboarding activities for new hires in the unit, including interviewing, orientation, initial training, and certification tracking.
  • Implement continuous improvement initiatives (Lean, 5S, Kaizen) at the unit level to reduce waste, improve flow and increase productivity; lead small kaizen events and follow through with process changes.
  • Coordinate machine and equipment maintenance and downtime scheduling with maintenance teams to minimize production impact and ensure equipment reliability.
  • Manage inventory levels, perform cycle counts, and work with supply chain or purchasing to ensure availability of materials and parts required for daily operations.
  • Handle escalated customer issues or internal service failures, lead investigations, communicate findings, and implement corrective actions to prevent recurrence.
  • Maintain accurate operational records, production logs, quality documentation and shift reports; produce routine performance and variance reports for the manager.
  • Participate in cross-functional planning meetings with operations planning, quality, HR, and logistics to align unit activities with broader business objectives and launch new products or services.
  • Monitor and control operational labor and non-labor spend within the unit budget; recommend staffing adjustments and cost-saving opportunities to the manager.
  • Facilitate competency training, certifications and skills matrices for unit staff; track training completion and remediate gaps through targeted coaching.
  • Enforce housekeeping, 5S and visual management systems on the shop floor or service area to maintain an organized, efficient and safe workplace.
  • Support union-management relations where applicable; administer collective bargaining agreement provisions at the unit level and collaborate with labor relations on grievances or disciplinary matters.
  • Lead problem-solving sessions using structured methodologies (5 Whys, RCA) for chronic issues and follow up on corrective and preventive actions until resolution.
  • Drive culture initiatives that promote accountability, teamwork, customer focus and continuous improvement; recognize and reward high performers.
  • Ensure accurate timekeeping, PTO approvals, shift swaps and adherence to attendance policies; coordinate with payroll to resolve timecard discrepancies.

Secondary Functions

  • Prepare and present weekly and monthly unit performance summaries and improvement plans to senior operations leadership.
  • Act as the primary liaison to quality assurance, engineering and supply chain for product changes, production trials and non-conformance resolution.
  • Support ad-hoc audits (internal, external and customer) by preparing documentation, escorting auditors and closing non-conformances in a timely manner.
  • Participate in hiring panels, job description updates and workforce planning recommendations for the unit.
  • Help develop and refine SOPs, training materials and job aids to reflect process improvements and regulatory changes.
  • Contribute input to capital expenditure requests for tooling, automation or equipment upgrades that improve unit throughput and safety.
  • Coordinate short-term contingency plans during disruptions (equipment failure, absenteeism, supply shortage) to sustain customer service levels.
  • Maintain relationships with third-party contractors or temporary staffing vendors to ensure flexible support for peak volumes.
  • Support continuous data collection efforts and implement visual dashboards that surface unit KPIs and trends for quick decision making.
  • Help plan and execute cross-training programs to build multi-skilled teams and increase scheduling flexibility.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Staff scheduling and workforce planning using scheduling tools and ERP systems (e.g., Kronos, Workday, ADP, SAP).
  • Production planning and throughput optimization for high-volume environments.
  • Safety and regulatory compliance knowledge (OSHA, GMP, HACCP, HIPAA where relevant).
  • Quality management and inspection techniques (first article inspection, sampling plans, FMEA basics).
  • Inventory control, cycle counting and materials handling practices.
  • Basic budget and cost-control skills, including labor forecasting and variance analysis.
  • Familiarity with Lean manufacturing principles, 5S, Kaizen events and basic Six Sigma tools.
  • Use of Microsoft Office (Excel pivot tables, VLOOKUP, charts) and experience building operational dashboards.
  • Experience with maintenance coordination and computerized maintenance management systems (CMMS).
  • Incident reporting, root cause analysis and corrective action tracking.

Soft Skills

  • Strong leadership presence with demonstrated ability to motivate and develop hourly teams.
  • Clear, confident communication skills for daily briefings, performance feedback and cross-functional coordination.
  • Problem-solving and analytical mindset with comfort using data to drive decisions and continuous improvement.
  • Conflict resolution, coaching and progressive discipline experience.
  • Time management and prioritization skills in a fast-paced, multi-task environment.
  • Adaptability and resilience when handling changing priorities or unexpected disruptions.
  • High attention to detail in quality checks, documentation and compliance activities.
  • Customer-centric focus to ensure internal and external customer satisfaction.
  • Emotional intelligence and cultural sensitivity for leading diverse teams.
  • Coaching and mentoring skills to build capability and career progression for direct reports.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:
High school diploma or GED; vocational/technical certification acceptable.

Preferred Education:
Associate degree or Bachelor's degree in Business, Operations Management, Industrial Engineering, Healthcare Administration or related field.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Business Administration
  • Operations Management
  • Industrial or Manufacturing Engineering
  • Healthcare Administration (for clinical unit supervisors)
  • Supply Chain / Logistics

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:
2–7 years of relevant experience with at least 1–3 years in a supervisory or lead role.

Preferred:
3+ years supervising hourly staff in a manufacturing, distribution, retail, healthcare, or service environment; demonstrated experience with safety programs, KPI management, Lean or continuous improvement projects, and basic budget ownership.

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