Production Supervisor Job Description (2026): Duties, Skills and Salary
A production supervisor runs a shift on the manufacturing floor. They assign work, keep the line moving, solve problems as they come up, and make sure output, quality and safety targets are met. Most of the day is spent on the floor, not behind a desk: checking in with operators, fixing bottlenecks, and reporting numbers up the chain.
Production supervisors work in food, automotive, electronics, consumer goods and other manufacturing settings, so the product changes more than the job: staffing a shift, hitting a schedule, enforcing safety rules and keeping quality within spec. Strong ones treat the people on the line as the thing that actually makes the numbers happen.
Production Supervisor job description template
Copy it, replace everything in [brackets] and cut what doesn't apply. Keep the requirements to what the job really needs.
Template · replace the [brackets]
Production Supervisor
[Company] · [City and office days, or remote with the countries or time zones you hire in] · [Full-time]
About [Company]
[Two or three sentences on what your company does, who it serves and why this team matters now.]
About the role
[Company] is hiring a production supervisor to run [shift / line] at [facility]. You'll manage a team of [operators], keep production on schedule, and make sure output meets [quality / safety] standards.
What you'll do
- Supervise and schedule production staff for [shift] to meet daily output targets.
- Monitor the line for bottlenecks, downtime and quality issues, and resolve them quickly.
- Enforce safety procedures and lead or support safety meetings and incident reviews.
- Track production metrics such as output, scrap rate and downtime, and report them up.
- Coordinate with maintenance, quality and planning to keep the line running.
- Train new operators and coach existing staff on performance and procedures.
- Approve timecards, manage attendance and handle shift-level HR issues.
- Lead shift handoff so the next supervisor starts with a clear picture.
What you'll bring
- [X]+ years in a manufacturing or production environment, including some lead or supervisory experience.
- Comfortable reading production schedules and basic performance metrics.
- Working knowledge of safety and quality standards for [industry].
- Clear, direct communication with a diverse shop floor team.
- Ability to stand, walk and be on the production floor for most of a shift.
- Problem-solving under time pressure when the line goes down.
- Basic computer skills for scheduling, reporting and email.
Nice to have
- Lean manufacturing or Six Sigma training.
- Experience with an ERP or MES system such as [SAP or specific MES].
- Bilingual, especially Spanish, for communicating with the team.
- Experience managing a union workforce.
What we offer
- [Pay range: e.g. $X–$Y base salary, plus bonus or equity if offered]
- [Shift differential pay, annual bonus tied to plant performance, tuition assistance]
- [Health cover, retirement or pension plan, paid time off, parental leave]
- [Work authorization: whether you can sponsor a visa or hire through an employer of record]
[Our process: a recruiter screen, a plant tour and interview with the plant manager, a scenario-based discussion on handling a line issue, and a reference check.]
[Your equal opportunity statement, and how candidates can ask for adjustments during the process]
Put the pay range in the ad. Several US states, including California, Colorado, New York and Washington, require it in job postings, and the EU Pay Transparency Directive gives applicants the right to know the starting pay or its range before the interview.
Production Supervisor duties by seniority
What the job usually looks like at each level. Pitch the ad at one level and say which in the title.
Junior
- Supervises a single line or shift with support from a senior supervisor.
- Learns the plant's metrics, schedule and escalation process.
- Handles routine staffing and attendance issues.
Mid-level
- Owns a shift or area and consistently hits output and quality targets.
- Leads root-cause problem solving on recurring downtime or defects.
- Trains and develops operators, and handles performance issues directly.
Senior
- Oversees multiple lines or shifts, or acts as lead supervisor for the plant.
- Drives continuous improvement projects across the floor.
- Mentors newer supervisors and represents the shift to plant leadership.
Production Supervisor career path
- Line Lead or Team Lead
- Production Supervisor
- Senior Production Supervisor
- Plant Manager or Operations Manager
Production supervisor is usually reached by working up from an operator or line lead role, sometimes alongside a degree in industrial technology or business. From here, people move into plant management, operations management or specialized roles like quality or continuous improvement.
Similar roles
- Manufacturing Engineer job description
Designs and improves the production process rather than running daily shift operations.
- Operations Manager job description
Oversees broader operations across shifts or sites, not a single shift.
- Warehouse Manager job description
Runs warehouse and fulfillment operations rather than a production line.
- Quality Engineer job description
Focuses on quality systems and defect root cause rather than shift output.
Production Supervisor job description FAQ
What does a production supervisor do?
Runs a shift on the manufacturing floor: schedules staff, keeps the line moving, enforces safety and quality standards, and reports output and downtime metrics to plant leadership.
What skills should a production supervisor job description require?
Hands-on manufacturing or production experience with some supervisory background, familiarity with safety and quality standards, and the ability to lead a shop floor team under time pressure. Lean or Six Sigma training is a useful but optional extra.
Does a production supervisor need a college degree?
Not always. Many production supervisors are promoted from the floor based on experience and leadership ability, though some employers prefer a degree in industrial technology, business or a related field for the role.