Career Overview
Directly supervise and coordinate the activities of production and operating workers, such as inspectors, precision workers, machine setters and operators, assemblers, fabricators, and plant and system operators. Excludes team or work leaders.
Also Known As
- Assembly Supervisor
- Manufacturing Supervisor
- Production Manager
- Production Supervisor
Alternate Job Titles
- Abattoir Supervisor
- Abrasive and Polished Products Supervisor
- Acid Supervisor
- Aerosol Supervisor
- Aging Department Supervisor
- Agricultural Chemicals Shift Superintendent
- Alteration Workroom Supervisor
- Alum Plant Supervisor
- Alumina Plant Supervisor
- Aluminum Boat Assembly Supervisor
- Aluminum Fabrication Supervisor
- Ammunition Supervisor
- Anhydrous Ammonia Production Supervisor
- Anode Crew Supervisor
- Art Objects Supervisor
What You'll Do
In this role, your typical responsibilities include:
- Enforce safety and sanitation regulations.
- Keep records of employees' attendance and hours worked.
- Inspect materials, products, or equipment to detect defects or malfunctions.
- Read and analyze charts, work orders, production schedules, and other records and reports to determine production requirements and to evaluate current production estimates and outputs.
- Plan and establish work schedules, assignments, and production sequences to meet production goals.
- Confer with other supervisors to coordinate operations and activities within or between departments.
- Interpret specifications, blueprints, job orders, and company policies and procedures for workers.
Knowledge You'll Use
You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:
- Production and Processing
- Administration and Management
- Personnel and Human Resources
- English Language
Essential Skills
Success in this career requires strong skills in:
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Time Management
- Management of Personnel Resources
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
- Social Perceptiveness
- Coordination
- Judgment and Decision Making
Key Abilities
This career requires key abilities in:
- Oral Comprehension
- Problem Sensitivity
- Oral Expression
- Speech Recognition
- Written Comprehension
- Deductive Reasoning
- Speech Clarity
- Inductive Reasoning
- Written Expression
- Near Vision
Work Style
People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:
- Leadership Orientation
- Dependability
- Attention to Detail
- Achievement Orientation
- Perseverance
What Matters in This Career
This career tends to satisfy these work values:
- Independence
- Support
- Achievement
- Relationships
- Working Conditions
Education & Preparation
Typical Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Related Work Experience Needed: Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years
On-the-Job Training: Over 3 months, up to and including 6 months
Education Details: Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Experience Required: Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Technology You'll Use
Popular Technologies & Software
- Apple Safari
- Autodesk AutoCAD
- Extensible markup language XML
- Kronos Workforce Timekeeper
- Microsoft Access
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Project
Tools & Equipment
- Desktop computers
- Hard hats
- Laser printers
- Laser scanners
- Notebook computers
- Operator terminals
- Personal computers
- Personal protective clothing
- Respirators
- Safety glasses
- Safety shoes
Work Environment
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
- Contact With Others
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
- Time Pressure
Salary & Job Market
| Salary Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | $45,790 |
| Median | $71,190 |
| Top Earners (90th percentile) | $106,960 |
Workers Employed Nationally: 685,140
Related Careers
If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $78,300
First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers
Education: Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)
Median Salary: $78,690
First-Line Supervisors of Helpers, Laborers, and Material Movers, Hand
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: Varies
First-Line Supervisors of Material-Moving Machine and Vehicle Operators
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: Varies
First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $59,330
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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.