Lead Supervisor

Daily Execution

• Lead startup: confirm staffing, line readiness, materials, and pre-op/QA requirements.
• Set the plan for the shift: targets, priorities, constraints, and escalation rules.
• Monitor performance in real time (downtime, labor, yield, waste, safety, quality).
• Remove roadblocks by coordinating with Maintenance, QA, Warehouse, Scheduling, and Sanitation.
• Make decisions fast. If it can’t be fixed quickly, escalate with facts and options.
• Build Supervisor Performance (Addressing Real-World Pain Points)
• Clarify expectations for supervisors and leads: what ‘good’ looks like each hour, each changeover, each shutdown.
• Hold supervisors to ownership.
• Enforce follow-through: every issue has an owner, deadline, and closeout verification.
• Coach in the moment and document patterns. Use progressive discipline when coaching fails.
• Train supervisors on the basics: staffing to plan, downtime response, standard work, and communication cadence.
• Escalation Discipline (No Surprises)
• Create a clear escalation ladder: what to escalate, to whom, and by when.
• Require supervisors to escalate early with the 5 essentials: what happened, when, impact, current status, and what help is needed.
• Drive “stop the bleed” actions first, then root cause and permanent corrective action.
• End the shift with a clean handoff: unresolved issues, risks, and next actions documented.

• Enforce PPE, LOTO, machine guarding, and safe behavior standards.
• Maintain GMP and sanitation standards; correct deviations immediately.
• Support HACCP-related controls and QA hold/release practices.
• Ensure allergen controls and housekeeping expectations are met.
• Support internal inspections, corrective actions, and audit readiness.

• Lead structured problem solving for repeat downtime, yield loss, waste, and quality issues.
• Drive standard work and visual controls that reduce variability.
• Participate in trials, changeovers, and process improvements; ensure changes stick.

• Run quick, consistent shift huddles: targets, constraints, safety/quality messages, and expectations.
• Maintain accurate production reporting: labor, downtime, yield, waste, and corrective actions.
• Communicate professionally and directly with all departments; align on priorities.

• 10+ years leadership experience in manufacturing (food preferred) managing hourly and salaried employees, or equivalent.
• Proven ability to drive performance: labor, downtime, yield, and safety/quality results.
• Strong communication, delegation, coaching, and accountability skills.
• Comfortable with data-driven decision-making and production reporting tools.
• Working knowledge of food safety basics (GMPs; HACCP awareness).

• Food manufacturing experience (breading/battering/frying, packaging, or similar high-volume operations).
• Lean/CI exposure (root cause, standard work, 5S, visual management).
• Experience developing front-line supervisors and leads.

• Plant environment: noise, moving machinery, wet/icy conditions, temperature variation, food-grade dust/odors.
• Allergen exposure: fish/shellfish and other common allergens (wheat, egg, soy, milk, nuts).
• Safety-sensitive role requiring strict adherence to policies and procedures.

• Establish a consistent shift cadence (startup, hourly checks, escalation, end-of-shift closeout).
• Standardize expectations for supervisors (what gets checked, reported, and acted on each hour).
• Implement an escalation ladder and make it real—no more surprises.
• Identify top 3 repeat performance killers (downtime, waste, yield, staffing) and drive permanent fixes.
• Develop each supervisor: strengths, gaps, and a clear plan with measurable milestones.