Production Supervisor
Job description
Original text imported from Reed
We are currently partnering with a well-established manufacturing business to recruit a Production Supervisor. This is a key role within a fast-paced, assembly-focused shop floor environment, where you will be responsible for leading a medium-sized team and driving operational performance, efficiency, and quality.
This position would suit an experienced supervisor with a strong grounding in Lean Manufacturing principles, a focus on OTIF delivery, and a proven ability to manage and motivate teams in a busy production setting.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead, motivate, and develop a team of operatives to achieve daily production targets
- Drive On Time In Full (OTIF) performance, ensuring customer delivery expectations are consistently met
- Implement and sustain Lean Manufacturing practices (5S, Kaizen, waste reduction, continuous improvement)
- Monitor production KPIs and take proactive steps to address performance gaps
- Ensure adherence to quality standards, minimising defects and rework
- Maintain a strong focus on health & safety, ensuring compliance across the shop floor
- Coordinate workflow, labour allocation, and materials to optimise productivity
- Support training, performance management, and team development initiatives
- Work cross-functionally with planning, quality, and engineering teams
The Ideal Candidate
- Proven experience in a Production Supervisor / Team Leader role within a manufacturing environment
- Strong understanding and practical application of Lean Manufacturing principles
- Demonstrable experience driving OTIF and operational KPIs
- Experience managing a medium-sized team (typically 30-40)
- Excellent leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills
- Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, high-volume assembly environment
- Proactive, hands-on approach with a continuous improvement mindset
Key skills
AI-extracted from the job advert
Application advice
5 AI-generated recommendations to maximise your chances.
⭐ Highlight your Lean Manufacturing experience at the top of your CV as this is explicitly mentioned as essential
📊 Quantify your OTIF performance: 'Achieved 98% OTIF delivery across 6-month period'
🎯 Emphasise team size management experience as they need someone to lead 30-40 operatives
🔧 Showcase specific 5S and Kaizen implementations with measurable results
🏭 Detail your manufacturing environment experience, particularly assembly-focused operations
Suggested CV bullets
3 bullets our AI drafted for this specific advert, mirroring its ATS keywords.
Add these 3 bullets under your most recent experience:
- •Led 35-person assembly team to achieve 96% OTIF delivery performance, implementing daily huddles and visual management systems
- •Reduced production waste by 22% through 5S implementation and Kaizen events across 4 production lines over 8 months
- •Improved overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) from 78% to 85% by introducing preventive maintenance schedules and operator training programmes
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Letter preview — tailored to Futures
Dear Hiring Manager,
Futures' Production Supervisor role perfectly aligns with my manufacturing leadership background, particularly my expertise in Lean Manufacturing and OTIF delivery optimisation. My experience managing assembly teams and implementing 5S methodology positions me well for this Wakefield opportunity.
My background in production supervision has equipped me with the skills to lead medium-sized teams whilst driving operational KPIs and maintaining quality standards in fast-paced manufacturing environments.
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Interview questions
10 questions generated from this advert.
Technical
- ›How would you implement 5S methodology on a new production line?
- ›Describe your approach to improving OTIF performance when it's below target
- ›What KPIs do you monitor daily as a Production Supervisor?
- ›How do you identify and eliminate waste in manufacturing processes?
- ›Explain how you would conduct a Kaizen event with your team
Behavioural
- ›Tell me about a time you had to motivate an underperforming team member
- ›Describe a situation where you had to meet tight production deadlines
- ›Give an example of how you've implemented continuous improvement
- ›Tell me about a time you had to manage conflict within your team
- ›Describe how you've handled a significant quality issue on the shop floor
STAR answer examples
Model answers using the Situation-Task-Action-Result framework. Adapt to your own experience.
Tell me about a time you had to motivate an underperforming team member
Describe a situation where you had to meet tight production deadlines