1st Shift Production Supervisor — Union-Focused Ops Leader

Niles Steel Tank Company; Middleville (MI); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Bradford White Corporation's Middleville, MI location is seeking a 1st Shift Production Supervisor to lead a team of 30–50 hourly employees in a fast-paced manufacturing setting. The ideal candidate will be a visible, hands-on leader who builds trust, fosters safety, quality, accountability, and respect, and partners with union representatives to drive operational excellence.

You will coach and develop staff, monitor production schedules, support new product launches, and champion continuous

Qualifications

• 3+ years of supervisory or leadership experience in a manufacturing environment.
• Demonstrated success leading teams with a focus on safety, quality, and performance through employee engagement, communication, and accountability.
• Strong communication, interpersonal, conflict resolution, and relationship-building skills.
• Proven ability to foster positive employee relations and navigate challenging workplace situations with professionalism and composure.
• Experience supervising in a high-volume manufacturing or assembly environment; Lean/Six Sigma experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a team of 30–50 hourly employees through coaching, mentoring, recognition, and consistent communication.
• Build credibility and positive working relationships with employees by fostering a respectful and accountable work environment.
• Partner with union leadership and employees while administering the Collective Bargaining Agreement fairly and consistently.
• Address employee concerns proactively and professionally while promoting constructive employee relations and workforce engagement.
• Maintain a strong floor presence and lead with visibility, responsiveness, and professionalism.
• Champion a culture where safety is the highest priority and employees are empowered to identify and address potential risks.
• Drive quality, productivity, and operational performance through effective team leadership and problem-solving.
• Support implementation of new products, engineering changes, and operational improvements.
• Monitor production schedules and work order progress to ensure customer, quality, and delivery expectations are met.
• Maintain accurate attendance, staffing, and performance documentation.
• Respond calmly and effectively to changing priorities, staffing challenges, and production issues.
• Champion continuous improvement opportunities to reduce downtime, improve quality, reduce scrap, and achieve labor efficiency targets.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Union relations

Problem solving

Safety focus

Education

Associate or bachelor’s degree

Tools

Lean / Six Sigma

Job description

Bradford White Corporation's Middleville, MI location is seeking a 1st Shift Production Supervisor to lead a team of 30–50 hourly employees in a fast-paced manufacturing setting. The ideal candidate will be a visible, hands-on leader who builds trust, fosters safety, quality, accountability, and respect, and partners with union representatives to drive operational excellence.

You will coach and develop staff, monitor production schedules, support new product launches, and champion continuous