Operations Supervisor

Sauer Brands, Inc.; San Luis Obispo (CA); On-site; USD 75,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Sauer Brands, Inc. in San Luis Obispo, CA is seeking an Operations Supervisor to lead daily production, enforce SOPs, and drive continuous improvement in our food production facility.

This role reports to the Operations Manager and collaborates with Quality, Maintenance, Safety, and CI. The candidate will train and develop staff, optimize labor and equipment utilization, monitor KPIs like OEE, and lead root cause analysis and Kaizen events.

Qualifications

• 3+ years supervisory or leadership experience in manufacturing or food production.
• Experience implementing and sustaining SOPs and standard work.
• Lean Manufacturing, Continuous Improvement, or operational excellence experience preferred.
• Based in San Luis Obispo, CA

Responsibilities

• Lead daily production activities to meet safety, quality, and productivity objectives.
• Ensure adherence to established production schedules and operational priorities.
• Coach frontline employees and team leads to improve performance.
• Drive continuous improvement and Lean initiatives.
• Own implementation and sustainment of SOPs and standard work.

Skills

Leadership

Coaching

Problem solving

Communication

ERP experience

OEE systems

Lean manufacturing

Education

High School Diploma

Some college

Tools

Oracle/PeopleSoft ERP

RedZone OEE

MS Office

Job description

184 Suburban Rd, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401, USA

Job Description

Posted Friday, August 28, 2026 at 7:00 AM

Operations Supervisor

Job Summary

The Operations Supervisor is responsible for leading daily production operations while ensuring adherence to standardized processes, effective employee training, operational efficiency, and continuous improvement in the production and processing departments. The successful candidate will be able to translate operational strategies and continuous improvement initiatives into sustainable floor-level practices, minimize line downtime, improve process consistency and drive SOP compliance while ensuring production goals are achieved safely and efficiently. This position reports to the Operations Manager and partners closely with Quality, Maintenance, Safety, and Continuous Improvement.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

Production & Operational Leadership

• Lead daily production activities to meet safety, quality, delivery, and productivity objectives.
• Ensure adherence to established production schedules and operational priorities.
• Monitor and improve labor utilization, equipment performance, and workflow efficiency.
• Coordinate with Maintenance to minimize downtime and maximize production capacity.
• Drive accountability for operational KPIs and departmental performance.
• Own implementation and sustainment of standard operating procedures (SOPs).
• Ensure processes are documented, current, and consistently followed.
• Conduct routine audits of standard work and process compliance.
• Identify gaps in operational processes and work with CI and Operations leadership on improvements.
• Support implementation and sustainment of Lean Manufacturing practices.

Training & Workforce Development

• Lead onboarding, training, qualification, and cross‑training programs for production and processing employees.
• Develop training matrices and monitor workforce skill development.
• Ensure team members are trained and competent in SOPs, quality requirements, safety procedures, and equipment operation.
• Coach frontline employees and team leads to improve performance and capability.
• Develop succession plans and bench strength within the department.
• Partner with Continuous Improvement to execute improvement initiatives.
• Identify operational inefficiencies and opportunities for productivity gains.
• Utilize data from ERP, OEE, and production systems to drive decision‑making.
• Lead root cause analysis and corrective action efforts.
• Support Kaizen events and process improvement projects.

Safety & Quality

• Champion safety as a condition of employment and daily operational expectation.
• Ensure compliance with safety procedures, PPE requirements, and food safety requirements.
• Participate in Job Hazard Analyses and risk assessments.
• Drive corrective actions related to safety, quality, and operational incidents.
• Foster a culture of accountability, ownership, and continuous improvement.

Performance Standards (the criteria used to evaluate performance)

• OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness)
  • Meet or exceed defined KPIs for production efficiency.
• Culture Building
  • Fully support Safety Initiatives at SBI
  • Promote safety as a condition
  • Organizational Health KPIs
• Objectives and Behavioral Expectations
  • Leadership and contribution to the overall success of SBI
  • Personal Effectiveness‑meeting timelines and productivity requirements (quantity and quality of work)

What We Are Looking For:

Performance History:

• Documented history of making improvements in assigned work area/responsibilities
• Demonstrated proficiency in the following Areas:
• Proficient in Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint
• Strong leadership and coaching abilities.
• Excellent problem‑solving and root cause analysis skills.
• Strong organizational and communication skills.
• Skills Requirement:
• Ability to work and thrive under time constraints and juggle/prioritize responsibilities
• Ability to drive accountability and performance management.
• Ability to lead change and influence cross‑functional teams.
• Ability to follow written and verbal instructions, standard operating procedures, and safety guidelines.
• Ability to work in a warehouse or manufacturing environment with exposure to varying temperatures, noise, dust, and moving equipment.
• Ability to stand for long periods of time during assigned work shift.
• Ability to lift, push, and pull up to 30lbs unassisted.
• Ability to perform repetitive hand, wrist, arm, and shoulder movements.
• Ability to frequently walk, reach (including overhead), bend, and crouch at various heights.
• Education & Experience:
• Minimum High School Diploma required, some college preferred
• 3+ years of supervisory or leadership experience in manufacturing or food production.
• Demonstrated success managing production processes, workforce development, and operational performance.
• Experience implementing and sustaining SOPs and standard work.
• Experience utilizing ERP and OEE systems.
• Lean Manufacturing, Continuous Improvement, or operational excellence experience preferred.
• Experience with ERP System(Oracle/Peoplesoft) and OEE system (RedZone) preferred
• Other:
• Based in San Luis Obispo, CA

What Is In It For You?

Our company acknowledges talented people are attracted to companies that provide competitive pay, comprehensive benefits packages and outstanding advancement opportunities. For this reason, we offer a Comprehensive Benefits Plan that includes the following:

Sauer Brands, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, age, gender, disability, national origin, veteran, other protected status or any other basis.

184 Suburban Rd, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401, USA