Production Cell Supervisor

Birk Manufacturing Inc.; East Lyme (CT); On-site; USD 65,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

Birk Manufacturing Inc. in East Lyme, CT, is seeking a Production Cell Supervisor to lead daily manufacturing operations, ensure quality, safety, and on-time delivery, and drive continuous improvement.

You will supervise production staff, coordinate workflow, monitor productivity, train employees, and enforce standard work and lean practices; you will partner with other departments to resolve issues and maintain a safe, efficient workplace.

Qualifications

• High school diploma required.
• Minimum one year leadership or supervisory experience.
• Experience in ISO certified manufacturing preferred.
• PC literate with MS Office knowledge.

Responsibilities

• Oversee daily production cell operations and workflow.
• Monitor productivity and communicate status to management.
• Train and develop production staff; conduct performance reviews.
• Enforce work instructions, safety policies and LEAN/6S practices.
• Coordinate resources and address production bottlenecks.

Skills

Leadership

Supervisory experience

Problem solving

Communication

MS Office

Lean manufacturing exposure

Education

High school diploma

Associates degree

Tools

MS Office Suite

Job description

Description

Summary/Overview:

A Production Cell Supervisor is responsible for overseeing and contributing to daily manufacturing operations to ensure production goals, quality standards, safety requirements, and delivery schedules are consistently met. This role provides leadership and direction to production staff, coordinates workflow and resources, monitors productivity and efficiency, and works closely with other departments to resolve issues and support continuous improvement initiatives. The Production Supervisor is also responsible for training employees, maintaining a safe and organized work environment, and promoting accountability, teamwork, and operational excellence throughout the production process.

Essential Functions:

• Maintain steady and constant awareness of job statuses and production flow.
• Understand specific and unique job requirements and resource needs for current and upcoming jobs to ensure seamless flow of production.
• Communicate short term resources needs to department supervisors and elevate to managers as needed.
  • Daily examples: Jobs that need kitting, heaters, and/or components. Quality concerns, etc.
• Communicate long-term resources need to manager.
  • Long-term examples: Staffing and equipment needs, Continuous improvement opportunities, etc.
• Report-out to management on job updates and statuses during Gemba walks.
• Identify and coordinate direct employee training and cross training needs.
• Approve and manage time off requests.
• Monitor and, if necessary, address punctuation, attendance, and job performance issues.
• Monitor and control overtime of direct reports in accordance with company policies and the needs of individual jobs that require overtime.
• Ensure compliance with work instructions and company policies.
• Address personnel matters including recognition and disciple/improvement needed.
• Conduct performance reviews and employee feedback discussions.
• Communicate company announcements, updates, policy changes, closures, and events.
• Participate in quarterly safety reviews and area walk-throughs.
• Help implement and facilitate LEAN and 6S practices.
• Develop and maintain standard work for direct reports.
  • Cleaning schedules
  • Start of day/End of day checklist/procedures
  • Process flows for investigating issues and documenting what we did to fix.
  • Where to go for specific/common questions and issues.

Competencies

• 1. Leadership, coaching & team management
• 2. Problem solving & decision making
• 3. Communication & presentation skills
• 4. Ability to adapt to a dynamic environment.
• 5. Results driven
• 6. Technical competency
• 7. Thoroughness & attention to detail
• 8. Time management & prioritization
• 9. Conflict resolution skills
• 10. Safety/OSHA compliance knowledge
• 11. Determined, not easily distracted

Requirements

Supervisory Responsibility

This position will be responsible for supervising the direct reports, mainly ‘Production Assemblers’, of their assigned production cell/area.

Work Environment

This job operates in a professional manufacturing environment in a light industrial type setting. This position routinely uses standard manufacturing equipment such as presses, soldering stations, spot welders, punch presses, laminators, ovens, etc. Some of the work will require exposure to loud noises or fumes in the manufacturing environment.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to stand; walk; use hands to handle or feel; and reach with hands and arms. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

Reasonable Accommodations Statement

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable Accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Position Type and Expected Hours of Work

This is a full-time position, and typical work hours and days are Monday through Friday, 7:00AM to 3:30PM. Overtime as required.

Required Education and Experience

• 1. High school diploma required.
• 2. Minimum one (1) year experience working in an ISO certified manufacturing facility.
• 3. Minimum one (1) year leadership, supervisory or management experience.
• 4. PC literate with working knowledge of MS Office Suite.

Preferred Education and Experience

• 1. Associates degree
• 2. Experience with LEAN manufacturing.
• 3. More than two (2) years’ experience in a production supervisory role.
• 4. Leadership, continuous improvement, quality, soldering or crimping (IPC 610 / 620, J-STD 001) or other specialized certifications specific to manufacturing, continuous improvement and/or supervision/management/leadership.