How to hire a material handling supervisor

How to hire a material handling supervisor, step by step

Here's a step-by-step material handling supervisor hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a material handling supervisor job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new material handling supervisor
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the material handling supervisor you need to hire. Certain material handling supervisor roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a material handling supervisor to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a material handling supervisor that fits the bill.

   This list presents material handling supervisor salaries for various positions.

   Type of Material Handling Supervisor	Description	Hourly rate
   Material Handling Supervisor		$21-30
   Delivery Coordinator	A delivery coordinator is responsible for managing the distribution and shipment schedules and ensuring that the items for delivery are thoroughly inspected for quality. Delivery coordinators review customer orders multiple times to prevent distribution delays and possible complaints... Show more	$12-21
   Warehouse Lead	Warehouse leads are responsible for supply chain management in distribution centers. Their duties and responsibilities include supervising employees and evaluating their performance, meeting safety regulations, and monitoring deliveries and shipments... Show more	$12-29

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Safety Regulations
   • Commodities
   • Materials Handling
   • Commissary
   • Material Handlers
   • Inventory Control
   • Safety Procedures
   • Logistics
   • Hazardous Materials
   • Shipping Receiving
   • Production Floor
   • ISO
   • Performance Reviews
   • Safety Training

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage and organize LTL shipments and warehouse responsibilities.
   • Key member of team to develop and execute initial ISO compliance.
   • Complete orders use PC as well as confirmed receiving shipments via e-mail.
   • Help develop all new training records and procedures for ISO certification and are part of several cost saving projects.
   • Develop innovative approaches to ensure retail logistics support.
   • Resolve conflicts involving retail logistics policy and procedures.

   More material handling supervisor duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your material handling supervisor job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A material handling supervisor salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, material handling supervisors' average salary in georgia is 23% less than in alaska.
   • Seniority. Entry-level material handling supervisors earn 30% less than senior-level material handling supervisors.
   • Certifications. A material handling supervisor with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a material handling supervisor's salary.

   Average material handling supervisor salary

   $53,395yearly

   $25.67 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level material handling supervisor salary

   $44,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 19, 2026

   Average material handling supervisor salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Washington	$58,274	$28
   2	California	$57,855	$28
   3	Oregon	$57,322	$28
   4	Utah	$57,046	$27
   5	Colorado	$55,462	$27
   6	North Dakota	$55,177	$27
   7	Arizona	$54,543	$26
   8	Connecticut	$53,631	$26
   9	Hawaii	$53,402	$26
   10	Missouri	$53,026	$25
   11	Iowa	$52,327	$25
   12	Indiana	$52,234	$25
   13	Pennsylvania	$52,040	$25
   14	Virginia	$50,901	$24
   15	Oklahoma	$50,266	$24
   16	Texas	$49,684	$24
   17	North Carolina	$49,024	$24
   18	Florida	$48,807	$23

   Average material handling supervisor salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Biamp	$54,619	$26.26
   2	Forest Manufacturing Co	$53,976	$25.95
   3	Army National Guard	$53,872	$25.90
   4	Nellson	$53,299	$25.62
   5	Air National Guard	$53,184	$25.57
   6	BioFire Diagnostics	$53,155	$25.56
   7	Epsilon Systems	$53,114	$25.54
   8	Silestone by Cosentino	$53,064	$25.51
   9	PDS Tech	$53,025	$25.49	1
   10	M.C. Dean	$51,921	$24.96	7
   11	The Office of the Chief Technology Officer	$50,978	$24.51
   12	Sysco	$50,683	$24.37	20
   13	Faraday Future	$47,512	$22.84	1
   14	Goodwill Industries of the Valleys	$46,238	$22.23	21

4. Writing a material handling supervisor job description

   A material handling supervisor job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a material handling supervisor job description:

   Material handling supervisor job description example

   Apply now "
   
   Date: Oct 14, 2022
   
   Location: Waterloo, Iowa, US, 50704
   
   Company: John Deere
   
   There are over 7 billion people on this planet. And by 2050, there will be 2 billion more... many moving into urban centers at an unprecedented rate. Making sure there is enough food, fiber and infrastructure for our rapidly growing world is what we're all about at John Deere. And it's why we're investing in our people and our technology like never before! Here the world's brightest minds are tackling the world's biggest challenges. If you believe one person can make the world a better place, we'll put you to work. RIGHT NOW.
   
   John Deere is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regards to, among other things, race, religion, color, national origin, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, status as a protected veteran, or status as a qualified individual with disability.
   
   Primary Location: United States (US) - Iowa - Waterloo
   
   Function: Operations
   
   Title: Material Handling Supervisor - 91720
   
   Onsite/Remote:Onsite Position
   
   Your Responsibilities
   
   As a Material Handling Supervisor for John Deere Tractor Cab Assembly Operations CMA located in Waterloo, IA you will be responsible for leading a wage workforce to accomplish the safety, quality, delivery, and efficiency goals through Continuous Improvement (CI) plans and activities. In addition, you will:
   
   * Ensure that assigned personnel have appropriate training, work instruction and tools to successfully complete their job
   * Lead safety through regular safety communications, setting clear safety expectations to drive the safety culture, driving engagement in the CI Safety and Ergonomic Risk Assessment process, prompt near miss reporting with a focus on quick, thorough safety corrective actions
   * Monitor processes, troubleshoot out of process activities, and generally supervise material flow activities to ensure that parts move throughout our buildings via the processes outlined
   * Lead employee engagement activities, while establishing a positive employee environment through communications, feedback and overall guidance
   * Monitor individual/group performance and take corrective action including discipline, as needed and respond to complaints to ensure the Company and employees adhere to policies, practices, procedures, and work rules
   
   Visa sponsorship is NOT available for this position
   
   What Skills You Need
   
   * Excellent communicator, who thrives on solving problems and working in a team environment
   * Experience with, or supporting, shop floor manufacturing and/or warehouse operation
   * Demonstrated team leadership/mentoring skills
   * Experience communicating across functions (such as: Material Flow, Supply Management, Engineering, Operations and Labor Relations)
   * Ability to work overtime as needed
   
   What Makes You Stand Out
   
   * Experience with wage/union employee policies, practices, procedures, and work rules
   * Experience in leadership or supervision of a union workforce
   * Working knowledge of the CI continual improvement process and 5S
   * Experience within the Material Flow organization
   * Knowledge regarding other functional roles within Material Flow including Material Replenishment Specialist, Inventory Control, and/or Material Coordinator roles
   
   Education
   
   Ideally you will have a degree or equivalent related work experience in the following:
   
   * Bachelor's degree in Business Management, Supply Management, Engineering or other related discipline
   
   What You'll Get
   
   At John Deere, you are empowered to create a career that will take you to where you want to go while working in an inclusive team environment. Here, you'll enjoy the freedom to explore new projects, the support to think outside the box and the advanced tools and technology that foster innovation and achievement. Additionally, we offer a comprehensive reward package to help you get started on your new career path, including:
   
   * Flexible work arrangements
   * Highly competitive base pay and performance bonuses
   * Savings & Retirement benefits (401K and Defined Benefit Pension)
   * Healthcare benefits with a generous company contribution in the Health Savings Account
   * Adoption assistance
   * Employee Assistance Programs
   * Tuition assistance
   * Fitness subsidies and on-site gyms at specific Deere locations
   * Charitable contribution match
   * Employee Purchase Plan & numerous discount programs for personal use
   
   Click Here to find out more about our Total Rewards Package.
   
   The information contained herein is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and qualifications required of individuals performing the job. The qualifications detailed in this job description are not considered the minimum requirements necessary to perform the job, but rather as guidelines.
   
   The terms of the applicable benefit plans, and all company actions administering or interpreting these plans, continue to control. Deere & Company reserves the right to suspend, amend, modify, or terminate the Plan(s) in any manner at any time, including the right to modify or eliminate any cost-sharing between the company and participants. Changes, which can be made at any time, are made by action of the company's board of directors, or to the extent authorized by resolution of its board of directors, or by the Deere & Company Compensation Committee. In the event of a conflict between the language of the official Plan Documents and this document, the language of the official Plan Documents will control.
   
   ACA Section 1557 Nondiscrimination Notice
   
   The John Deere Health Benefit Plans for Salaried Employees and The John Deere Benefit Plan for Wage Employees comply with applicable Federal civil rights laws and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex.
   
   Nearest Major Market: Waterloo
   
   Job Segment: Employee Relations, Labor Relations, Manager, Warehouse, Engineer, Human Resources, Management, Manufacturing, Engineering
   
   Apply now "
   
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5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right material handling supervisor for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your material handling supervisor job on Zippia to find and recruit material handling supervisor candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting material handling supervisors requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new material handling supervisor

   Once you've found the material handling supervisor candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new material handling supervisor first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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