How long does it take to become an Operation Supervisor?

It takes 5 years of professional experience to become an operation supervisor. That is the time it takes to learn specific operation supervisor skills, but does not account for time spent in formal education. If you include the normal education requirements to complete a college degree, then it takes 8 to 10 years years to become an operation supervisor.

How do I start a career in operations management?

To start a career in operations management, a person should pursue a bachelor's degree in business administration or a related field. While a student in college, a person should pursue an internship and experience in business and office environments.

What are the 5 roles of a supervisor?

The five roles of a supervisor are educator, sponsor, coach, counselor, and director. Every supervisor role utilizes some combination of these five roles when leading a team. A supervisor acts as an educator when their employees and team members are new, when processes or conditions change, or when discussing performance expectations.

How To Become An Operation Supervisor: What It Is and Career Path

What is an operation supervisor and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

An operation supervisor oversees the day-to-day operations of a business or organization. They are responsible for ensuring that production goals are met, processes are efficient, and quality standards are maintained. Operation supervisors manage teams and coordinate with other departments to ensure smooth operations. They create schedules, monitor inventory levels, and implement policies and procedures to improve productivity. Excellent communication skills, problem-solving abilities, and leadership qualities are essential for this role.

ScoreOperation SupervisorUS Average

Salary

4.5

Avg. Salary $57,279

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

8.1

Growth rate 6%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

4.7

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.70%

Asian 4.60%

Black or African American 12.28%

Hispanic or Latino 18.49%

Unknown 4.08%

White 59.86%

Gender

female 29.18%

male 70.82%

Age - 47

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 47

Stress level

8.1

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

7.1

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance

3.3

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being an operation supervisor?

Pros

Ability to make important decisions
Interaction with different departments
Opportunity to improve processes and procedures
Exposure to various industries and fields
Ability to learn new skills and technologies

Cons

Must deal with difficult situations and people
Must be accountable for any mistakes or failures
Constant need to adapt to changes in the industry
Can be mentally draining and emotionally exhausting
May require dealing with safety hazards or emergencies

Key steps to become an operation supervisor

Explore operation supervisor education requirements

Most common operation supervisor degrees

Bachelor's

57.1 %

Associate

20.1 %

High School Diploma

11.2 %

Start to develop specific operation supervisor skills

Skills	Percentages
Logistics	7.26%
Safety Procedures	6.76%
OSHA	5.96%
Payroll	4.97%
Customer Satisfaction	4.94%

Complete relevant operation supervisor training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New operation supervisors learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an operation supervisor based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real operation supervisor resumes.

Gain additional operation supervisor certifications

Operation supervisor certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific operation supervisor certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for operation supervisors include Six Sigma Green Belt and OSHA Safety Certificate .

More About Certifications

Research operation supervisor duties and responsibilities

Manage labor and operating expenses to meet budget goals by utilizing KRONOS.
Manage the safety, quality, productivity, OEE, yields, & continuous improvement.
Manage the proper preparation of equipment for mechanical work as well as proper utilization of LOTO system.
Serve as member of HAZMAT team and manage all training, orientation and safety programs for entire facility.

Prepare your operation supervisor resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your operation supervisor resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an operation supervisor resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable operation supervisor resume templates

Build a professional operation supervisor resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your operation supervisor resume.

Apply for operation supervisor jobs

Now it's time to start searching for an operation supervisor job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do operation supervisors rate their job?

5/5

Based on 1 ratings

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Operation supervisor reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Aug 2020

Pros

Team work , layout understand ing, and clients conversations skills

Cons

On site rudly behavior

A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2020

Pros

A great leader, leads by example. Leading organization with team effort, to learn and grow.

Cons

No effort in team work, disorganized, no leadership.

5.0

A zippia user wrote a review on Feb 2019

Pros

The team that I lead, it was a HPWS team where everyone had a role and executed it. I facilitated the team by removing any barriers and providing the tools necessary to make sure that the process went smoothly on a daily basis.

Cons

The 6/7 day work weeks and the constant jumping between 2nd and 3rd shifts.

What is an operation supervisor and how to become one

What are the pros and cons of being an operation supervisor?

Operation supervisor career paths

Key steps to become an operation supervisor

Explore operation supervisor education requirements

Most common operation supervisor degrees

Start to develop specific operation supervisor skills

Complete relevant operation supervisor training and internships

Gain additional operation supervisor certifications

Research operation supervisor duties and responsibilities

Prepare your operation supervisor resume

Choose from 10+ customizable operation supervisor resume templates

Apply for operation supervisor jobs

How did you land your first operation supervisor job

Average operation supervisor salary

How do operation supervisors rate their job?

Operation supervisor reviews

Operation supervisor FAQs

How long does it take to become an Operation Supervisor?

How do I start a career in operations management?

What are the 5 roles of a supervisor?

Search for operation supervisor jobs

Operation supervisor jobs by state