What does an Operation Supervisor do?
Operations supervisors manage a specific operations-related team or department. They ensure that all the agreed-upon key performance indicators are being met. They also address any performance challenges and strategize on how to improve different areas in the team. They communicate team goals and balance the organization's requirements with the team's profile. Operations supervisors also manage the employees under their department. They hire for vacancies and train new employees. They also ensure that employees are properly coached for improvement. Operations supervisors are expected to be strategic, personable, and good communicators.
Operation supervisor responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real operation supervisor resumes:
- 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.
- Manage all inbound and outbound of product/inventory, and keep accurate counts in AS400 P.K.M.S warehouse management software.
- Manage daily activities of up to 15 staff and up to 50 students at youth rehabilitation boarding facility.
- Collaborate with SPD consultant to implement departmental policies and procedures for SPD and off site practices.
- Direct and lead inventory control initiatives and conduct all safety committee meetings per OSHA requirements.
- Maintain an exceptionally safe working environment by designing and implementing safety and emergency processes compliant with OSHA and FDA regulations.
- Conduct preventative maintenance on HVAC systems.
- Interview, train and mentore current Sr.
- Assist with document and/or schedule review and QC.
- Set up and operate CNC and PLC machines.
- Oversee the preventive maintenance and repair of sterilizers.
- Require fit test and ammonia handling training including PPE procedures.
Operation supervisor skills and personality traits
We calculated that 7% of Operation Supervisors are proficient in Logistics, Safety Procedures, and OSHA. They’re also known for soft skills such as Communication skills, Leadership skills, and Management skills.
We break down the percentage of Operation Supervisors that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Logistics, 7%
Managed day-to-day operations of logistics facility using proprietary logistics planning systems while tracking and coaching employees to process standards and metrics.
- Safety Procedures, 7%
Supervised thirty hourly employees simultaneously * Coordinated inbound and outbound orders/shipments * Taught and enforced safety procedures to ensure secure work environment
- OSHA, 6%
Maintained all records and data related to Department of Transportation and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) programs/regulations
- Payroll, 5%
Administered, coordinated and supervised local and third country nationals, wrote standard operating procedures SOP and managed payroll administration.
- Customer Satisfaction, 5%
Supervised different aspects of a busy airport environment including assisting in Passenger Service operations to ensure on-time schedules and customer satisfaction.
- Continuous Improvement, 4%
Team member for ISO/TS16949 Continuous Improvement (CI) and quality systems and ISO14001environmental management system certification during semiannual independent audits.
Common skills that an operation supervisor uses to do their job include "logistics," "safety procedures," and "osha." You can find details on the most important operation supervisor responsibilities below.
Communication skills. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for an operation supervisor to have is communication skills. Their role and responsibilities require that "top executives must be able to convey information clearly and persuasively." Operation supervisors often use communication skills in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "created and delivered written communications such as performance appraisals and corrective action reports. "
Leadership skills. Another essential skill to perform operation supervisor duties is leadership skills. Operation supervisors responsibilities require that "top executives must be able to shape and direct an organization by coordinating policies, people, and resources." Operation supervisors also use leadership skills in their role according to a real resume snippet: "certified in haccp , hazmat, cpr first aid, leadership excellence phase 1 and 2. "
Problem-solving skills. operation supervisor responsibilities often require "problem-solving skills." The duties that rely on this skill are shown by the fact that "top executives need to identify and resolve issues within an organization." This resume example shows what operation supervisors do with problem-solving skills on a typical day: "resolved employee relations issues and performance standards, productivity and service standard. "
Time-management skills. Another crucial skill for an operation supervisor to carry out their responsibilities is "time-management skills." A big part of what operation supervisors relies on this skill, since "top executives do many tasks concurrently to ensure that their work gets done and that the organization meets its goals." How this skill relates to operation supervisor duties can be seen in an example from an operation supervisor resume snippet: "led team to uphold corporate performance standards for call volume, time-to-resolution, and outage restoration timelines. "
The three companies that hire the most operation supervisors are:
- XPO Logistics
351 operation supervisors jobs
- CVS Health296 operation supervisors jobs
- Staples210 operation supervisors jobs
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Compare different operation supervisors
Operation supervisor vs. Regional operation manager
A regional operation manager is in charge of overseeing multiple stores or warehouses in a particular region, ensuring efficiency and profitability. Their responsibilities typically revolve around setting sales targets, devising marketing and workforce management strategies, and gathering extensive data to produce progress reports and presentations. They must also address issues and concerns, dealing and resolving them in a timely and professional manner. Furthermore, as a regional operation manager, it is essential to lead and encourage the workforce, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of an operation supervisor are more likely to require skills like "safety procedures," "cleanliness," "safety standards," and "employee engagement." On the other hand, a job as a regional operation manager requires skills like "customer service," "regional operations," "oversight," and "project management." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.
Regional operation managers really shine in the finance industry with an average salary of $82,385. Comparatively, operation supervisors tend to make the most money in the finance industry with an average salary of $66,587.regional operation managers tend to reach similar levels of education than operation supervisors. In fact, regional operation managers are 4.8% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.2% more likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Operation supervisor vs. Team leader/supervisor
A team leader or supervisor is an individual who leads and supervises a workgroup's functionality through instructions and guidance in an organization. Team leaders provide support to staff members by way of coaching and skills development. They are responsible for preventing and resolving conflicts among staff members by setting ground rules and assigning tasks properly. They also organize team meetings and report the progress of a project to the management. Since they lead a workforce, team leaders must possess excellent verbal communication skills and have a great work ethic.
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that operation supervisor responsibilities requires skills like "logistics," "osha," "customer satisfaction," and "patients." But a team leader/supervisor might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "sales floor," "customer care," "windows," and "leadership."
In general, team leader/supervisors achieve similar levels of education than operation supervisors. They're 0.3% more likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.2% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Operation supervisor vs. Operations team leader
An operations team leader is an individual who manages teams, encouraging cooperation, productivity, and teamwork. Operations team leaders foster team unity and enhance the daily efficiency of the companies or any business establishment. They manage a diverse workforce in companies to make sure that the organizational operations are efficient. Also, they implement programs and processes and oversee building maintenance. It is also their responsibility to manage mechanical and human resources and establish a team budget.
The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, operation supervisors are more likely to have skills like "osha," "payroll," "patients," and "cleanliness." But a operations team leader is more likely to have skills like "customer service," "excellent interpersonal," "sales floor," and "develop team."
When it comes to education, operations team leaders tend to earn similar degree levels compared to operation supervisors. In fact, they're 1.4% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.1% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Operation supervisor vs. 2nd shift supervisor
A 2nd shift supervisor is responsible for supporting the operations of a department, managing the staff's performance, and assisting the team in achieving maximum productivity. They provide high-quality services for the customers by responding to their inquiries and concerns and resolving complaints. They also implement strategic procedures to achieve production goals, as well as identifying business opportunities that would drive more revenue resources and profits for the company. A 2nd shift supervisor also assists in handling the department's budget, ensuring adequate allocation to support operations.
Types of operation supervisor
Updated January 8, 2025
