How to hire a packaging supervisor

How to hire a packaging supervisor, step by step

Here's a step-by-step packaging 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 packaging supervisor job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new packaging supervisor
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a packaging supervisor do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a packaging supervisor, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   A packaging supervisor's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, packaging supervisors from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list shows salaries for various types of packaging supervisors.

   Type of Packaging Supervisor	Description	Hourly rate
   Packaging Supervisor		$18-37
   Quality Assurance Supervisor	A quality assurance supervisor oversees and leads the quality control operations within a manufacturing plant or similar establishment. They are primarily responsible for crafting and implementing policies that prioritize the efficiency of products or services, supervising and evaluating the performances of the workforce, and setting standards and procedures that align not just with the goals of the company, but the national and international level of production standards... Show more	$22-45
   Assembly Supervisor	Assembly Supervisors oversee and coordinate employees' work on assembly-lines. The supervisors assign personnel to stations or tasks and prepare their work schedules... Show more	$19-44

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Safety Procedures
   • GMP
   • Quality Standards
   • Direct Supervision
   • FDA
   • Process Improvement
   • Production Schedules
   • OSHA
   • Corrective Action
   • Lean Manufacturing
   • Equipment Performance
   • Food Safety
   • Production Lines
   • OEE

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage capital equipment expenditures, tooling and fixturing costs, and CNC programs.
   • Manage a team of 16-35 to insure packaging lines are running to standards as far as USDA guidelines and company productivity.
   • Provide direction to production workers relating to GMP's, food safety, sanitation and regulatory requirements
   • Monitor daily to ensure HACCP and USDA standards are being meet.
   • Enforce compliance with all company policies and procedures, as well as OSHA requirements.
   • Work with QA, planning and warehouse distribution to resolve and meet production issues.

   More packaging supervisor duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, packaging supervisors' average salary in arkansas is 47% less than in wyoming.
   • Seniority. Entry-level packaging supervisors earn 52% less than senior-level packaging supervisors.
   • Certifications. A packaging 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 packaging supervisor's salary.

   Average packaging supervisor salary

   $55,729yearly

   $26.79 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level packaging supervisor salary

   $38,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 11, 2025

   Average packaging supervisor salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Wyoming	$81,703	$39
   2	California	$72,847	$35
   3	North Dakota	$72,408	$35
   4	South Carolina	$66,447	$32
   5	New Jersey	$66,048	$32
   6	Iowa	$60,477	$29
   7	Idaho	$60,314	$29
   8	New York	$58,478	$28
   9	Ohio	$58,439	$28
   10	Nevada	$58,289	$28
   11	Illinois	$55,968	$27
   12	North Carolina	$55,476	$27
   13	Arizona	$54,723	$26
   14	Texas	$54,609	$26
   15	Florida	$54,330	$26
   16	New Mexico	$53,265	$26
   17	Alabama	$52,383	$25
   18	Tennessee	$51,173	$25
   19	Wisconsin	$49,999	$24
   20	Kentucky	$48,150	$23

   Average packaging supervisor salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	AbbVie	$108,531	$52.18	21
   2	BlackRock	$104,441	$50.21	6
   3	ASR Group	$72,222	$34.72	27
   4	Reckitt Benckiser	$70,715	$34.00	4
   5	Red Gold	$67,082	$32.25	6
   6	Illumina	$66,324	$31.89
   7	Harrison Walker & Harper	$66,271	$31.86
   8	The Boston Beer Company	$65,472	$31.48	2
   9	Idahoan	$64,482	$31.00	2
   10	Tenneco	$64,190	$30.86	8
   11	UPS	$61,627	$29.63	157
   12	Wynn Resorts	$60,407	$29.04	8
   13	JBS USA	$60,323	$29.00	81
   14	Lactalis	$60,057	$28.87	31
   15	Welch's	$59,709	$28.71	2
   16	Peabody Hotel Group	$58,853	$28.29
   17	4Front Ventures	$58,467	$28.11	2
   18	Gannett	$57,694	$27.74
   19	Thermo Fisher Scientific	$57,332	$27.56	29
   20	CooperVision	$57,224	$27.51

4. Writing a packaging supervisor job description

   A job description for a packaging supervisor role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a packaging supervisor job description:

   Packaging supervisor job description example

   Schedule: 7pm-7am

   
   Among North America’s leaders in quality, safety and productivity, Pharmaceutical Associates Inc. manufactures and markets generic liquid pharmaceuticals. We have been at the forefront of producing better-targeted suspensions, oral solutions, elixirs, syrups and liquids for nearly 50 years.

   PAI offers a broad portfolio of more than 60 prescription and over-the-counter therapies to treat patients. Some of our core strengths include brain, immune, metabolic and digestive health. For the OTC market, we provide a wide variety of affordable medications to treat allergies and upper respiratory symptoms, minor aches and pains, constipation and more.

   To meet the unique needs of retail chains and independent pharmacies, hospitals, long-term care facilities and government agencies, PAI offers standard bottle packaging and ready-to-dispense packaging. In fact, PAI was the first independent manufacturer to develop vertically-integrated unit dose (UD) packaging, and the first to offer complete lines of hard-to-find liquid products in both out-patient and UD packaging.

   We are expanding our packaging department and are always on the lookout for the BEST employees!

   KNOWLEDGE

   Perform all functions of a Pkg Coordinator
   Delegate Packaging assignments daily
   Inspect equipment to ensure good condition and order equipment needed
   Communicate department issues & status updates
   Collaborate with other departments in formulation of new products
   Monitor and maintain required batch records - responsible for audits on paperwork requirements
   Answer questions and provide direction and training

   TECHNICAL APPLICATION

   Placement in Supervisor position based on interview and selection process

   DIRECTION

   Minimal supervision required. Completes work assignments independently and selects the most appropriate method for non-standard work.

   SOFT SKILLS

   Intentional Leadership
   Coaching/Counseling

   All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.

   EOE, including disability/vets

   PAI uses e-verify

   Ability to work overtime required.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right packaging 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 packaging supervisor job on Zippia to find and recruit packaging supervisor candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit packaging supervisors, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   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 packaging supervisor

   Once you've selected the best packaging supervisor candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

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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How much does it cost to hire a packaging supervisor?