Process leader vs operation supervisor

The differences between process leaders and operation supervisors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a process leader and an operation supervisor. Additionally, a process leader has an average salary of $88,400, which is higher than the $57,279 average annual salary of an operation supervisor.

The top three skills for a process leader include customer service, cleanliness and sales floor. The most important skills for an operation supervisor are logistics, safety procedures, and OSHA.

Process leader vs operation supervisor overview

	Process Leader	Operation Supervisor
Yearly salary	$88,400	$57,279
Hourly rate	$42.50	$27.54
Growth rate	11%	6%
Number of jobs	71,467	94,116
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 59%	Bachelor's Degree, 57%
Average age	46	46
Years of experience	2	2

What does a process leader do?

A process leader is responsible for overseeing the operational processes of an organization to support business functions and client requirements. Process leaders evaluate the efficiency of workflow procedures, identifying inconsistencies, and revising processing techniques as needed to improve deliverables and maximize productivity. They also train new employees, share best practices, and address their difficulties by organizing a specific learning approach. A process leader must have excellent communication and organizational skills, such as writing progress reports and identifying opportunities that would drive revenue resources for the business.

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.

Process leader vs operation supervisor salary

Process leaders and operation supervisors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Process Leader	Operation Supervisor
Average salary	$88,400	$57,279
Salary range	Between $59,000 And $132,000	Between $37,000 And $87,000
Highest paying City	Jersey City, NJ	Kansas City, KS
Highest paying state	New Jersey	Louisiana
Best paying company	BP America Inc	Ropes & Gray
Best paying industry	Technology	Finance

Differences between process leader and operation supervisor education

There are a few differences between a process leader and an operation supervisor in terms of educational background:

	Process Leader	Operation Supervisor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 59%	Bachelor's Degree, 57%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	Stanford University	Stanford University

Process leader vs operation supervisor demographics

Here are the differences between process leaders' and operation supervisors' demographics:

	Process Leader	Operation Supervisor
Average age	46	46
Gender ratio	Male, 58.8% Female, 41.2%	Male, 70.8% Female, 29.2%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.6% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 17.9% Asian, 5.4% White, 60.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 12.3% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 18.5% Asian, 4.6% White, 59.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between process leader and operation supervisor duties and responsibilities

Process leader example responsibilities.

Lead process cost, capacity, and ROI forecasting
Manage the movement of work in progress (WIP) through the departments.
Manage day-to-day logistics of work orders to ensure they are progressing as scheduled and customer commitments are being meet.
Design, build, train and manage new cross site data team to support integrate ERP system for change control.
Initiate supplier - kitting, Kanban and vendor manage inventory processes of hardware, pipe, fittings and expense items.
Plan and facilitate Kaizen events that lead to significant business improvement results.

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Operation supervisor example 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.
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.

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Process leader vs operation supervisor skills

Common process leader skills

Customer Service, 13%
Cleanliness, 8%
Sales Floor, 8%
Continuous Improvement, 7%
Project Management, 6%
Process Improvement, 6%

Common operation supervisor skills

Logistics, 7%
Safety Procedures, 7%
OSHA, 6%
Payroll, 5%
Customer Satisfaction, 5%
Continuous Improvement, 4%

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Updated January 8, 2025

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