How to hire a production shift manager

Production shift manager hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring production shift managers in the United States:

The median cost to hire a production shift manager is $1,633.
It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
HR departments typically allocate 15% of their budget towards recruitment efforts.
Small businesses spend $1,105 per production shift manager on training each year, while large companies spend $658.
It takes approximately 12 weeks for a new employee to reach full productivity levels.
There are a total of 86,106 production shift managers in the US, and there are currently 151,772 job openings in this field.
Dyersville, IA, has the highest demand for production shift managers, with 6 job openings.

How to hire a production shift manager, step by step

To hire a production shift manager, you need to identify the specific skills and experience you want in a candidate, allocate a budget for the position, and advertise the job opening to attract potential candidates. To hire a production shift manager, you should follow these steps:

Here's a step-by-step production shift manager hiring guide:

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

What does a production shift manager do?

A production shift manager is an executive who supervises production, operations, or services in the absence of the general or assistant manager. Production shift managers oversee business operations while working along with the employees in a certain shift. The managers take responsibility in delegating staff their respective responsibilities. They make sure that these responsibilities are accurate and efficient. Also, they manage the manufacturing of vehicles or components developed into finished goods in a certain production line.

Learn more about the specifics of what a production shift manager does

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Identify your hiring needs

The production shift manager hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

Determine employee vs contractor status

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

A production shift manager's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, production shift managers 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.

The following list breaks down different types of production shift managers and their corresponding salaries.

Type of Production Shift Manager	Description	Hourly rate
Production Shift Manager		$11-20
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
Plant Superintendent	Plant superintendents must have skills in operations, productions, and management. They also need a 4-year degree in business or industrial management... Show more	$32-64

Create an ideal candidate profile
Common skills:
- Continuous Improvement
- Lean Manufacturing
- Quality Standards
- HR
- Safety Standards
- Process Improvement
- USDA
- Production Schedules
- GMP
- OSHA
- Production Operations
- Pallets
- Quality Products
- Safety Procedures
Check all skills
Responsibilities:
- Manage safety and GMP's.
- Manage operations of a high-precision machining facility consisting of state-of-the-art CNC machine tools.
- Generate weekly KPI reports; all production parameters.
- Serve as leader in OSHA regulation compliance and training.
- Maintain a safe work environment and uphold OSHA regulations.
- Work closely with QA and USDA to ensure all customer specifications are met.
More production shift manager duties

Make a budget

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

Location. For example, production shift managers' average salary in florida is 47% less than in north dakota.
Seniority. Entry-level production shift managers earn 43% less than senior-level production shift managers.
Certifications. A production shift manager 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 production shift manager's salary.

Average production shift manager salary

$15.56hourly

$32,365 yearly

Entry-level production shift manager salary

$24,000 yearly salary

Updated December 21, 2025

Average production shift manager salary by state

Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
1	Massachusetts	$41,805	$20
2	Maine	$40,135	$19
3	Minnesota	$39,430	$19
4	Wisconsin	$37,913	$18
5	New Jersey	$36,356	$17
6	Indiana	$35,991	$17
7	Michigan	$34,909	$17
8	Oregon	$34,527	$17
9	Ohio	$34,370	$17
10	Iowa	$32,458	$16
11	California	$31,652	$15
12	Utah	$30,749	$15
13	Arizona	$28,723	$14
14	Kentucky	$28,566	$14
15	Kansas	$28,500	$14
16	Oklahoma	$27,508	$13
17	Alabama	$27,498	$13
18	Tennessee	$27,247	$13
19	Texas	$26,543	$13
20	Florida	$24,709	$12

Average production shift manager salary by company

Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
1	Pella	$41,884	$20.14	13
2	Steel Dynamics	$41,868	$20.13	9
3	Nucor	$40,910	$19.67	62
4	PepsiCo	$40,684	$19.56	3
5	Schlumberger	$40,534	$19.49
6	Johnson Controls	$40,059	$19.26	15
7	McWane	$40,045	$19.25	16
8	Post Holdings	$39,760	$19.12	76
9	Airgas	$39,719	$19.10	70
10	UFP Industries	$39,608	$19.04	16
11	Dairy Farmers of America	$39,507	$18.99	51
12	Utz Brands	$39,228	$18.86	6
13	Stryker	$39,206	$18.85	24
14	East Penn Manufacturing	$38,429	$18.48	2
15	Tyson Foods	$38,425	$18.47	40
16	Schaeffler	$38,355	$18.44	23
17	Hormel Foods	$38,266	$18.40	38
18	ITW	$38,129	$18.33	58
19	The Next Level	$38,031	$18.28	6
20	Continental Carbonic Products	$37,944	$18.24

Writing a production shift manager job description
A production shift manager 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 production shift manager job description:
Production shift manager job description example
FULL TIME Production All Shifts - (22000054) Description Lozier Production Workers--Multiple Openings!
NEW STARTING WAGES & $3,000 BONUS
1st Shift: $16.49 - $17.75
2nd Shift: $19.31 - $20.64

$3,000 BONUS--$1,500 paid at 90 days and $1,500 at 180 days

Lozier is currently hiring Production employees for our Middlebury, IN facility. Lozier offers competitive pay rates and benefits (temporary employees are also eligible for limited benefits).

These positions may include production line work on a paint line system, assembly and machine operation. The store fixtures made in this facility may end up in a retailer near you! Appropriate personal protective equipment must be worn for these positions. Lozier provides general PPE and offers a safety shoe reimbursement program. Essential functions may include frequent standing, walking, lifting, reaching, pushing, pulling and repetitive motion.

Previous experience in a manufacturing environment preferred; specifically fast-paced production and machine operation is a plus, but not required. All positions require a reasonable and reliable attendance, good communication skills, and the ability to work well independently, as well as with a team.

If you want to work for the leading manufacturer of store fixtures for the retail industry, apply today!
Lozier Corporation is an industry leader in providing store fixtures to major retailers across the U.S. and around the world. Headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, Lozier began manufacturing fixtures in 1956, and originated the basics of today's shelving systems. Today, Lozier has over 4 million square feet of manufacturing and distribution space across facilities located in five states. We are committed to quality and service, building our business around integrity and respect, and investing in our people and communities.
We continue to invest in technology and people to ensure we remain competitive in the industry. That means opportunities for you to grow and develop as an employee and individual. Whether you have a clear idea of where you see yourself in your career or not, Lozier has a diverse range of departments with their own challenges and opportunities for growth to explore. You will find a welcoming and team-oriented environment where employees strive to not only help the company succeed but also help each other succeed, too.

Primary Location: Indiana-MiddleburyWork Locations: Middlebury IN 402 North Main Street Middlebury 46540Job: ManufacturingOrganization: General SupportJob Type: Full-time Job Posting: Mar 28, 2022, 3:30:21 PM
Post your job
To find production shift managers for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:
- Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
- Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any production shift managers they would recommend.
- Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level production shift managers with the right educational background.
- Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.
Post your job online:
- Post your production shift manager job on Zippia to find and recruit production shift manager candidates who meet your exact specifications.
- Use field-specific websites.
- Post a job on free websites.
Interview candidates
Recruiting production shift managers 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.
You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.
The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.
Send a job offer and onboard your new production shift manager
Once you've found the production shift manager 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 important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.
After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new production shift manager. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.
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 production shift manager?

There are different types of costs for hiring production shift managers. One-time cost per hire for the recruitment process. Ongoing costs include employee salary, training, onboarding, benefits, insurance, and equipment. It is essential to consider all of these costs when evaluating hiring a new production shift manager employee.

The median annual salary for production shift managers is $32,365 in the US. However, the cost of production shift manager hiring can vary a lot depending on location. Additionally, hiring a production shift manager for contract work or on a per-project basis typically costs between $11 and $20 an hour.

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Updated December 21, 2025

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How to hire a production shift manager