How to hire a production supervisor/manager

How to hire a production supervisor/manager, step by step

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a production supervisor/manager, 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

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a production supervisor/manager to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a production supervisor/manager that fits the bill.

   Here's a comparison of production supervisor/manager salaries for various roles:

   Type of Production Supervisor/Manager	Description	Hourly rate
   Production Supervisor/Manager		$30-58
   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
   Production Team Leader	A production team leader is in charge of leading and overseeing the efforts of a production team, ensuring projects are carried out in adherence to its goals and timelines. It is their duty to set guidelines and objectives, manage budgets and schedules, liaise with internal and external parties, and assess the performance of team members... Show more	$12-28

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Safety Procedures
   • SPC
   • Production Supervisors
   • Lean Manufacturing
   • Production Schedules
   • On-Time Delivery
   • Production Facility
   • Continuous Improvement
   • Production Process
   • R
   • Quality Standards
   • Production Operations
   • Corrective Action
   • Production Lines

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage safety, QA, production, product scheduling, employee scheduling.
   • Manage processes including industrial welding, hot and cold sizing, CNC and manual milling, and heat treating.
   • Manage daily warehouse inventory work activity conformance to quality and GMP standards.
   • Enforce and monitor plant and company GMP regulations.
   • Schedule Kaizen events for each department to reduce waste in procedures and processes.
   • Program, set up, and run CNC machines like the Amada EML K3610NT punch laser combination.

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, production supervisors/manager' average salary in florida is 41% less than in massachusetts.
   • Seniority. Entry-level production supervisors/manager earn 47% less than senior-level production supervisors/manager.
   • Certifications. A production supervisor/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 supervisor/manager's salary.

   Average production supervisor/manager salary

   $88,803yearly

   $42.69 hourly rate

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   Entry-level production supervisor/manager salary

   $64,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 19, 2025

4. Writing a production supervisor/manager job description

   A good production supervisor/manager job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a production supervisor/manager job description:

   Production supervisor/manager job description example

   Choose your path. Silgan believes in promoting from within - Opportunity starts here. Our Vision and Values of leadership, quality, integrity, and collaboration provides the foundation of Silgan Containers.
   
   This foundation is why we are the leader in metal food packaging, and why we are an essential part of America's food chain.
   
   Silgan Containers the largest manufacturer of metal food containers in the U.S. is seeking highly talented leaders to join our Manager Trainee Program. As a Production Supervisor/Manager Trainee the successful candidate will learn and understand the five Key Plant Control Factors of Safety, Quality, Standard Operating Procedures, Employee Relations, and Operational Excellence. Launch or enhance your career in production management, apply today.
   
   The Silgan Containers Management Trainee position and the Silgan Containers Production Management Development Program (PMDP) will train highly motivated & qualified individuals to assume Plant Supervisor or higher management positions within the organization. The position requires solid technical & mechanical aptitudes. The position will also require strong communication and leadership skills.
   
   The Silgan Containers PMDP is designed for Management Trainees who are self-motivated individuals that work well with little to no supervision. The position is designed to assimilate both entry-level through mid-level Management Trainees into the Silgan Manufacturing environment over time.
   
   While the position will not have any immediate subordinates, this candidate will be required to learn, understand, and positively impact 5 Key Plant Control Factors; Safety, Quality, Standard Operating Requirements, Employee Relations and Operational Excellence Tools. This candidate may be required to relocate.
   JOB REQUIREMENTS Essential Job Functions: Safety * Learn and train personnel. * Learn and apply written safety procedures. * Observe work areas for safety improvements. * Review and learn investigative processes. Quality * Learn and apply SPC principles & Basic Quality Tools (diagrams, flow/run/control charts, analysis, etc.) Standard Operating Procedures * Learn and train procedures * Learn and maximize production throughput. * Learn and manage equipment. * Learn factory organization. * Enforce SOP's. * Learn & review standard reporting. Employee Relations * Develop & mentor employees. * Direct & assign work. * Administer Labor contract in union plants. Operational Excellence (OpEx) * Learn and administer established standards. * Personal inspection of work force, material usage & production. * Analyze reports. Other duties as assigned by the Plant Manager Job Requirements JOB REQUIREMENTS Education, Skills, and Experience: * College Degree (or relevant work/training experience) * Level (2) to mid-level (5 plus) years' experience * Leadership skills * Great communication including both written and oral * Technical and performance management skills * Statistical and computer knowledge * Problem solving and visual mechanic skills (blue prints and descriptions) * Candidates with a strong mechanical, and manufacturing background preferred * Candidates with supervisor/managerial experience preferred LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMER The above job description is meant to describe the general nature and level of work being performed; it is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required for the position. All job requirements are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities. Some requirements may exclude individuals who pose a direct threat or significant risk to the health and safety of themselves or other employees. This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee occupying this position. Employees will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform other job-related duties requested by their supervisor in compliance with Federal and State Laws. Requirements are representative of minimum levels of knowledge, skills and/or abilities. To perform this job successfully, the employee must possess the abilities or aptitudes to perform each duty proficiently. Continued employment remains on an "at-will" basis. Silgan is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We consider applicants for all positions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, or the presence of a disability, which would not prevent the performance of essential job duties with, or without reasonable accommodation of any other protective status. Silgan is a drug-free workplace. EEO/M/W/Vet/Disability

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5. Post your job

   To find the right production supervisor/manager for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with production supervisors/manager they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit production supervisors/manager who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your production supervisor/manager job on Zippia to find and recruit production supervisor/manager candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting production supervisors/manager 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.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   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 production supervisor/manager

   Once you have selected a candidate for the production supervisor/manager position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new production supervisor/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.

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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