How to hire a senior manufacturing supervisor

How to hire a senior manufacturing supervisor, step by step

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a senior manufacturing 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

   Hiring the perfect senior manufacturing supervisor also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   Here's a comparison of senior manufacturing supervisor salaries for various roles:

   Type of Senior Manufacturing Supervisor	Description	Hourly rate
   Senior Manufacturing Supervisor		$34-63
   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
   Shift Production Supervisor	A shift production supervisor is in charge of overseeing business operations, ensuring efficiency and smooth workflow. Their responsibilities revolve around devising strategies to reach production standards and production targets, supervising and assessing staff performance, delegating tasks, managing schedules, and prioritizing customer satisfaction... Show more	$10-25

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Lean Manufacturing
   • Production Schedules
   • Corrective Action
   • FDA
   • Sigma
   • GMP
   • Medical Devices
   • Direct Reports
   • Direct Supervision
   • SR
   • Cost Reduction
   • Process Improvement
   • Quality Standards
   • Lean Six Sigma

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage production control systems to ensure high quality and adherence to all FDA regulation.
   • Manage a team of QC inspectors for inspecting automotive components from manufacturing line
   • Interface with regulatory agencies (FDA, TGA, DEA and EMEA) for on-site inspections and follow up.
   • Involve in production, GMP compliance, new equipment qualification.
   • Lead efforts to improve safety to become OSHA compliant in the areas of LOTO, machine guarding.
   • Review all relate and supporting GMP documentation.

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, senior manufacturing supervisors' average salary in hawaii is 42% less than in district of columbia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level senior manufacturing supervisors earn 46% less than senior-level senior manufacturing supervisors.
   • Certifications. A senior manufacturing 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 senior manufacturing supervisor's salary.

   Average senior manufacturing supervisor salary

   $98,355yearly

   $47.29 hourly rate

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   Entry-level senior manufacturing supervisor salary

   $72,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 15, 2025

4. Writing a senior manufacturing supervisor job description

   A senior manufacturing supervisor 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 senior manufacturing supervisor job description:

   Senior manufacturing supervisor job description example

   Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories is looking for a compassionate, results-driven, and values-focused leader in our Electronic Assembly Department in Lewiston, Idaho! Successful candidates will understand the significance of instilling trust with excellent communication and follow-through, while safely delivering defect-free products quickly, as promised. This position is Monday through Friday, 8am-5pm.
   As this position is open to multiple skill levels, please see below:
   
   Manufacturing Manager
   
   Essential Duties and Responsibilities1. Actively lead, mentor, and coach manufacturing leaders and provide guidance to manufacturing support groups, ensuring alignment with organizational objectives. Regularly provide feedback, empower, and coach leaders.2. Accountable for safety, quality, on-time delivery, productivity and budget of assigned production groups.3. Proactively and effectively address personnel issues and settle differences equitably and productively.4. Identify and justify staffing and capital needs through the collection and reporting of data.5. Model, teach, and apply SEL Values, Principles of Operations, and World Class Manufacturing Principles.6. Understand. Create. Simplify.7. Other duties as assigned.Required QualificationsB.S. degree in Business, Engineering or equivalent experience10+ years of combined leadership and supervisory experience English language proficiency Proven ability to communicate professionally, respectfully and openly to a diverse audience.Proven ability to prioritize, organize and delegate work; intervene to remove obstacles as needed.Lean manufacturing and world class manufacturing knowledge Quality system knowledge Strong writing, documentation, and speaking skills Ability to learn new skills and assume new responsibilities Ability to work cooperatively in a team environment Background check results satisfactory to SELNegative drug test result(s) Preferred QualificationsMaster in Operations, Manufacturing or AdministrationPhysical RequirementsNone
   
   Senior Manufacturing Supervisor
   
   Essential Duties and Responsibilities1. Actively monitor process indicators to ensure identification, collaboration and effective implementation of necessary actions to achieve department objectives.
   
   2. Monitor employee performance, regularly provide employee feedback, empower, mentor and coach employees, write and deliver performance reviews, and assist employees in setting goals.
   
   3. Mentor supervisors and align their goals with organizational objectives.
   
   4. Identify change initiatives and engage employees in positively implementing and communicating change.
   
   5. Responsible for assessing department training needs, overseeing department training program and driving training initiatives.
   
   6. Proactively and effectively address personnel issues and settle differences equitably and productively.
   
   7. Audit department processes, identify and implement action plans to address gaps.
   
   8. Coordinate and provide input to engineering staff and participate in new product launches.
   
   9. Justify staffing and capital needs through the collection and reporting of data.
   
   10. Utilize and teach advanced process improvement techniques and Lean Manufacturing tools to others.
   
   11. Implement safety initiatives promote safety standards to others
   
   12. Model, teach, and apply SEL Values, Principles of Operations, and World Class Manufacturing Principles.
   
   13. Understand. Create. Simplify.
   
   14. Other duties as assigned.Required Qualifications6+ years of supervisory experience Demonstrated ability to model, mentor and teach SEL Values to others Proven ability to communicate professionally, respectfully and openly to a diverse audience.Proven ability to prioritize, organize and delegate work; intervene to remove obstacles as needed.Comprehensive knowledge of manufacturing processes and product flow for up and downstream departments.Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office programs and department's business systems (Lotus Notes, Dynamics AX, SQS, etc.) Strong writing, documentation, and speaking skills Ability to quickly learn new skills, assume new responsibilities and continuously identify, measure and improve process.Ability to work cooperatively in a team environment Background check results satisfactory to SELNegative drug test result(s) Preferred QualificationsCollege degree (BS or BA) Expert knowledge of Microsoft Office programs and department's business systems (Lotus Notes, Dynamics AX, SQS, etc.) Physical RequirementsNone
   
   SEL is an Equal Opportunity Employer: M/F/Vets/Disabled.
   
   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.

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5. Post your job

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

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting senior manufacturing supervisors 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.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new senior manufacturing supervisor

   Once you've selected the best senior manufacturing 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.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new senior manufacturing supervisor. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

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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