2nd Shift Front-End Production Supervisor (Monday – Friday 3:30 PM – 12:00 PM)

Knowles Corporation•Liberty, SC

About The Position

The 2nd Shift Front-End Production Supervisor leads and directs daily manufacturing operations to achieve safety, quality, delivery, cost, and productivity objectives. The role provides frontline leadership to production employees and ensures manufacturing schedules are executed efficiently while fostering accountability, continuous improvement, employee engagement, and operational excellence. The successful candidate demonstrates strong leadership and decision-making skills and applies Lean Manufacturing principles and disciplined operational execution. The position oversees production activities and performance, workforce planning, employee development, safety and regulatory compliance, product quality, continuous improvement, and operational reporting. It collaborates with Production, Planning, Engineering, Maintenance, and Quality functions to maintain efficient operations and address risks or performance challenges.

Requirements

At least 3 years of manufacturing experience in a production environment in a supervisory, team lead, or frontline leadership role.
Demonstrated experience applying Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement methodologies.
Knowledge of production planning, workforce utilization, and manufacturing operations.
Understanding of industrial engineering fundamentals and line balancing principles.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel, and manufacturing reporting tools.
Familiarity with quality improvement methodologies and problem-solving tools, including 5 Why Analysis, Fishbone Diagrams, SPC, and Root Cause Analysis.
Ability to interpret production data and make data-driven operational decisions.
Strong leadership presence and ability to motivate and develop teams.
Effective communication, coaching, and conflict resolution skills.
Sound judgment and decision-making in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
Results-oriented mindset focused on accountability and execution.
Strong organizational and problem-solving capabilities.
High integrity, ownership, and personal accountability, with a commitment to continuous improvement and operational excellence.
Ability to work in a manufacturing environment with regular exposure to production equipment and varying temperatures.
Ability to stand and walk for extended periods throughout the shift; occasional lifting, bending, reaching, and movement throughout the production floor.
Ability to use required personal protective equipment in designated manufacturing areas.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Operations Management, or a related discipline preferred.
An Associate Degree, technical certification, or equivalent combination of education and relevant manufacturing experience may be considered.
Experience in a high-volume manufacturing environment preferred.

Responsibilities

Lead daily production activities to meet production schedules, customer requirements, and operational performance targets.
Monitor and manage KPIs, including productivity, scrap, labor efficiency, downtime, throughput, and on-time delivery.
Balance production lines and determine staffing requirements in response to production demands.
Coordinate with Production, Planning, Engineering, Maintenance, and Quality to maintain operational efficiency.
Identify and escalate risks that may affect safety, quality, delivery, or productivity.
Coach and develop production operators and team leads, set performance expectations, and hold employees accountable for operational goals.
Conduct shift meetings, performance discussions, and employee development activities.
Manage workforce planning, staffing, attendance, scheduling, and shift coverage.
Foster a positive, inclusive, high-performance work environment focused on teamwork, engagement, and continuous learning.
Promote adherence to company safety policies and procedures, OSHA regulations, and applicable environmental, health, and safety requirements.
Lead incident investigations, corrective actions, safety observations, audits, risk assessments, and safety improvement initiatives.
Ensure compliance with quality systems, standard operating procedures, and product specifications.
Partner with Quality and Engineering to investigate and resolve product and process nonconformances; support root cause analysis and CAPA implementation.
Promote quality ownership throughout the production team.
Lead and support Lean Manufacturing initiatives, including 5S, Standard Work, Kaizen, and waste reduction.
Identify opportunities to improve productivity, quality, safety, and manufacturing efficiency; support best practices and standardized procedures.
Participate in cost reduction, capacity expansion, and process improvement projects, using data and metrics to guide decisions.
Prepare and maintain production, labor, and operational performance reports; analyze trends and communicate results to leadership.
Maintain accurate employee, production, and operational records and communicate operational issues, staffing concerns, and production challenges in a timely manner.