Production Supervisor - 1st Shift

Bradford White Corporation•Middleville, MI

6d•Onsite

About The Position

Bradford White Corporation is seeking a first-shift Production Supervisor for its Middleville, Michigan location. The role leads 30–50 UAW-represented employees in a fast-paced, high-volume manufacturing environment. The supervisor is expected to be a visible, hands-on leader who builds trust, promotes positive employee relations, and fosters a culture of safety, quality, accountability, and respect. The position requires clear communication, sound judgment, composure under pressure, and effective partnership with union employees and leadership to support operational excellence and workforce engagement.

Requirements

At least 3 years of supervisory or leadership experience in a manufacturing environment.
Demonstrated success leading teams with a focus on safety, quality, and performance through employee engagement, communication, and accountability.
Strong communication, interpersonal, conflict-resolution, and relationship-building skills.
Ability to foster positive employee relations and handle challenging workplace situations with professionalism and composure.
Strong problem-solving, decision-making, and organizational skills.
Ability to balance safety, quality, productivity, and employee-engagement objectives.
Must be comfortable wearing a respirator in designated work areas.

Nice To Haves

Lean or Six Sigma experience.
Previous leadership experience in a unionized manufacturing environment.
Experience supervising employees in a high-volume manufacturing, assembly, or fabrication environment.
An associate or bachelor's degree, or an equivalent combination of education and leadership experience.

Responsibilities

Lead and develop a team of 30–50 hourly employees through coaching, mentoring, recognition, and consistent communication.
Build credible, positive working relationships with employees and foster a respectful, accountable work environment.
Partner with union leadership and employees and administer the Collective Bargaining Agreement fairly and consistently.
Address employee concerns professionally and proactively while promoting constructive employee relations and workforce engagement.
Maintain a visible, responsive, and professional presence on the production floor.
Promote safety as the highest priority and empower employees to identify and address potential risks.
Drive quality, productivity, and operational performance through team leadership and problem-solving.
Support implementation of new products, engineering changes, and operational improvements.
Monitor production schedules and work order progress to meet customer, quality, and delivery expectations.
Maintain accurate attendance, staffing, and performance documentation.
Respond effectively to changing priorities, staffing challenges, and production issues.
Identify and champion continuous improvement opportunities to reduce downtime and scrap, improve quality, and meet labor-efficiency targets through collaborative problem-solving.