Senior Production Supervisor

Job Summary Statement:

The Senior Production Supervisor is responsible for leading daily manufacturing operations within a highly automated solar module production facility. This role oversees production teams across one or more lines or shifts, ensuring safety, quality, delivery, and cost objectives are achieved.

As a senior-level leader, this position provides direction and mentorship to Production Supervisors and Team Leads while driving operational excellence, workforce performance, and continuous improvement initiatives. The Senior Production Supervisor plays a key role in supporting plant throughput, yield performance, and employee engagement in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

Essential Job Duties and Responsibilities:

• Oversees daily production operations to meet or exceed output, yield, and efficiency targets.
• Supervises Production Supervisors, Team Leads, and hourly operators.
• Ensures adherence to standardized work, production schedules, and manufacturing processes.
• Monitors and improves KPIs including OEE, scrap rates, downtime, cycle time, and labor efficiency.
• Acts as escalation point for production issues impacting safety, quality, or delivery.
• Partners with EHS to drive incident prevention and corrective actions ensuring strict compliance with safety protocols.
• Conducts regular safety audits and address hazards proactively.
• Ensures team adherence to PPE, LOTO procedures, and safe operating standards.
• Works with warehouse team for raw material requests and receiving, closing production orders systematically.
• Collaborates with shipping department for transfer of Finished Goods.
• Manages facility rework and retest activities.
• Uses manufacturing systems such as SAP and MES for material transfers and production monitoring.
• Partners with EHS to drive incident prevention and corrective actions.
• Ensures production output meets quality standards and customer specifications.
• Drives accountability for quality at the operator and team lead level.
• Partners with Quality and Engineering to resolve defects and implement corrective actions.
• Leads root cause analysis for recurring production issues.
• Coaches and develops Production Supervisors and frontline leaders.
• Supports performance management, attendance management, and employee engagement initiatives.
• Assists with workforce planning and staffing to support multi-shift operations.
• Promotes a culture of accountability, teamwork, and continuous improvement.
• Leads lean manufacturing initiatives to reduce waste and improve efficiency.
• Identifies process bottlenecks and implement improvement plans.
• Supports new equipment commissioning and production ramp-up activities.
• Encourages employee-driven improvement ideas and problem-solving.
• Partners with Maintenance to address equipment downtime and reliability concerns.
• Works closely with Supply Chain to ensure material availability.
• Collaborates with Engineering on process optimization and automation improvements.
• Communicates production performance and challenges to plant leadership.

Minimum Requirements and Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Operations, Engineering, Business, or related field (or equivalent experience).
• 7–10 years of manufacturing experience, preferably in a highly automated environment.
• 3–5 years of supervisory or leadership experience.
• Experience managing large hourly workforces across multiple shifts.
• Strong understanding of lean manufacturing principles.
• Proven ability to drive production performance improvements.
• Strong leadership and team development
• Data-driven decision making; Problem-solving and root cause analysis
• Conflict resolution and employee relations
• Effective communication and organizational skills
• Work Environment: Onsite role within a highly automated manufacturing facility; requires extended periods on the production floor.
• Requires flexibility in schedule to support multi-shift operations, including weekends.

Preferences

• Experience in solar, semiconductor, electronics, or advanced manufacturing industries.
• Experience supporting plant start-up or rapid production ramp environments.
• Six Sigma or Lean certification.