Our client is a top-tier automotive supplier specializing in high-quality plastic-molded components and painted assemblies for many of the world’s leading vehicle manufacturers and automotive brands. The company combines advanced molding, finishing, and highly automated paint-line capabilities to deliver consistent quality in a high-volume production environment.
The Production Supervisor will lead second-shift operations within the paint operations department, overseeing one Team Leader and approximately 25 employees across loading, unloading, line support, inventory control, material handling, and quality auditing. This is a hands-on floor leadership role focused on safety, quality, delivery, productivity, and employee engagement within a unionized automotive manufacturing facility.
Responsibilities
- Provide visible, hands-on leadership for second-shift paint operations and ensure the safe, efficient execution of the production schedule.
- Lead, coach, and hold accountable one Team Leader and approximately 25 production employees across loading, unloading, line support, inventory, material handling, and quality functions.
- Assign labor and resources to meet daily production requirements, respond to staffing or equipment constraints, and maintain continuity throughout the shift.
- Monitor paint-line performance, output, quality, scrap, rework, downtime, and material usage; take timely corrective action when targets are not achieved.
- Promote a strong safety culture and ensure compliance with plant procedures, personal protective equipment requirements, chemical-handling standards, and applicable environmental and safety regulations.
- Maintain consistent product appearance and coating quality by partnering with Quality, Engineering, Maintenance, and Production teams to resolve defects and process variation.
- Support troubleshooting of the automated paint line, robotics, conveyors, sensors, controls, and related equipment, escalating technical issues appropriately to minimize downtime.
- Ensure paint, components, packaging, and production materials are staged, tracked, and controlled accurately to support uninterrupted operations.
- Conduct shift start-up meetings, communicate priorities and performance expectations, and provide an effective handover to the next shift and plant leadership.
- Train and develop employees, reinforce standardized work, address performance concerns, and administer workplace policies consistently within a unionized environment.
- Complete production reports, attendance records, quality documentation, and other required shift records accurately and on time.
Drive continuous improvement through Lean manufacturing, 5S, root-cause problem solving, and practical improvements to safety, quality, flow, and productivity.
Requirements
- Previous supervisory or team leadership experience in a high-volume manufacturing environment, with responsibility for production employees and shift performance.
- Strong floor leadership skills with the ability to organize people, set clear expectations, resolve issues, and maintain accountability in a fast-paced operation.
- Automotive manufacturing experience is strongly preferred; experience with plastic injection molding, blow molding, painted plastic components, or similar production processes is highly desirable.
- Knowledge of industrial painting, coatings, surface preparation, curing, finishing, or paint-quality requirements is preferred.
- Experience working in a unionized manufacturing facility, including familiarity with collective bargaining agreements, work rules, attendance, and progressive discipline, is preferred.
- Exposure to highly automated manufacturing lines, robotics, PLC-controlled equipment, conveyors, sensors, and production automation is desirable.
- Working knowledge of production metrics, quality controls, scrap reduction, downtime management, labor planning, and continuous-improvement methods.
- Strong communication, coaching, problem-solving, and cross-functional collaboration skills.
- Ability to work the full second-shift schedule and be present before shift start and after shift end as operational needs require.
- High school diploma or equivalent required; an associate degree, technical qualification, or relevant leadership training is beneficial.
Position Details
Location: Grand Rapids, Michigan
Schedule: Second shift, Monday through Friday; production hours are approximately 2:20 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. The Supervisor must be available before and after the shift as needed.
Salary: Approximately $60,000 - 65,000 annually, depending on experience and qualifications.
Overtime: Straight-time overtime compensation applies after 45 hours worked.
Benefits: Benefits begin on day one; 401(k) with a 6% employer match; three weeks of annual vacation from date of hire; and 14 paid holidays, strong career progression.