Production Supervisor - MFG (Hot Forming)

Production Supervisor – Hot Forming Department

Position Summary

The Production Supervisor – Hot Forming is responsible for leading the daily operations of the Hot Forming Department while ensuring safe, efficient, and high-quality production. This position will play a critical leadership role in the department's expansion as multiple new production lines are commissioned over the coming year. The successful candidate will possess strong mechanical aptitude, proven experience scaling manufacturing teams, developing technical training programs, and troubleshooting complex production processes in a high-temperature manufacturing environment.

This position leads a current team of six employees with planned growth to approximately fifteen team members as production capacity expands.

Key Responsibilities

Production Leadership

• Lead daily operations of the Hot Forming Department to achieve safety, quality, delivery, and productivity objectives.
• Supervise, coach, and develop production employees while fostering a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.
• Coordinate staffing and workflow to support production schedules and customer requirements.
• Monitor production performance, identify improvement opportunities, and implement corrective actions.

Department Growth & Expansion

• Support installation, commissioning, and ramp-up of new hot forming production lines.
• Develop staffing plans and organizational structure to support department growth from 6 to approximately 15 employees.
• Assist with equipment validation, production readiness, and process optimization during new line launches.
• Establish standardized work instructions and operational best practices for new equipment.

Training & Employee Development

• Develop and implement comprehensive training programs for new and existing employees.
• Create qualification and cross-training plans to build workforce flexibility.
• Mentor team members in equipment operation, troubleshooting, quality standards, and safe work practices.
• Evaluate employee performance and provide regular coaching and development.

Process Improvement & Troubleshooting

• Utilize strong mechanical knowledge to diagnose and resolve equipment and process issues.
• Lead root cause investigations for production, equipment, and quality concerns.
• Partner with Engineering and Maintenance to improve equipment reliability and manufacturing efficiency.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives focused on safety, productivity, quality, and waste reduction.

Safety & Compliance

• Promote and enforce all company safety policies and OSHA requirements.
• Ensure employees consistently follow safe operating procedures in a hot work environment.
• Conduct safety observations, incident investigations, and corrective action implementation.
• Maintain compliance with company policies, environmental requirements, and quality standards.

Quality Management

• Ensure products meet established quality specifications.
• Monitor production metrics, scrap rates, and process capability.
• Work closely with Quality Assurance to investigate and resolve nonconforming products.
• Promote a culture of quality ownership throughout the department.

Qualifications

Required

• High school diploma or GED required; Associate's degree or technical certification preferred.
• 5+ years of manufacturing experience with progressively increasing leadership responsibility.
• Minimum 2 years of supervisory experience in a manufacturing environment.
• Strong mechanical aptitude with demonstrated experience troubleshooting manufacturing equipment and processes.
• Experience leading teams through production growth, equipment expansion, or new product/process launches.
• Experience developing and delivering technical training for manufacturing employees.
• Strong understanding of Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement principles.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and manufacturing reporting systems.

Preferred

• Experience in hot forming, forging, heat treatment, metal forming, or other high-temperature manufacturing operations.
• Experience supporting equipment installation and startup activities.
• Knowledge of TPM, Six Sigma, or Lean manufacturing methodologies.
• Experience working closely with Engineering, Maintenance, and Quality teams.

Physical & Working Conditions

• Work is performed in a non-climate-controlled manufacturing environment.
• Regular exposure to elevated temperatures, heat-producing equipment, noise, dust, and industrial machinery.
• Frequent walking, standing, bending, lifting (up to 50 pounds), climbing stairs, and extended periods on the production floor.
• Required use of personal protective equipment (PPE), including heat-resistant PPE as applicable.
• Must be able to safely perform duties in a hot work environment while maintaining focus on safety and operational excellence.

Success Factors

The ideal candidate will demonstrate:

• Strong hands-on mechanical and technical troubleshooting ability.
• Proven leadership during periods of manufacturing growth and expansion.
• Ability to build, coach, and retain high-performing production teams.
• Confidence leading change and implementing new manufacturing processes.
• Commitment to safety, quality, and continuous improvement.
• Excellent decision-making under pressure in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.