Manufacturing Frontline Supervisor, L.L.Bean for Business

At L.L.Bean, we believe the outdoors brings out the best in all of us. We are committed to fostering a culture of belonging and creating safe, inclusive spaces where everyone feels welcome—both here and Outside. We value individual differences and are dedicated to maintaining an inclusive work environment where everyone can bring the best of their experience and talents and truly thrive.

L.L.Bean is seeking a Frontline Supervisor for our manufacturing facility located in Lewiston, Maine.

What you'll do:

• Provide leadership to frontline employees including motivation, communication, training & development, health & safety, workflow, and external relations.
• Implement actions required to meet business goals

Responsibilities:

People Leadership

Staffing:

• Use independent judgement to recommend action to hire, transfer, layoff or recall employees
• Independent authority and discretion and expectation to: assign employees to tasks/job functions, direct employee activities, manage time & attendance
• Motivation and Communication
• Develop a motivating environment in which people exchange ideas and support each other
• Be readily available and approachable to frontline employees
• Surface issues of importance to frontline employees
• Address and resolve employee issues/conflicts within defined parameters and raise others to the next level of supervision for resolution
• Provide guidance to frontline employees regarding available company resources
• Communicate to direct reports regarding company, department, division initiatives, business updates, policies and procedures, etc.
• Represent management's position on policies, procedures, and practices
• Communicate between peers, shifts, facilities and other areas of the company, fostering positive business partnerships with other organizational areas

Training and Development:

• Oversee the development of frontline employees relative to current job placement and future career opportunities
• Provide input to the next level of management regarding training needs/objectives
• Performance Management
• Communicate business goals and performance expectations
• Supervise and monitor employee performance and productivity for continuous improvement
• Provide performance feedback and coaching
• Prepare and conduct performance reviews
• Use independent judgement to recommend action to promote employees and/or adjust compensation
• Process pay and status changes with the approval of the next level of supervision and maintain accurate and compliant personnel records
• Reward employees through recognition programs
• Administer the first two levels of a four tier disciplinary system1 (includes disciplinary action based on such factors as attendance, tardies, conduct, productivity, accuracy, etc.)
• Independent authority to place employees on paid administrative leave in cases involving clear policy violations and pending investigations
• Use independent judgement to recommend issuance of 2nd written warning, suspension without pay, placement of employees on paid administrative leave in cases beyond defined frontline supervisor authority, or discharge of employees

Health & Safety

• Know and follow all safety rules and procedures
• Identify safety hazards, abate those within defined parameters and raise those beyond the frontline supervisor's control to the next level of supervision for resolution
• Promote workplace safety initiatives
• Administer routine injury management

Operations Leadership

• Manage workflow or support the management of workflow i.e. collaborate with other frontline supervisors to initiate and execute the movement of frontline employees to other areas/functions to achieve work balancing, calling employees in or sending them home
• Manage processes and people based on information provided
• Monitor performance of area of responsibility relative to business goals and make adjustments/improvements as necessary
• Communicate process and/or procedural changes and coach frontline employees in their application
• Provide input to the budget and divisional/departmental performance objectives
• Make purchases within budgetary authority
• Secure resources to address and resolve technical or equipment problems as required to support smooth day to day operations
• Protect company assets

External Relations

• Represent L.L. Bean externally to customers, vendors and others (excluding the media) as appropriate to the function

Span of Control

• Typical range of 20-40 frontline employees, with the lower end of the range applicable in cases involving mixed functions and/or cross shift responsibilities and the higher end of the range applicable in situations characterized by homogeneous functions and single shift responsibilities
• This job description anticipates substantially greater clarity and consistency of human resource policies, procedures and practices throughout the company. The description of the frontline leader's role is also predicated on a four tier disciplinary system as follows: (1) oral coaching and counseling regarding a performance deficiency; (2) initial written warning, including an action plan; (3) final written warning; and (4) termination.

Manufacturing Responsibilities

• Generally, leads a team of 30-35 employees within a department

Staffing:

• Participates in hiring & termination of front line employees
• Selects employees for special assignments
• Motivation and Communication:
• Readily accessible and surfaces & addresses issues of importance to employees
• Guide to available company resources
• Communicates plans, instructions, and updates verbally and in writing
• Working knowledge and ability to represent company policies & procedures

Training/Development:

• Identifies talent & develops plans to support employee growth
• Makes assignment, promotion, & compensation recommendations
• Performance Management/Safety:
• Ensures safe work practices and addresses issues
• Provides daily feedback (+/-) regarding quality and quantity of work
• Writes and delivers appraisals
• Manages all aspects of employee performance up to recommending termination in cases
• of poor performance

Workflow/External Relations:

• Understand area workflow and action needed to meet production goals
• Manages area in keeping with financial targets
• Understand upstream & downstream impacts & works with other areas as needed to
• meet business objectives

Health and Safety Requirement: Every employee is responsible for contributing to a safe and healthy workplace. Employees are expected to be active participants in health and safety by following all safety policies and procedures, reporting unsafe conditions or at-risk behaviors to leadership, and conducting work in a safe manner. Those in a leadership role are also expected to model safe behaviors, evaluate risk, and ensure that risks are reduced to acceptable levels.

Skills and Qualifications:

• Vocational/Technical Degree
• 2+ years of relevant experience
• Bachelor’s degree preferred
• Proven/demonstrated aptitude to lead
• Effective verbal & written communicator
• Proficiency in computer applications including Microsoft Office products

L.L.Bean uses a market-based compensation approach. The anticipated starting base pay for this position is $65,800.00-$82,200.00. Individual compensation may vary based on factors such as a candidate’s experience, qualifications, education, geographic location, skills, competencies, and proficiency for the role.

If you care about the outdoors, joining L.L.Bean is a great way to feel good about what you do. Our benefits package makes a good thing even better, with programs and perks designed to support your health and financial goals. Plus, maintaining a healthy work-life balance and re-charging outside are all part of the plan.

If your experience looks a little different from what we've identified and you think you'd be great at this role, we'd love to learn more about you! At L.L.Bean, we believe the outdoors brings out the best in all of us. We strive to reflect this every day in our commitments to employees and partners and in our efforts to promote belonging.