Production Supervisor

Job Description

Job Description

Job Summary 

The Production Supervisor is responsible for the safe, efficient, and consistent operation of an assigned production shift. This position provides hands-on leadership to production employees and oversees staffing, production, equipment, materials, sanitation, and documentation to ensure production goals are met.

The Production Supervisor is accountable for employee safety, food safety, product quality, productivity, labor efficiency, sanitation, and compliance with company procedures. This position works closely with the Assistant Production Manager, other shift supervisors, Quality, Maintenance, Sanitation, Warehouse, and Human Resources to ensure effective operations and shift-to-shift communication.

• Bilingual (English/Spanish) is required, especially in production environments.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities: 

Production Operations

• Lead daily production activities across yogurt, cheese, pasteurization, receiving, and other production areas to meet production schedules and priorities.
• Plan and adjust staffing, equipment, materials, and line assignments based on production needs.
• Monitor production performance, including output, labor efficiency, yield, waste, and downtime, and address issues promptly.
• Ensure employees follow product specifications, SOPs, work instructions, and established production procedures.
• Coordinate with Quality, Maintenance, Sanitation, Warehouse, and other departments to resolve operational issues.
• Maintain effective shift handoffs and communicate production status, staffing concerns, equipment issues, and priorities.
• Assume Assistant Production Manager responsibilities when assigned.

Employee Leadership, Scheduling & Training

• Provide direct supervision and daily direction to employees assigned to the shift.
• Maintain an active presence throughout production and clearly communicate expectations for safety, quality, attendance, productivity, conduct, and teamwork.
• Manage employee assignments and schedule changes to maintain appropriate production coverage.
• Monitor attendance, timekeeping, and meal-period compliance and report or address issues according to company procedures.
• Coach employees, provide performance feedback, and address attendance, conduct, and performance concerns promptly.
• Administer corrective action in coordination with management and Human Resources.
• Ensure employees complete required new-hire, production, safety, and refresher training and that training records are accurate and current.
• Promote a respectful, accountable, and productive work environment.

Food Safety, Quality, Safety & Sanitation

• Ensure compliance with GMPs, SQF, food safety, quality, allergen, sanitation, safety, and product specification requirements.
• Monitor employee and production practices and immediately address safety, food safety, quality, or sanitation concerns.
• Ensure employees use required PPE and follow established safety procedures.
• Ensure injuries, accidents, near misses, quality issues, and food safety concerns are reported and addressed promptly.
• Coordinate production cleaning and ensure requirements of the Master Sanitation Schedule (MSS) are completed.
• Work with Quality and other departments on investigations, root causes, and corrective actions.

Documentation & Continuous Improvement

• Oversee production documentation, including make sheets, production records, cleanliness/task checklists, and other required forms.
• Review documentation for accuracy and completeness and verify required tasks are completed before records are submitted to the Production Office or Quality Assurance.
• Follow up on missing or incomplete documentation and ensure records are submitted on time.
• Develop and maintain production SOPs, work instructions, and standard work as needed.
• Identify and support improvements in safety, quality, productivity, labor efficiency, yield, waste, and workflow.
• Investigate recurring production issues and support corrective actions and continuous improvement projects.

GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES

• Follow and enforce company safety, food safety, quality, and workplace policies and procedures.
• Maintain professional conduct and support a respectful workplace.
• Communicate significant employee, safety, quality, or operational concerns to management promptly.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Production Manager.

  Qualifications /Requirements 

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Manufacturing, Industrial Engineering, Food Science, Operations Management, or a related field preferred; equivalent experience may be considered.
• 5–7+ years of progressive experience in production or manufacturing operations, including at least 3 years in a supervisory or management role.
• Demonstrated leadership experience overseeing teams, managing schedules, and driving performance in a fast-paced production environment.
• Experience in food manufacturing, dairy, beverage, or other regulated production environments preferred (if applicable).
• Experience with Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, or continuous improvement methodologies is highly desirable.
• A valid driver’s license may be required depending on operational needs.
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) is required, especially in production environments.

Leadership & Communication

• Proven ability to lead, train, motivate, and develop production teams.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build trust, navigate conflict, and promote a positive work culture.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to prepare reports, documentation, and clear work instructions.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams, including Quality, Maintenance, HR, and senior leadership.

Physical and Mental Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these functions.

• Ability to stand and walk for extended periods (up to 8–10 hours) on production floors.
• Ability to occasionally lift, carry, push, or pull up to 50 pounds of materials, ingredients, or equipment.
• Ability to bend, reach, stoop, twist, climb stairs, and maneuver around production equipment and tight workspaces.
• Ability to work in varying environmental conditions, including cold storage areas (35–40&degree;F), warm production spaces, wet/humid areas, and moderately loud environments with operating machinery.
• Ability to use hands, wrists, and fingers to operate equipment controls, tools, computers, and documentation systems.
• Ability to hear and communicate clearly in a busy production area with background noise.
• Ability to wear all required PPE such as hairnets, gloves, hearing protection, face coverings, and slip-resistant footwear.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, production schedules, and changing operational needs in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to make timely decisions regarding safety, quality, staffing, and workflow, even during high-pressure or unexpected situations.
• Ability to analyze reports, interpret SOPs, review production data, and identify problems or inconsistencies.
• Ability to maintain focus and attention to detail to ensure product quality, accurate documentation, and regulatory compliance.
• Ability to handle employee interactions, training, coaching, and corrective action with professionalism and clarity.
• Ability to apply and enforce complex regulatory requirements, including GMPs, SQF, HACCP, and Cal/OSHA standards.
• Ability to adapt quickly to operational challenges, production changes, or emergency situations while maintaining composure and sound judgment..

Work Environment:

The Production Supervisor works primarily in a creamery and food manufacturing environment with exposure to a range of conditions, including cold rooms (35–40&degree;F), refrigerated storage, warm processing areas, and wet or humid spaces. The facility may have moderate to high noise levels from production equipment such as pumps, compressors, and machinery. Floors may be slippery at times due to routine cleaning and sanitation processes, requiring the use of slip-resistant footwear and appropriate PPE, including hairnets, gloves, hearing protection, and protective clothing. Employees may be exposed to strong or distinct dairy-related odors, cleaning agents, sanitizers, steam, and raw dairy products or allergens.

This role requires frequent movement throughout the production facility, including walking on concrete floors, climbing stairs, and navigating around equipment, tight spaces, and active production lines. Work involves regular interaction with production staff, cross-functional teams, and external auditors or inspectors, and may require a flexible schedule that includes early mornings, extended hours, weekends, or holidays depending on production demands. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the role.

  Compensation and Benefits 

Bellwether Farms is committed to pay equity and transparency in alignment with California law. The anticipated salary range for this position is $79,000- $92,000. This range is provided as a general guideline. Final compensation will be determined based on factors such as relevant experience, education, skills, internal equity, and market conditions.

We are proud to offer a comprehensive benefits package, which may include:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance (eligibility begins after 30 days of employment)
• 401(k) retirement plan with a generous company match
• Paid time off, including vacation, sick leave, and holidays
• Access to company products and employee discounts

Bellwether Farms is an Equal Opportunity Employer dedicated to diversity and inclusion. All qualified applicants will be considered regardless of legally protected characteristics.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of responsibilities, duties, and skills required. Management reserves the right to modify, add, or remove duties as necessary.