Senior Production Supervisor in Manitowoc, Wisconsin at Shipbuilders of Wisconsin

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Senior Production Supervisor – Metals leads the daily execution of work within the Metals value stream, with accountability for safety, quality, delivery, cost, and hourly team development. Reporting to the Value Stream Manager – Metals, this role owns the shop floor cadence — ensuring the plan built by the value stream is executed safely, to standard, on time, and on budget.

This role enables the success of the value stream by owning tactical execution at the shop floor, surfacing issues early, and driving countermeasures on SQDC — allowing the Value Stream Manager to focus on strategic execution, cross-functional integration, and value stream-level improvement.

As the primary connection between value stream leadership and the hourly workforce, the Senior Production Supervisor translates priorities into action and reinforces standard work, daily management, and continuous improvement at the point of execution.

Beyond the Metals value stream, this role also serves as the coach, mentor, and guide for Production Supervisors across the shipyard and joinery — setting the standard for daily execution, SQDC discipline, and shop floor leadership.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

Daily Execution & SQDC Ownership

1. Own daily execution of the Metals production schedule, meeting safety, quality, delivery, and cost commitments within budgeted labor and operating expense hours
2. Own the department SQDC board(s) — running the daily tier meeting, gathering and sharing specific details on hits and misses, and driving countermeasures with emphasis on Delivery and Cost, while leveraging key support partners inside and outside the value stream (Engineering, Planning, Quality, and others) to close gaps quickly.
3. Escalate constraints, risks, and cross-functional blockers to the Value Stream Manager with the context needed for rapid decision-making
4. Collaborate with planning to ensure work is sequenced optimally, staffed, and equipped to run to plan each shift

Value Stream Leadership Partnership

1. Serve as the VSM's primary execution partner — owning the tactical layer so the VSM can focus on value stream-level strategy, integration, and improvement
2. Provide accurate, timely floor-level data, observations, and issue surfacing to inform value stream decisions
3. Execute against the priorities, standards, and improvement plans set by the VSM, and hold the team accountable to them
4. Represent the value stream on the floor in the VSM's absence, maintaining continuity of standards and expectations

Team Development & Hourly Capability

1. Lead hourly team development to continuously increase manufacturing capability across metals disciplines (welding, forming, fitting, fabrication, assembly)
2. Staff, train, evaluate, coach, and develop associates in partnership with Human Resources and Quality Assurance
3. Build cross-functional knowledge within the team to increase flexibility and reduce single points of failure
4. Recognize and reward behaviors that support safety, quality, and continuous improvement

Peer Leadership & Supervisor Development

1. Serve as the coach, mentor, and guide for Production Supervisors across other value streams, modeling the standard for daily execution and shop floor leadership
2. Lead peer Supervisors along the SQDC journey — from board setup and daily tier cadence, to quality of hits/misses data, to disciplined countermeasure execution and sustained improvement
3. Share standard work, tools, and lessons learned across value streams to accelerate consistency and reduce variability in how supervision is practiced at Burger
4. Partner with the Value Stream Manager, Metals and other VSMs to identify supervisor development needs and build capability across the supervisor community
5. Reinforce a common language and cadence around SQDC, standard work, and structured problem-solving so that "how we supervise" is consistent regardless of value stream

Lean, Continuous Improvement & Standard Work

1. Reinforce standard work, daily management, and structured problem-solving as the way work is done in Metals
2. Drive continuous improvement in the area of responsibility through teamwork, skills development, and disciplined use of SQDC data
3. Identify and eliminate sources of variability impacting quality, schedule, and cost at the point of execution
4. Support the VSM in embedding Lean/CI transformation organically within the value stream

Safety, Quality & Process Discipline

1. Lead the team to ensure a safe working environment at all times; verify equipment is in working order and that safety standards are followed without exception
2. Partner with support functions to enforce quality checkpoints, installation standards, and process discipline established in partnership with Quality Assurance and Quality Control
3. Complete and maintain required production paperwork, records, timesheets, and company policy documentation

Culture & Leadership

1. Maintain a strong, visible presence on the shop floor to drive engagement, accountability, and problem-solving
2. Reinforce company values of Trust, Belonging, Recognition, and Resilience through daily leadership behaviors
3. Foster an environment where associates proactively identify issues and take ownership of solutions
4. Manage associate and management relationships within the guidelines of the Employee Guide and Company Policies; explain and enforce company policies and rules; maintain discipline, morale, and employee relations; administer disciplinary action for rule violations, misconduct, absenteeism, or deficient performance

LEADERSHIP:

1. Operates as the daily execution owner for the Metals value stream, translating VSM priorities into shift-level action
2. Demonstrates the ability to work in a highly collaborative, team-based environment and share knowledge both vertically and horizontally across the organization
3. Leads through presence, coaching, and standard work — modeling the behaviors expected of the hourly team
4. Makes well-informed, rational decisions within organizational policies and procedures
5. This position has direct reports

DECISION MAKING:

Exercises judgment regularly and continuously within the scope of daily execution, and assumes responsibility for decisions, consequences, and results impacting people, safety, and quality of service. Escalates value stream-level or cross-functional decisions to the Value Stream Manager with clear context and recommended actions.

COMMUNICATION:

Communicates clearly and professionally, both verbally and in writing, with hourly associates, peers, the Value Stream Manager, cross-functional partners (Process Engineering, Scheduling/Planning, Quality, Supply Chain), and support functions. Able to translate floor-level observations into structured updates that enable timely value stream decisions.

EDUCATION:

1. An associate degree or bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations Management, or a related field
2. Equivalent combination of technical training and progressive manufacturing supervisory experience will be considered
3. Lean / Continuous Improvement training or certifications (e.g., Lean, Six Sigma) a plus

EXPERIENCE:

1. Proven supervisory experience in a production environment, preferably within a fabrication and assembly setting
2. Demonstrated success implementing and driving SQDC performance and leading daily operational execution on the shop floor
3. Working knowledge of Lean / Continuous Improvement principles, with the ability to train, coach, and guide teams in applying them effectively
4. Proven track record in workforce development, leadership coaching, and building hourly team capability
5. Experience partnering with Engineering, Planning, Quality, and Supply Chain functions to enable predictable execution
6. Strong interpersonal, communication, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to lead, coach, and mentor production teams and peer supervisors
7. Proficiency in MS Office Suite for scheduling, planning, and production reporting; familiarity with production layouts or schematics (e.g., AutoCAD) is helpful but not required

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

Sitting in a typical office position while also requiring regular presence in operational areas, including standing, walking, climbing stairs, and interacting with shop floor teams.

GENERAL STATEMENT

This description is intended to outline the general responsibilities and requirements of the role and is not exhaustive. Additional duties may be assigned as required to support operational and business objectives.