Production Supervisor

Job Title: Production Supervisor

Industry: Precision Engineering / High-Volume Manufacturing

Employment Type: Full-Time

Location: Maitland Cape Town

Salary: R50000 R62000 pm

Role Overview

Our client a leading precision engineering manufacturer is seeking a highly capable Production Supervisor 2nd Operations to oversee daily shop floor operations within a high-volume mechanical production environment.

This role is responsible for ensuring production output quality compliance equipment reliability and cost efficiency while leading and developing production teams. The successful candidate will be a hands-on technically minded supervisor with strong operational discipline capable of driving performance through structured planning effective leadership and continuous improvement.

Key Purpose of the Role

• Lead daily production execution to meet takt time output targets and on-time delivery.
• Ensure components are manufactured to specification on schedule and at optimal cost.
• Maintain stable processes and equipment reliability.
• Drive continuous improvement across safety quality productivity and efficiency.
• Minimise waste downtime scrap and rework through disciplined supervision and control.

Minimum Requirements

Qualifications

• Qualification in Operations Management or Production Management essential.
• Mechanical Engineering or related technical qualification advantageous.

Experience

• Minimum 5 years experience in manufacturing or mechanical production.
• Experience in high-volume or repetitive production environments.
• Demonstrated supervisory experience on the shop floor.
• Exposure to production control workflow planning and team leadership.
• Strong knowledge of Health & Safety legislation and compliance requirements.

Languages

• English and Afrikaans.

Key Responsibilities

Production Performance & Throughput

• Execute daily production plans and meet output targets.
• Coordinate operators to maintain continuous workflow and prevent stoppages.
• Balance production lines and allocate labour efficiently.
• Monitor cycle times bottlenecks and capacity utilisation.
• Implement immediate corrective actions when targets are at risk.
• Track hourly and daily performance metrics.
• Escalate issues early and implement recovery plans.
• Ensure strict adherence to approved processes and SOPs.
• Oversee specialised processes such as heat treatment where applicable.
• Maintain a strong focus on Right-First-Time production.

Production Data Reporting & Control

• Record and analyse production metrics (output downtime scrap labour efficiency).
• Identify trends and losses using factual data.
• Support improvement initiatives through measurable insights.
• Maintain accurate production and system records.

Quality Assurance

• Ensure all production complies with internal procedures and quality standards.
• Enforce process discipline and standard work practices.
• Ensure traceability and correct identification of materials and components.
• Investigate and resolve quality issues immediately.
• Support root-cause analysis and corrective action implementation.
• Promote a zero-defect mindset across the team.

Equipment Reliability & Maintenance

• Ensure operators perform daily autonomous maintenance checks.
• Monitor machine condition and prevent breakdowns.
• Support TPM and preventative maintenance initiatives.
• Ensure breakdowns are logged and addressed promptly.
• Drive improvements in uptime and Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE).

People Leadership & Supervision

• Lead coach and develop operators to meet performance standards.
• Provide clear direction and daily work allocation.
• Manage attendance timekeeping and labour utilisation.
• Address behavioural or performance issues promptly.
• Ensure training and competency records are up to date.
• Foster a culture of accountability discipline and ownership.

Stock & Material Control

• Ensure material availability to prevent production stoppages.
• Manage work orders and ERP system compliance.
• Control WIP scrap and rejects.
• Maintain accurate stock movement records.

Lean Manufacturing & Continuous Improvement

• Implement Lean Manufacturing principles.
• Maintain 5S and housekeeping standards.
• Use visual management tools for rapid decision-making.
• Identify waste across processes (waiting defects motion overproduction inventory).
• Lead improvement projects to increase efficiency and reduce cost.

Safety & Compliance

• Enforce safe work practices and PPE compliance.
• Fulfil legal safety responsibilities.
• Stop unsafe work immediately.
• Promote proactive safety awareness.
• Maintain compliance with legal and company requirements.

Cost Control

• Monitor and manage departmental costs.
• Identify cost-saving opportunities without compromising quality or safety.
• Reduce losses related to scrap downtime or inefficiencies.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with Maintenance Quality Planning and Support departments.
• Contribute to broader operational and organisational objectives.

Key Performance Indicators

• On-Time Delivery performance
• Throughput vs production plan
• Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE)
• First-Time-Right / defect rate
• Scrap and rework percentage
• Labour productivity
• Cost per unit produced
• Safety compliance
• Production target achievement

Core Competencies

• Strong production and processing knowledge.
• Understanding of high-volume manufacturing principles.
• Lean manufacturing and waste reduction expertise.
• Line balancing and capacity planning capability.
• Root-cause problem-solving ability.
• Mechanical systems understanding.
• Inventory and production control knowledge.
• ERP and shop-floor systems proficiency.
• People leadership and labour relations skills.

Personal Attributes

• Clear confident communicator.
• Decisive and action-oriented leader.
• Practical and results-driven.
• Strong problem-solver.
• Able to handle pressure in fast-paced environments.
• High accountability and ownership mindset.
• Skilled in conflict resolution and team motivation.

Ideal Candidate Profile

This role is best suited to a technically strong production supervisor who combines hands-on manufacturing knowledge with leadership capability. The ideal candidate thrives in structured environments understands production metrics and is motivated by achieving measurable performance improvements.