Production Supervisor

Description

Organization

If you value innovation, creativity, and working hard to satisfy our customers, you will fit in well at Kerr. Our specialty is modifying brand new vehicles into police and emergency vehicles. In fact, we upfit more police vehicles than any other company in North America and we continue to focus on growing our business. Founded in 1952, Kerr Industries has a strong North American presence with operations located in Texas, Chicago, Michigan and Oshawa. We want motivated, ambitious people who put the needs of our customers first, bring creativity to their work and will do whatever it takes to achieve success. If you share our passion for providing innovative solutions to complex challenges, we want you on our team. For more information, please visit www.kerrindustries.com.

Position and Fit

The Production Supervisor is responsible for managing our Day shift automotive upfitting team. Our upfitters work each day to modify OEM vehicles into police and emergency vehicles through, routing and installing wire harnesses, controllers, partitions, auxiliary batteries, light bars, push bumpers, power supplies, component trays, and consoles. Previous experience with any of those tasks is considered an asset.

This is a high energy role with plenty of time spent on the production floor observing and overcoming issues to ensure scheduled production demands are met each day. The ideal Production Supervisor has proven leadership skills with the ability to bring about positive changes and efficiencies to the workforce. This role is key in helping the company improve the training, skills and abilities of our production team.

Responsibilities and Duties

• Open and close the shop daily, ensuring all safety and operational protocols are followed.
• Collaborate with the scheduling department to plan, direct, and assign production employees based on job scheduling and production demands.
• Actively monitor production on the shop floor, proactively identifying and resolving issues that could delay output.
• Identify and manage employee performance issues, support training efforts, and guide staff development to improve production efficiency, quality standards, and safety compliance.
• Perform record-keeping and reporting for various production metrics, including employee work hours, absenteeism, and performance indicators.
• Enforce and uphold company policies, procedures, and safety guidelines to maintain a professional and compliant work environment.
• Communicate regularly with internal and external stakeholders, including other departments and customers, to ensure coordination and timely updates on production progress or delays.
• Lead regular toolbox meetings to share updates, reinforce standards, and maintain consistent communication across the team.
• Coordinate timely material delivery to the shop floor and promptly communicate part shortages to the appropriate teams to prevent production delays.
• Support the organization and cleanliness of the warehouse by working with the Materials team to ensure accurate inventory and efficient part flow.
• Ensure the production floor and facility are clean, safe, and organized, which includes:

1. Reaching out to the landlord for any exterior issues affecting the facility.
2. Maintaining the surrounding areas free of garbage and debris.
3. Collaborating with the cleaning staff to ensure the building is in good repair.

• Perform additional duties as reasonably assigned to support production and team success.

Requirements

This position takes place largely on the shop floor with only minimal time per day at a desk or computer. The role is very interactive and requires a high level of mental and physical energy every day.

We are looking for someone who:

• Has 3-5 years of supervisory experience
• Able to work steady days from 7:30am – 4:30pm, with flexibility to cover the afternoon shift (4:00pm – 1:30am) as needed for absences or PTO coverage. Must be able to travel between facilities approximately 1 km apart when needed
• Is disciplined and determined with an assertive nature
• Possess a valid driver’s licence and a Secondary School Diploma/GED
• Has MS Office experience with Outlook and Excel
• Has strong written and verbal communication skills
• Has strong organizational skills
• Is able to stand and walk for up to 9 hours a day
• Has proven analytical, decision-making, and problem-solving skills.

Higher consideration will be given to those with previous experience in an automotive production or automotive maintenance environment, or those who have worked with automotive or household electrical.

Kerr Industries is committed to providing a workplace free from discrimination or harassment. We expect every member of the Kerr community to do their part to cultivate and maintain an environment where everyone has the opportunity to feel included and is afforded the respect and dignity they deserve.

Decisions related to hiring, compensating, training, evaluating performance, or terminating are made fairly, and we provide equal employment opportunities to all qualified candidates and employees. We examine our unconscious biases and take responsibility for always striving to create an inclusive environment that makes every employee and candidate feel welcome.