Operations Supervisor (Food Production)

Career Guide

Supervises daily food manufacturing operations to meet safety, quality, and output targets. Oversees shift staffing, enforces HACCP and GMP standards, troubleshoots line issues, tracks performance metrics, and coordinates with maintenance, quality, and supply chain.

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Key Responsibilities

Supervise daily production line operations and staffing
Enforce HACCP, GMP, and sanitation procedures
Plan schedules, line changeovers, and labor allocation
Monitor OEE, scrap, rework, and downtime; report results
Lead root cause analysis and corrective/preventive actions
Coordinate equipment repairs with maintenance
Train, coach, and evaluate operators and line leads
Maintain inventory accuracy for raw and packaging materials

Career Progression

Can Lead To

Production Manager

Operations Manager

Plant Manager

Continuous Improvement Manager

Transition Opportunities

Quality Assurance Supervisor

EHS Specialist

Supply Chain/Logistics Manager

Maintenance Planner/Scheduler

Common Skill Gaps

Often Missing Skills

HACCP/GMP compliance in manufacturingOEE and throughput optimizationERP/MES systems (SAP, Plex)Root cause analysis and CAPAFSMA/traceability documentation

Development SuggestionsComplete HACCP training and a Lean/Six Sigma course; lead a small Kaizen on your line and build an OEE dashboard using sample data or an ERP/MES sandbox.

Market Intelligence Report

Operations Supervisor (Food Production) is part of the Plant & Line Supervision category.Explore our market intelligence report to see how AI and hiring demand are shifting for these roles.

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Salary & Demand

Median Salary Range

Entry Level$50,000-$60,000

Mid Level$62,000-$78,000

Senior Level$80,000-$95,000

Growth Trend

stable — Steady food demand; automation limits net new supervisory roles.

Companies Hiring

Major Employers

Tyson FoodsPepsiCoNestlé USA

Industry Sectors

Food & Beverage ManufacturingConsumer Packaged GoodsAgribusiness & Food Processing

Recommended Next Steps

Earn HACCP certification and OSHA 10; add Lean Six Sigma Green Belt to demonstrate CI capability.

Take an applied ERP/MES course (e.g., SAP PP or Plex); produce a mock production and downtime report.

Run a data-driven root cause project on a recurring defect or downtime issue and document CAPA; present to plant leadership.