Production Supervisor - Second Shift bei Dixon Ticonderoga Company

Dixon Ticonderoga Company is seeking a Production Supervisor to join our team. Our mission is to engage, inspire and empower teachers, students and artists to be their best by providing them with superior educational and art products. Dixon is a leading North American supplier of Art and Education products, serving School and Retail Markets. Dixon headquarters are in Appleton, Wisconsin. We are also quickly accelerating our global growth, with the combined strength from our parent company, FILA.

Position Summary:

The Production Supervisor is responsible for overseeing daily operations and team performance.  This role ensures safety, quality, efficiency, and customer satisfaction while managing a team of 30-45 employees.  The Supervisor provides leadership, coaching, and development to team members, fosters positive employee relations, and drives continuous improvement initiatives.  In addition, the position is accountable for resource planning, performance reporting, and compliance with company policies and procedures.  The Production Supervisor plays a key role in optimizing production performance, maintaining a safe and productive work environment, and supporting the achievement of departmental and organizational goals.

Essential Functions:

• Responsible for daily coordination of production activities and performance in assigned areas and shifts including maximization of safety, quality, financial metrics of production, and meeting customer needs.
• Responsible for management of assigned team of 30-45 production employees; participates in the hiring process, employee on-boarding and performance management.
• Provide direction, leadership, development and support to direct reports through empowerment, teamwork, on-the-job assignments and continuous improvement to meet current and future business requirements.
• Address informal grievances and assist in the settlement of formal grievances.  Develop and maintain positive employee relations and ensure open lines of communications with employees.
• Plan and manage the daily allocation of resources (equipment, people, materials and systems) in order to safely, efficiently, and cost effectively achieve performance targets set by Production Management.
• Ensure that a high quality of products, services, housekeeping and hygiene standards are maintained and improved in assigned areas.
• Review daily achievement of targets and report variances during on-the-floor and review meetings.
• Prioritize, schedule, and ensure Maintenance & Repairs are completed to maximize efficiency.
• Coach employees in their development of knowledge and skills, providing timely feedback, guidance, and training to help them reach goals.  Provide feedback to employees on their performance regularly.
• Ensure the development and implementation of action plans to address root causes of failures and support continuous improvement initiatives.
• Facilitate seamless handoffs and communicate key information to peers, team members and Production Management.
• Act as the backup for the Inventory Control/Quality Control position when needed
• Understand internal and external regulations, procedures & policies and apply them fairly and consistently.
• Provide feedback and ideas as related to Capital projects for cost savings or Safety needs.
• Manage relationships and maintain professional rapport with internal and external customers, suppliers, colleagues and support services to ensure achievement of department and company goals.
• Optimize machine performance by meeting and exceeding budgeted production while keeping costs at or below budget.  Work with crews to generate cost savings and encourage productivity improvement ideas.  Report and help to implement ideas with the greatest benefit/cost ratio.
• Minimize machine downtime due to product changeovers.
• Manage labor, material, and supply expenses within budgetary constraints.
• Safety:  Ensure a safe work environment is maintained at all times. Responsible for having safe work instructions available for all positions. Processes are run in accordance with SOP's. All employees have the required level of safety training, all equipment and installations are well maintained with safety guards & devices and associates are using the appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).  Complete a thorough investigation of all safety near misses and accidents.  Determine root causes and develop an action plan to eliminate or mitigate the cause of near misses and accidents.
• Quality:  Ensure production quality objectives are met including regular adherence to company’s manufacturing practices and conduction of product quality checks conducted in accordance with policies. Actively participate in prevention and correction of quality-related errors.
• Other duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Basic knowledge of paper converting manufacturing equipment and process.
• Strong leadership skills
• Excellent communication skills - written, verbal and interpersonal.
• Effective problem solving skills and decision making abilities.
• Demonstrated success leading in a union environment.
• Strong Computer Skills - Microsoft Office

Education and Experience:

• High school diploma or GED
• Minimum of 3 years supervisory experience in manufacturing production and/or manufacturing maintenance.
• Lean Manufacturing and/or Process Improvement work experience preferred.
• ERP system experience (e.g., SAP) is a plus.

Working Conditions:

• The employee may experience variable working conditions in the work environment. Examples include, but are not limited to, temperature variations, dust, noise, and exposure to moving mechanical parts.

Note:  The statements herein are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by the employee and are not be construed as an exhaustive list of responsibilities, duties, abilities and skills required of personnel so classified.