2nd Shift Supervisor
Waterbury
Job Type
Full-time
Description


Role Summary

The 2nd Shift Manufacturing Supervisor leads daily for our 2nd  shift, ensuring safety, quality, delivery, and cost goals are met while building a high-performing, engaged team. This leader drives standard work, coordinates resources across cells (e.g., CNC machining, grinding, inspection, secondary ops), and models a results-driven, people-first culture.


People Leadership & Culture

• Lead, coach, and develop a team of leads and operators; conduct daily stand-ups, Gemba walks, and regular 1:1s.

• Set clear performance expectations; give timely feedback, recognition, and corrective coaching.

• Build a reliable staffing plan: coordinate assignments, breaks, rotations, and cross-training to cover demand.

• Foster an inclusive, respectful environment for a diverse workforce (including ESL team members).

• Upholds company policies and values.


Safety, Quality & Compliance

• Own daily safety: enforce PPE/housekeeping, safe machine operation, and incident/near-miss reporting.

• Ensure work is performed to spec: drawings, routings, and control plans; support in-process inspections.

• Partner with Quality to contain defects, complete 8D/5-Why investigations, and prevent recurrence.

• Support compliance with ISO/AS quality systems and applicable customer/regulatory requirements.


Production Execution

• Translate the production schedule into actionable plans by cell/line; balance labor and machine capacity.

• Monitor hour-by-hour performance and remove roadblocks to hit OEE, throughput, and on-time delivery targets.

• Escalate equipment downtime; coordinate with Maintenance for rapid response and preventive maintenance windows.

• Verify material availability and WIP flow; maintain accurate transactions and FIFO discipline.


Continuous Improvement

• Drive daily problem solving and kaizen: waste walks, SMED/setup reduction, visual management, 5S.

• Standardize best practices into work instructions; ensure training and certification are kept current.

• Use data (scrap, rework, cycle times, labor efficiency) to prioritize improvements and sustain results.


Systems & Communication

• Use ERP/MES to manage labor reporting, dispatch lists, inventory moves, and schedule attainment.

• Provide clear shift handoffs and concise status updates to leadership.


Success Metrics (KPIs)

• Safety: TRIR/near-miss participation, 5S audit scores

• Quality: First-pass yield, scrap/rework rates, customer rejects

• Delivery: Schedule attainment, on-time to promise, queue/backlog health

• Productivity: Labor efficiency, OEE/uptime, setup time reduction

• People: Turnover, attendance, training/cross-skill coverage, engagement indicators


Requirements

5+ years in high-volume precision manufacturing; 2+ years leading teams in a multi-cell environment.

• Working knowledge of CNC machining and/or grinding; comfortable reading blueprints and using basic metrology.

• Manufacturing, Mechanical or Industrial Engineering experience preferred. 

• Demonstrated experience with lean/continuous improvement (5S, standard work, visual mgmt, PDCA/8D, SMED).

• Proficiency with ERP/MES and MS Office; able to interpret schedules, routings, and quality data.

• Strong communication and coaching skills; able to lead a diverse, multilingual workforce.

• Proven track record of meeting SQDC targets while developing people.

• Nice to have: Aerospace/defense customer experience; ISO/AS system familiarity; bilingual English/Spanish or other language.


Work Environment & Physical Requirements

• Manufacturing floor environment with regular exposure to machine noise; frequent walking/standing; occasional lifting up to 35 lbs.

• Must wear required PPE and follow all safety rules.

Schedule & Compensation

• Full-time, 2nd shift; occasional weekend coverage as needed.

• Competitive pay (salary supervisor, DOE) with bonus eligibility; comprehensive benefits.


EEO Statement

Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.