Junior Production Supervisor

POSITION OVERVIEW

We are seeking a hands-on, motivated and reliable Junior Production Supervisor to oversee daily production activities within a soap manufacturing environment.

The successful candidate will be responsible for supervising production staff, operating and monitoring machinery, maintaining quality and safety standards, and ensuring that production targets are achieved efficiently.

This position requires an individual with strong leadership abilities, practical mechanical aptitude, attention to detail and a willingness to be actively involved in daily factory operations.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Production Supervision & Operations

• Supervise production employees and coordinate daily manufacturing activities.
• Ensure production targets, deadlines and quality standards are consistently achieved.
• Monitor production processes, including soap cutting, pressing, wrapping, shrink-wrapping and packing.
• Ensure machinery and equipment are operated correctly and efficiently.
• Monitor material availability and coordinate stock movements between production and storage areas.
• Ensure accurate recording and reporting of finished goods quantities, packaging damages and production-related information.
• Conduct daily factory opening, closing and shutdown procedures.

Quality Control & Equipment

• Conduct routine quality inspections to ensure finished products meet required weight, colour, packaging and presentation standards.
• Verify product weights, batch information, barcodes and carton identification.
• Monitor the operation of production equipment, including soap cutters, pumps, flow wrappers, shrink tunnels and pallet wrappers.
• Identify and report machinery faults, maintenance requirements and production irregularities.
• Ensure production equipment and work areas are maintained in a clean, safe and operational condition.

Staff Supervision & Training

• Allocate and oversee daily duties of production employees.
• Provide practical training on machinery operation, production procedures and company standards.
• Monitor employee performance, productivity and adherence to workplace procedures.
• Conduct team briefings and communicate operational instructions.
• Promote discipline, teamwork, accountability and operational efficiency.

Health, Safety & Housekeeping

• Enforce compliance with occupational health and safety requirements.
• Ensure employees consistently wear the correct personal protective equipment (PPE).
• Maintain high standards of factory hygiene, housekeeping and cleanliness.
• Assist with health and safety representative duties, first aid and emergency procedures where appropriately trained and appointed.
• Report workplace incidents, injuries, unsafe conditions and operational concerns to management.

General Duties

• Complete and maintain relevant production documentation and records.
• Assist with physical production activities and material handling when required.
• Perform any other reasonable work-related duties assigned by Management.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

• Matric / Grade 12 or equivalent qualification.
• Previous experience in a manufacturing or production environment is a must.
• Previous experience supervising or leading production employees is a must.
• Practical understanding of production machinery and factory operations.
• Basic computer literacy and ability to complete production records.
• Good verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong organisational, problem-solving and time-management abilities.
• Ability to work under pressure and meet production deadlines.
• Physically capable of performing hands-on factory duties, including standing for extended periods and handling materials safely.

IDEAL CANDIDATE

We are looking for someone who is:

• A confident, hands-on team leader.
• Reliable, punctual and responsible.
• Quality-conscious with excellent attention to detail.
• Mechanically minded and willing to learn.
• Able to supervise employees while actively assisting on the production floor.
• Committed to maintaining a safe, clean and productive manufacturing environment.

Remuneration: R18,000 – R20,000 per month, commensurate with relevant experience and suitability.