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Supervisor Job Description: Top Duties and Requirements

A Supervisor, or Team Manager, is an individual who oversees a company’s employees and monitors their day-to-day performance. Their duties include managing a specific team or department, organizing employees to ensure optimum productivity, and interviewing and screening potential employees.

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Supervisor duties and responsibilities

A Supervisor’s primary goal is to ensure the group of employees under their supervision perform well and get the feedback they need to address any areas of improvement. Their duties and responsibilities include:

  • Creating team schedules and delegating tasks to ensure proper workflow
  • Continuously monitoring employee performance and identifying areas of improvement
  • Establishing company goals and objectives for employees, and ensuring their performance is in line with those
  • Assessing employee performance and providing performance reviews to human resource and senior managers
  • Ensuring team members meet deadlines for key projects and tasks
  • Addressing any concerns or issues identified by team members
  • Screening and assessing new candidates
  • Providing training and overseeing the orientation of new employees to get them up to speed on the policies and procedures within the company
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Supervisor Job Description Examples:

What does a Supervisor do?

A Supervisor is a lower-level manager who has authority over a specific group or team assigned to them. Supervisors can have different titles, including Program Monitor, Area Coordinator, Team Manager, or Foreperson. They guide employees and provide instructions to perform daily tasks, and are also responsible for monitoring and ensuring their progress. Supervisors report to their supervisor lead and write reports about any employee issues, downtime, and input data on the computer.

A Supervisor ensures the maximum productivity of the employees they manage, whether it is for a particular project or during a particular shift. In addition, a Supervisor can also play an important role in assessing and interviewing new candidates, and helping them become familiar with the work environment and important tasks.

Supervisor skills and qualifications

A Supervisor should have the experience and the skills required to manage the department or team assigned to them. Some examples of Supervisor skills and qualifications include:

  • Leadership and team management skills
  • Attention to detail
  • Problem-solving and decision-making skills
  • Excellent communication skills
  • Knowledge and expertise about their industry
  • Time-management and organizational skills
  • Ability to instill positivity within a team and keep them motivated

Supervisor experience requirements

The ideal candidate for a Supervisor’s role should have experience in the particular industry for which they are being hired. A Supervisor should be familiar with industry practices, techniques, and equipment to supervise others effectively. Previous leadership experience in a similar role or a related field is preferable. Current employees can be considered for the role or invited to apply for promotion to Supervisor, as they have the advantage of being familiar with the company and industry.

Supervisor education and training requirements

Look for candidates with a bachelor’s degree in business management or a related field. However, a candidate without post-secondary certifications can be well-suited to the role if they have industry-specific or leadership experience. Some industries require specific certifications and may consider only those candidates who meet their requirements.

Supervisor salary expectations

According to Indeed Salaries, average pay for a Supervisor in Canada is $19.83 per hour. Wages may vary depending on the candidate’s experience, the company location, and the industry.

Job description samples for similar positions

If a Supervisor is not quite what you’re looking for, some other job description samples that may fit your needs include:

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Supervisor job description FAQs

What qualities make a good Supervisor?

A good Supervisor would ensure a smooth workflow and optimum productivity from their team members. They should also be good team players with excellent interpersonal skills. Supervisors often have to adhere to strict deadlines. Therefore, time management and close monitoring of key tasks are essential. They should also have excellent leadership skills to ensure the team remains motivated and productive while helping their team develop skills.

Who does a Supervisor report to?

A Supervisor is a lower-level managerial position, and they report to senior management personnel, which could be a Manager, a Director, a Vice President, or the CEO. If it’s a smaller business operation, a Supervisor may directly report to the company’s owner.

Job Description Examples

Need help writing a job description for a specific role? Use these job description examples to create your next great job posting. Or if you’re ready to hire, post your job on Indeed.

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