Production Supervisor

PURPOSE OF THE ROLE

The Production Supervisor runs 3 to 4 sewing lines day to day. The role turns the production plan into finished garments on time, at the right quality and at the lowest practical cost, while leading the operators on those lines and keeping the floor safe and compliant with the NBCCI agreement.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Production planning and output

• Plan daily work for each line from the production plan, order priorities and delivery dates.
• Make sure cut work, trims and accessories are on the line before they are needed.
• Track hourly and daily output per line and act quickly when a line falls behind.
• Move operators between lines and operations to clear bottlenecks and cover absence.
• Plan and manage style changeovers so lost time is kept to a minimum.

Line balancing and efficiency

• Balance each line against the standard minute values (SMVs) for the style.
• Monitor operator and line efficiency and coach operators who are below target.
• Identify and reduce waiting time, rework and unnecessary handling.
• Work with the Production Manager on method improvements and new style set-up.

Quality

• Make sure every operator understands the quality standard and specification for each style.
• Check work in progress at agreed points and act on defects at source.
• Work with Quality Control on inline and end-of-line inspections, and see rework through to closure.
• Keep returns and customer complaints from recurring by fixing the cause, not only the garment.

People management

• Lead, motivate and allocate work to all operators on the lines, and to any line leaders.
• Take part in recruiting operators and run on-the-job training and skills checks.
• Keep a skills matrix per line so the team can cover absence and changeovers.
• Manage attendance, punctuality and conduct in line with company policy and the disciplinary code.
• Handle first-level grievances fairly and escalate where needed.
• Hold short daily line meetings on targets, quality and safety.

Health, safety and machinery

• Enforce safe work practices, machine guards, PPE and good housekeeping on the lines.
• Report machine faults promptly to the mechanic and track downtime.
• Report and help investigate any incident or near miss.
• Support the factory’s health and safety programme, including noise and chemical controls where these apply.

Records, reporting and compliance

• Keep accurate daily attendance, overtime and production records, and submit them on time for payroll.
• Report daily on output, efficiency, quality and downtime to the Production Manager.
• Apply NBCCI conditions on the floor, including working hours, rest intervals and voluntary overtime, and follow the required notice steps before any short time.
• Control stock, trims and work in progress on the lines to limit loss and waste.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

Qualifications

• Grade 12 (Matric).
• A clothing manufacturing or production supervision qualification is an advantage.

Experience

• At least 8 years in clothing manufacturing, with at least 5 years supervising a sewing line or section.
• Experience running more than one line at the same time.
• Experience with uniforms, workwear or similar product is an advantage.

Knowledge

• Garment construction and sewing operations for the product range.
• Industrial machines: lockstitch, overlocker, flatlock, bartack, buttonhole and button sew.
• SMVs, line balancing and efficiency calculation.
• Quality control methods, including DHU and inline inspection.

Pay: From R2 730,90 per week

Experience:

• Supervisory: 5 years (Required)
• Clothing Manufacturing: 5 years (Required)

Work Location: In person