Shop Supervisor

Overview

We are seeking a dedicated and organized Shop Supervisor to oversee daily operations within our large, multi-department decorated-apparel and advertising-specialty facility. This full-time, hands-on role serves as a central point of coordination across various departments, ensuring smooth workflow and high-quality output. The ideal candidate will demonstrate strong leadership, excellent communication skills, and the ability to manage multiple priorities effectively. This position offers an opportunity to lead a dynamic team and contribute to the success of our operations.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary point of contact for customers, managing communication and ensuring their needs are met efficiently.
• Oversee order entry processes, ensuring accuracy and timely processing of customer orders.
• Coordinate receiving, shipping, and inventory management to maintain optimal stock levels and streamline logistics.
• Follow up on production schedules, monitor progress, and address any issues that may arise during manufacturing.
• Conduct quality control checks to uphold product standards and resolve any quality-related concerns promptly.
• Maintain detailed reports on shop activities, inventory status, and operational metrics for management review.
• Supervise daily shop operations across departments, ensuring adherence to safety protocols and operational procedures.
• Demonstrate strong organization, attention to detail, and professional communication in all interactions.
• Move between departments as needed to support workflow continuity and address shifting priorities with initiative and reliability.

Experience

Candidates should possess prior experience in a supervisory or managerial role within a manufacturing or production environment, preferably in decorated apparel or related industries. Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to communicate professionally are essential. Experience with inventory management, order processing, and coordinating cross-departmental activities will be highly valued. The role requires initiative, reliability, and the ability to adapt swiftly to shifting priorities in a fast-paced environment.

Receiving & Incoming Goods

· Receive all incoming garments, blanks, promotional products, supplies, chemicals, packaging materials, and other goods.

· Verify quantities, sizes, colors, styles, purchase orders, and other order details against packing slips and shop records.

· Identify shortages, overages, damaged goods, substitutions, or discrepancies and report them promptly.

· Enter or update receiving information in the shop management system and route goods to the appropriate location or department.

Order Entry & Order Management

· Ensure every order is entered accurately and completely into the shop management system for all departments.

· Review customer requirements, artwork/proofs, quantities, due dates, shipping information, special instructions, and production notes.

· Maintain accurate order status information and follow orders from receipt through production, QC, shipping, and completion.

· Keep due dates visible and current; identify potential delays early and communicate them to management and customers.

Customer Service & Communication

· Serve as a primary day-to-day contact for customers regarding order status, questions, scheduling, shipping, pickups, and other needs.

· Send clear, professional daily customer emails as required to provide updates, request information, confirm details, or resolve issues.

· Communicate professionally by phone, email, and in person while maintaining a helpful and solutions-oriented attitude.

· Assist walk-in customers and customer pickups of completed goods.

· Escalate pricing disputes, major complaints, production problems, or other issues requiring owner/management decisions.

Shipping, Packaging & Fulfillment

· Prepare completed orders for shipment, including counting, checking, folding/bagging when required, packaging, labeling, and documentation.

· Verify the final shipment against the work order before it leaves the facility.

· Complete the shipping process, including entering shipment information, printing labels, and ensuring packages are routed correctly.

· Coordinate customer pickups and verify that the correct finished goods are released.

Quality Control (QC)

· Perform and/or coordinate QC checks before goods move to the next stage and before final shipment or pickup.

· Check quantities, garment/style/color/size, decoration placement, print or embroidery quality, personalization, packaging, and order specifications.

· Identify defective or questionable goods and coordinate correction or replacement before shipment whenever possible.

· Document recurring quality issues and report them to management and the appropriate production department.

Shop & Department Coordination

· Monitor Screen Printing, DTF, DTG, Embroidery, Laser Engraving, and Sales/customer-service activities to ensure the shop is operating smoothly.

· Check that staff are on task, priorities are being followed, and work is progressing toward promised due dates.

· Communicate priorities and bottlenecks to department personnel and management.

· Assist production departments when needed and help move work through the shop efficiently.

· Help coordinate handoffs between sales, art, production, QC, shipping, and customers.

Timekeeping, Reports & Administration

· Tabulate and review employee time sheets for accuracy and submit information according to company procedures.

· Run daily, weekly, monthly, or special reports from the shop management system as directed.

· Maintain accurate records related to orders, production, shipping, receiving, inventory, and customer communication.

· Complete special projects, administrative assignments, research, data entry, and other duties requested by ownership.

Sales Support & Front Counter

· Assist the sales team with order information, production status, product information, customer questions, and special requests.

· Answer incoming phone calls and return calls from voicemail

· Answer emails, check all emails from all sales channels daily, and respond accordingly.

· Handle cash and credit-card sales in accordance with company procedures.

· Assist customers at the front counter and provide professional service from inquiry through pickup.

· Help identify customer needs and refer opportunities to the appropriate salesperson or owner.

Inventory & Facility Organization

· Conduct complete or cycle inventories of garments, promotional products, chemicals, inks, thread, transfer materials, packaging, production supplies, and other shop items.

· Report low stock, missing, damaged, expired, or incorrectly stored items.

· Keep receiving, shipping, production, and common work areas clean, organized, and safe.

· Assist with organizing stock and maintaining an efficient flow of materials throughout the facility.

· Prepare purchase orders and order goods for inventory and current workflow jobs.

DAILY OPERATING EXPECTATIONS

· Report to the owners/management daily and provide a concise update on orders, due dates, customer issues, production concerns, shipping, staffing, and other significant matters.

· Begin each workday by reviewing priorities, due dates, customer communications, incoming goods, production status, and shipping requirements.

· Maintain a professional, positive, organized, and solutions-focused presence throughout the shop.

· Do not allow customer questions, order discrepancies, production delays, or QC issues to remain unaddressed without appropriate follow-up.

· Protect customer information, company information, pricing, artwork, production information, and other confidential business information.

· Follow company procedures for safety, equipment use, chemicals, lifting, cash handling, credit-card transactions, and workplace conduct.

REQUIRED SKILLS & QUALIFICATIONS

· Clear, professional spoken and written English communication.

· Have a working knowledge of Excel, Google Sheets, Word, GMail, and Outlook, Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, CorelDRAW, embroidery, screen printing, and DTF.

· Ability to answer phones, greet walk-in customers, provide first-class customer service, and perform job entry into the shop management system.

· Strong organizational skills and exceptional attention to detail.

· Ability to manage multiple orders, deadlines, departments, and customer requests at the same time.

· Ability to learn and accurately use shop management, order-entry, shipping, email, reporting, and related computer systems.

· Comfortable working in a fast-paced production environment and changing priorities when necessary.

· Ability to communicate effectively with owners, coworkers, vendors, sales personnel, production staff, and customers.

· Ability to work independently while also functioning as part of a team.

· Reliable attendance, punctuality, good judgment, initiative, and willingness to take ownership of assigned responsibilities.

· Previous experience in screen printing, embroidery, DTF, DTG, laser engraving, promotional products, fulfillment, customer service, order management, or a related production environment is highly desirable.

PHYSICAL & WORK ENVIRONMENT REQUIREMENTS

· Ability to stand and walk for extended periods during the workday.

· Ability to lift and carry packages, garments, supplies, and other materials weighing up to 45 pounds, with reasonable accommodation where applicable.

· Ability to bend, reach, stoop, lift, carry, package, and move materials as necessary to perform essential job duties.

· Ability to work around normal production equipment, packaging materials, inks/chemicals, heat, noise, and other conditions found in a decorated-apparel production facility while following applicable safety procedures.

· Ability to work well with all staff members in a professional manner. Able to take charge and manage all shop personnel and product divisions.

PERFORMANCE STANDARDS

Orders, receiving, shipping, customer communications, reports, inventory, and records are completed accurately.

Timeliness

Due dates are actively monitored, and potential delays are communicated early.

Customer Service

Customers receive prompt, courteous, professional, and helpful communication.

QC

Finished goods are checked before shipment/pickup, and problems are addressed promptly.

Teamwork

The employee supports all departments and helps maintain a smooth workflow.

Initiative

The employee identifies problems, follows through, and seeks solutions rather than waiting for problems to become urgent.

Organization

Work areas, files, orders, inventory, and shipping materials are kept organized.

Communication

Information is communicated clearly to owners, staff, vendors, and customers.

OTHER DUTIES

This position is expected to assist with other reasonable duties, assignments, projects, customer needs, production tasks, and operational responsibilities as directed by the owners or management. Because this is a central shop operations position, the employee must be flexible and willing to assist wherever needed to keep the business operating efficiently.

REPORTING & ACCOUNTABILITY

The employee reports directly to the owners/management. The owners may modify priorities, procedures, assignments, and responsibilities as business needs change. The employee is expected to communicate significant customer complaints promptly, missed or at-risk due dates, production problems, inventory discrepancies, safety concerns, cash discrepancies, QC failures, or other matters that could materially affect the company or a customer.

Pay: $17.50 - $20.00 per hour

Expected hours: 30.0 – 40.0 per week

Benefits:

• Employee discount

Work Location: In person