Shift Leader Job Description: Top Duties and Qualifications

A Shift Leader, or Shift Supervisor oversees and supervises a group of employees in a specific department during work hours. Their duties include organising work shifts, training production line employees, planning workflow changeovers and conducting performance reviews. 

 

Build a Job Description
Are you a Job Seeker? Find Jobs

Shift Leaders duties and responsibilities

A Shift Leader ensures production or delivery processes in their department run smoothly according to set company regulations and procedures. The other duties a Shift Leader performs include:

  • Enforcing safety code and regulations in the production environment
  • Reporting potential hazards in the production floor or warehouse
  • Instructing workers on the correct safety gear to wear on the production floor
  • Reporting accidents that happen on the production floor and conduct preliminary investigations
  • Supervising production work done at the end of each shift to ensure it’s completion and quality
  • Coordinating the renovation of manufacturing or warehouse facilities and overseeing construction of new ones
  • Keeping a log of production and delivery processes at each shift
  • Inducting and training new production or delivery line employees on the process workflows and doing performance reviews
  • Providing recognition and constructive feedback throughout the shift as appropriate

 

Build a Job Description
Are you a Job Seeker? Find Jobs

Shift Leader Job Description Examples:

 

Example 1

Walkers Deli & Sausage Co is part of the Samworth Brothers Group, a 4th generation family business that prides itself on looking after its people and producing high quality products. We are always looking for outstanding people, with great attitudes and an openness to learning to join our family. The size of our business enables us to support career development and progression that will help our people fulfil their potential. Job Opportunity We are currently looking to recruit x3 Team Leader’s within the 123 High Risk Department. Reporting to the Supervisor. The successful candidate will be a keen, enthusiastic individual with a high level of self-motivation. This is an excellent opportunity for someone who wishes to develop within the business. The principle duties and will include the following: Responsibility for leading and managing the teams performance Monitor quality standards ensuring that products are within specification and that they meet the required standards Adhere to Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) Ensure the effective, efficient and safe running of the area Responsibility for product quality Working to labour requirements and within budgets Regular lifting, pushing and pulling tasks Work safely at all times and adhere to Company health and safety standards Ensure Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are correctly followed The Right Person You will be someone who is self-motivated and focussed on the customer. You will demonstrate initiative and ownership. You value others and their contribution and enjoy working collaboratively with colleagues. You will be flexible and adaptable to change. In addition, you will have the following skills: Ambitious, self-motivated, with a desire to learn The ability to achieve results through their team The ability to work flexible hours in line with business needs The ability to communicate at all levels with good literacy and numeracy Strong organisational skills and attention to detail Good time-keeping & attendance record in addition to excellent work performance A good operational understanding of production would be a distinct advantage We provide a terrific range of benefits including great facilities with onsite parking and subsidised restaurants, as well as an excellent retirement savings plan (pension), private health cover (subject to terms and conditions) and a discount scheme ‘Quality Life’ that provides savings at supermarkets, high street retailers and a host of leisure outlets. Samworth Brothers do not engage with unlicensed gangmasters or third parties. Samworth Brothers will NEVER ask you for money in order to provide you with employment. If you are in any doubt please contact an official Samworth Brothers representative.

What does a Shift Leader do?

Shift Leaders in manufacturing or retail companies ensure that the employees in their departments perform the roles assigned to them at every work shift. During department meetings, they address challenges interfering with process workflows in order to stop delays in production and ensure that the delivery targets set by the company are met. Shift Leaders also assign duties and set work targets for workers in their departments at the start of every shift. They supervise the start, the shutdown of every production process and switches to new teams at the end of a shift. A Shift Leader collaborates with the human resource team to ensure employees have the skills and experience needed to work in the department they oversee.    

 

Shift Leader skills and qualifications

A successful Shift Leader candidate will have various prerequisite skills and qualifications to oversee the daily duties, that include:

  • Strong communication and listening skills
  • Verbal and written skills
  • Problem analysis and problem solving skills
  • Leadership and mentoring skills 
  • Record keeping and mathematics skills
  • Basic rescue and first aid qualifications

 

Shift Leader experience requirements

Shift Leaders are required to have at least three years of work experience in a similar role like Shift Manager, Clerk or Supervisor. Past experience working at busy warehouses, and production and delivery environment, is an added advantage. They must demonstrate an ability to respond to emergencies that happen in a production or delivery floor.  

 

Shift Leader education and training requirements

Shift Leaders are required to have  a bachelor’s degree in either business administration or management and have basic reading, writing and mathematics skills, plus a two to four tertiary course pursued at a vocational technical institute. Employers seek applicants who have studied computing, manufacturing processes, machinery and factory operations or blue collar management. A levels, 2 or 3 diploma course in leadership and management, demonstrates an applicant’s ability to oversee a team of shift employees.

 

Shift Leader salary expectations

According to Indeed Salaries, the average salary of a Shift Leader in the UK is £9.97 per hour.  The salary figure may depend on the company, geographical location, a Shift Leader’s education and experience.

 

Job description samples for similar positions

There are other job descriptions a company can consider hiring for, similar to a Shift Leader job. These are

 

Ready to Hire? Build a Job Description

Shift Leader job description FAQs

 

What makes a good Shift Leader job description?

A quality Shift Leader job description contains specific application details so that only the qualified candidates are shortlisted for the position. It outlines the daily duties they will be expected to perform and how they will contribute to a company’s growth. The description should also state the salary, allowances and benefits and any number of days off work. 

 

What should You look for in a Shift Leader CV?

When hiring, search for a qualified and experienced candidate. Evaluate how an applicants’ past responsibilities contributed to a previous employer’s success and strategic goals. Look to see if each position they held resulted in a job accomplishment. The keywords and skills listed on their CV can help you to understand their professionalism. Look for candidates with attributes that show team work, leadership, assertiveness and hard working.

 What is the difference between a Shift Leader and Shift Manager?

The difference between a Shift Leader and Shift Manager is job rank. A Shift Manager oversees Shift Managers and other staff during job shifts. Their roles in a company are bigger than those of Shift Leaders, who only oversee workers under them.  

Who does a Shift Leader report to?

A Shift Leader in a manufacturing environment can report to a production or plant manager or a warehouse manager in retail settings.

Job Description Examples

A-C D-H I-L M-P Q-S T-Z
No search results found

    *Indeed provides this information as a courtesy to users of this site. Please note that we are not your career or legal advisor, and none of the information provided herein guarantees a job offer.