Operation's Supervisor

The Plant Supervisor is responsible for supervising the daily production activities of the mine and plant to ensure safe, efficient, reliable, and quality operations. This position provides hands-on leadership and direction to equipment operators, plant operators, laborers, and maintenance personnel.

The Plant Supervisor coordinates employee assignments, monitors production and product quality, supports equipment maintenance, enforces safety and operating standards, and responds to operational issues that may affect productivity, safety, quality, or customer requirements. The position is expected to maintain a visible presence in the field and work closely with the Operations Manager, Maintenance, Quality Control, Safety, and other departments.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Operations and Production Management

• Supervise the daily operation of mine, material handling systems, and plant.
• Assign employees and equipment based on production priorities, staffing levels, and operational requirements.
• Coordinate daily production schedules with the Operations Manager and communicate expectations to employees.
• Monitor production rates, inventory levels, equipment utilization, and material flow.
• Ensure the efficient operation of screens, conveyors, wash plants, pumps, loaders, excavators, and related equipment.
• Monitor finished products to ensure production meets established specifications and quality standards.
• Make operating adjustments, when authorized, to improve production, recovery, product quality, and efficiency.
• Identify production delays, bottlenecks, or operational concerns and appropriate corrective action.
• Maintain accurate production, downtime, inspection, and shift records.
• Communicate significant production, staffing, quality, safety, and equipment issues to the Operations Manager.
• Coordinate shift start-up, shutdown, clean-up, and production changeover activities.
• Ensure housekeeping standards are maintained throughout the mine, plant, work areas, and equipment.

Safety and Regulatory Compliance

• Promote a strong safety culture by setting clear expectations and demonstrating safe work practices.
• Enforce company safety policies, procedures, work rules, and required personal protective equipment standards.
• Ensure employees conduct required workplace examinations, equipment inspections, and hazard assessments.
• Lead or participate in pre-shift meetings, toolbox talks, safety meetings, and job safety analyses.
• Monitor employee work practices and immediately correct unsafe behaviors or hazardous conditions.
• Ensure compliance with applicable MSHA, OSHA, environmental, state, and company requirements.
• Assist with incident, injury, property damage, and near-miss investigations.
• Help identify root causes and implement corrective and preventive actions.
• Ensure required safety, inspection, training, and operational documentation is completed accurately and on time.
• Support regulatory inspections, audits, and follow-up activities.
• Report environmental concerns, spills, permit issues, or other compliance matters promptly.

Leadership and Supervision

• Provide direct supervision, instruction, coaching, and support to assigned employees.
• Communicate daily priorities, responsibilities, production goals, and performance expectations.
• Train new employees on job duties, equipment operation, workplace procedures, and safety requirements.
• Ensure employees are properly trained, qualified, and authorized before performing assigned work.
• Monitor attendance, productivity, conduct, safety performance, and quality of work.
• Provide timely feedback and address performance or behavioral concerns in coordination with the Operations Manager and Human Resources.
• Encourage teamwork, accountability, respectful communication, and cooperation between production and maintenance employees.
• Assist with employee performance evaluations and development planning.
• Help identify employee training needs and opportunities for cross-training.
• Ensure company policies and work rules are administered consistently and fairly.
• Verify employee time, hours worked, and other payroll-related information as assigned.

Maintenance Coordination

• Coordinate routine inspections and preventive maintenance activities with maintenance personnel and the Operations Manager.
• Identify equipment deficiencies, unusual operating conditions, and potential failures before they result in significant downtime.
• Submit or communicate maintenance requests with accurate information regarding equipment symptoms and operating conditions.
• Assist with troubleshooting plant and mobile equipment problems.
• Coordinate production activities around scheduled maintenance and repairs.
• Ensure equipment is properly locked out, tagged out, blocked, and secured before maintenance or repair work begins.
• Monitor repair progress and communicate operational priorities to maintenance personnel.
• Help maintain critical spare-parts awareness and identify recurring equipment issues.
• Verify equipment is safe and ready for operation following repairs.

Quality and Customer Support

• Work with Quality Control personnel to ensure finished products meet specifications and customer requirements.
• Monitor material cleanliness, gradation, moisture, and other quality indicators.
• Isolate or report nonconforming material and assist with corrective action.
• Ensure product stockpiles are properly identified, separated, and maintained.
• Help prevent contamination, material loss, and improper loading or handling.
• Support production planning based on inventory levels, sales demand, and customer commitments.

Communication and Administration

• Maintain clear communication between shifts, departments, and management.
• Prepare or review daily production reports, equipment inspection records, downtime reports, and other required documentation.
• Participate in operations, safety, production, and maintenance meetings.
• Communicate schedule changes, equipment limitations, and production concerns to affected employees.
• Assist management with operational projects, process improvements, and cost-control initiatives.
• Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Supervisory Responsibilities

The Plant Supervisor directly supervises assigned equipment operators, plant operators, laborers, and other production personnel. The position may also provide daily work directions to maintenance employees or contractors assigned to plant-related work.

Supervisory responsibilities include assigning work, monitoring performance, providing training and coaching, enforcing safety and operating standards, documenting concerns, and making recommendations regarding employee performance and development.