Workshop Supervisor

Workshop Supervisor

Direct Line Reporting: Production Manager / Operations Director

Industry Sector: Funeral Supplies & Equipment / Manufacturing

Gross Salary Structure: Kshs. 40,000

Location: Kariobangi South, Nairobi

Position Context

We are seeking a highly disciplined, technically competent Workshop Supervisor to coordinate the daily production and material logistics of our specialized manufacturing facility in Kariobangi South, Nairobi. Your primary focus will be to manage assembly lines and fabrication schedules, driving raw lumber, metals, or synthetic components from basic cutting and shaping through to final polishing, storage, and distribution. This position bridges rigorous manufacturing floor oversight with direct workforce organization; you will distribute daily labor loads, perform strict quality inspections, and implement tight material tracking to keep component wastage at an absolute minimum. The role demands an assertive, safety-conscious shop-floor leader who can interpret technical fabrication layouts and confidently guide a fast-moving manufacturing team to hit fixed weekly output quotas.

Operational Functions

Production Execution & Workflow Alignment

• Oversee the daily manufacturing operations of the workshop, ensuring tasks are precisely aligned with broader commercial supply demands.
• Map and execute daily labor distribution schedules, assigning specific cutting, carving, assembly, or finishing tasks to floor staff.
• Run real-time workflow audits across manufacturing tables to eliminate process bottlenecks and reduce line downtime.
• Supervise the safe setup and mechanical calibration of automated cutting machinery, pneumatic tools, and heavy fabrication gear.

Quality Control & Structural Audits

• Inspect raw materials upon station delivery, verifying that wood grains, metal gauges, or plastics meet baseline durability rules.
• Conduct thorough visual and dimensional checks on intermediate assemblies and final products before clearing them for storage.
• Quarantine defective components or structural anomalies immediately, enforcing fast re-work steps to stop systemic batch errors.
• Validate that finished funeral hardware items exactly match approved catalog models and customer custom requirements.

Inventory Control & Asset Preservation

• Trace the daily consumption logs of bulk timbers, metal frames, lining fabrics, lacquers, and hardware accessories.
• Compile precise material requisition sheets ahead of active production runs to prevent material stockouts on the line.
• Set up strict scrap-mitigation guidelines across cutting and milling stations to optimize material yield and cut down overhead expenses.
• Oversee preventative maintenance charts for all shop floor machinery, organizing fast repairs for broken mechanisms.

Labor Leadership & Safety Enforcement

• Lead daily morning toolbox briefings, setting clear production expectations and reiterating core workshop safety goals.
• Track staff logs covering attendance, shift hours, and general discipline, writing objective performance notes for management review.
• Enforce the non-negotiable use of personal protective equipment (PPE), including dust masks, safety glasses, and steel-toe footwear.
• Maintain a clean, organized work environment, running hazard reviews and keeping the official incident logbook updated.

Applicant Benchmarks

Minimum Entry Criteria

• Professional Longevity: Minimum of 3 years of active, verified experience operating in a supervisory role within a busy carpentry shop, woodworking factory, industrial metal fabrication unit, or plastic manufacturing facility.
• Process Mastery: Demonstrated track record managing structured workshop teams, tracking production output files, and managing multi-stage manufacturing lines.
• Technical Layout Literacy: Proven capacity to read, interpret, and convert structural blueprints or technical assembly manuals into physical items.
• Analytical Aptitude: Sound capability to compute raw material utilization dimensions and produce accurate shift volume metrics using basic computer software.

Functional Competencies

• Assertive Command: Natural ability to manage, train, and maintain high discipline among casual and specialized technical craftsmen.
• Diagnostic Intuition: Quick mechanical and structural problem-solving abilities to fix machine hitches or line layout flaws on the fly.
• Physical Presence: Fully comfortable working inside an active, noisy manufacturing floor environment in Nairobi requiring sustained standing attention.

Perks & Environment

• Technical Ownership: Command a crucial operational node within a stable, specialized production sector with complete oversight of manufacturing metrics.
• Process Optimization Scope: Enjoy the organizational freedom to introduce streamlined layout patterns, lean manufacturing steps, and better material saving models.
• Career Growth Track: Cultivate advanced operational leadership records that pave a clear pathway toward broad Plant Management and regional production coordination.

Way to Apply

Please email your CV, noting the exact job title in the subject line. Review of candidate profiles will commence immediately.