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Production Supervisor

Donaldson · Stevens Point, WI · Full time

Posted Jun 24, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

You are leading first shift in Stevens Point. How do you start each day to make sure you hit safety, quality, delivery and cost?

What they are checking: Whether they have a real daily routine for running a department against the plant's core performance measures.

Tell me about a time you had to address an employee's performance problem. How did you handle the conversation and what happened after?

What they are checking: Whether they can manage performance directly and fairly, with documentation and follow-through rather than avoidance.

How do you keep people engaged in a production environment where the work can be repetitive?

What they are checking: Whether they understand engagement as recognition, communication and involvement, not just pizza parties.

Walk me through a continuous improvement project you led. What was the problem, what did you change and how did you measure it?

What they are checking: Whether they can run improvement work with data and results rather than just talking about lean concepts.

Tell me about a time you had to communicate a priority change to your team that they did not like.

What they are checking: Whether they can explain the why behind changes and keep trust when decisions are unpopular.

How do you hand off to second shift so nothing falls through the cracks?

What they are checking: Whether they keep alignment on priorities and open issues across shifts, which the posting stresses.

What would you do

The schedule says you need to finish an order today, but you are short three people and a material delivery is late. What do you do?

What they are checking: Whether they can rebalance labor and material and communicate early instead of just hoping the day works out.

An operator tells you a guard on a machine keeps getting in the way and asks if they can work without it for one rush order. What do you say?

What they are checking: Whether safety is truly non-negotiable for them when production pressure is high.

How do you work with maintenance when your department keeps seeing the same breakdowns?

What they are checking: Whether they collaborate on root cause and preventive fixes rather than blaming another department.

About the work

You manage a departmental budget. How would you decide whether to spend money repairing an old machine or ask to buy a new one?

What they are checking: Whether they can weigh downtime, repair cost and payback when making equipment and budget decisions.

What production metrics would you put on a board for your department, and what would you do when one turns red?

What they are checking: Whether they know which numbers matter and treat a missed metric as a trigger for action, not just reporting.

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The full job description

As published by Donaldson.

Donaldson is committed to solving the world’s most complex filtration challenges. Together, we make cool things. As an established technology and innovation leader, we are continuously evolving to meet the filtration needs of our changing world. Join a culture of collaboration and innovation that matters and a chance to learn, effect change, and make meaningful contributions at work and in communities. ​ Position Summary: The 1st shift Production Supervisor is responsible for leading one or more assigned production departments and ensuring the effective execution of daily manufacturing operations. This role oversees work assignments, employee engagement, performance management, production scheduling, continuous improvement initiatives, equipment maintenance and purchase, and departmental budget management. The Production Supervisor drives operational excellence while maintaining a safe, productive, and collaborative work environment. Qualified candidates must be able to work an on-site schedule at our Stevens Point, WI facility. Role Responsibilities: • Lead daily operations to achieve Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost performance targets. • Maintain regular communication to ensure alignment on priorities, schedule execution, and issue resolution. • Coordinate labor and material flow to ensure on-time completion of the production schedule. • Collaborate with Maintenance and Engineering to troubleshoot and resolve equipment or process issues quickly. • Reinforce Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) expectations, coach team leaders, and drive daily accountability. • Leads 6S, Lean, and continuous improvement initiatives reducing waste, and efficiency improvements. • Ensure adherence to quality standards and support corrective action processes. • Work scheduled overtime as needed to support production needs. • While this list is representative of essential job duties, it is not an all-inclusive list of duties required to perform this role. Other duties may be assigned in order to fulfill Donaldson’s mission, vision, and strategic plan objectives. Minimum Qualifications: • High School Diploma • 3+ years of manufacturing experience • 2+ years of leadership experience in a manufacturing environment Preferred Qualifications: • Prior Lean or Continuous Improvement experience in an ISO environment • Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree • Proven ability to support production line startups and ramp-ups. • Strong technical aptitude such as welding mechanical, pneumatic, machining, or process systems. • Proficient in Oracle ERP or similar MRP systems for scheduling, planning, inventory, and order management. • Proficient with Microsoft Office applications (Excel, Word, Outlook) for reporting, communication, and data analysis. • Skilled in coordinating with Supply Chain, Maintenance, Quality, and Engineering teams. • Experience optimizing production scheduling and sequencing processes to improve throughput, minimize changeovers, and support multi-shift operations. • Demonstrated use of Lean tools—such as poke-yoke, quick changeover, pull systems, kaizen, root-cause analysis, and standard work—to drive continuous improvement. Relocation: This position is not eligible for relocation assistance. Immigration Sponsorship Not Available: • Applicants for this position must be currently and legally authorized to work in the United States without the need for current or future sponsorship (e.g., H-1B, J-1, F-1, CPT, OPT, etc.). • Donaldson will not offer immigration sponsorship or assume sponsorship of an employment visa for this position. • International relocation or remote work arrangements outside of the U.S. will not be considered. Keywords: Supervisor, Manufacturing, Continuous Improvement, Supply Chain, Maintenance, Lean, Production, Quality Equal Opportunity Employer, including Disability and Veterans Employment opportunities for positions in the United States may require use of information which is subject to the export control regulations of the United States. Hiring decisions for such positions are required by law to be made in compliance with these regulations. Applicants for employment opportunities in other countries must be able to meet the comparable export control requirements of that country and of the United States. Donaldson Company has been made aware that there are several recruiting scams that are targeting job seekers. These scams have attempted to solicit money for job applications and/or collect confidential information, Donaldson will never solicit money during the application or recruiting process. Donaldson only accepts online applications through our Careers | Donaldson Company, Inc. website and any communication from a Donaldson recruiter would be sent using a donaldson.com email address. If you have any questions about the legitimacy of an employment opportunity, please reach out to talentacquisition@donaldson.com to verify that the communication is from Donaldson. Our policy is to provide equal employment opportunities to all qualified persons without regard to race, gender, color, disability, national origin, age, religion, union affiliation, sexual orientation, veteran status, citizenship, gender identity and/or expression, or other status protected by law.

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