Material Handling Supervisor
Aerotek
Posted Thursday, April 30, 2026
Posting ID: JP-005995081
Job Title: Material Handling Supervisor
Job Description
The Material Handling Supervisor oversees the efficient movement, storage, and protection of materials and products throughout a high-volume manufacturing facility. In this role, you lead a large team of material handlers in a unionized environment, drive adherence to safety and quality standards, and optimize warehouse and material flow processes to support production and shipping deadlines. You coordinate daily operations, manage performance, and champion continuous improvement initiatives using Lean and process improvement methodologies.
Responsibilities
- Lead, supervise, train, and mentor a team of material handlers and equipment operators, holding them accountable for safety, quality, and throughput expectations.
- Coordinate the receiving, storage, staging, and distribution of raw materials and finished goods to ensure accurate and on-time delivery to production lines and shipping docks.
- Plan and manage daily work assignments, schedules, and staffing levels for a team of 10 or more employees to meet production and shipping requirements.
- Oversee inventory processes, including cycle counts and physical inventory audits, to maintain accurate stock levels and minimize discrepancies.
- Utilize Warehouse Management Systems (WMS), EWM, CMS, YMS, and other digital boards to monitor product flow and maintain real-time inventory accuracy.
- Enforce OSHA and company safety regulations, conduct regular safety briefings, and perform equipment inspections to support a zero-accident environment.
- Ensure proper operation, care, and preventive maintenance scheduling for material handling equipment such as forklifts and pallet jacks.
- Apply Lean Manufacturing, Kaizen, 5S, Six Sigma, and other process improvement tools to identify bottlenecks, improve material flow, and reduce waste.
- Collaborate closely with Production, Procurement, Quality, and other departments to resolve material discrepancies and ensure seamless operations across the plant.
- Assign work to a unionized hourly workforce and ensure adherence to standard work, safety procedures, and quality requirements.
- Manage performance, provide coaching and feedback, and support disciplinary actions when necessary in alignment with plant policies.
- Use strong organizational and administrative skills to track performance metrics, prepare reports, and communicate status updates to upper management.
- Address and resolve day-to-day operational issues, including problem-solving and conflict management within the team.
- Support continuous improvement culture by driving standardization of processes and encouraging employee participation in improvement activities.
- Demonstrate strong leadership behaviors, interpersonal skills, and team-building capabilities to maintain a positive and productive work environment.
- Work independently with limited supervision, making sound decisions in a fast-paced manufacturing setting.
- Maintain good job tenure and reliability, including consistent attendance and punctuality, and arriving at least 30 minutes prior to shift start.
- Provide flexible shift coverage, including rotating shifts and weekends, and support extended hours and overtime as required by business needs.
Essential Skills
- 3–5 years of experience in warehouse operations, logistics, or material handling.
- At least 2 years in a supervisory or lead role with responsibility for holding a team accountable and supporting disciplinary actions.
- Experience managing a team of at least 10 or more employees in a manufacturing or production environment.
- Hands-on experience with continuous improvement in a manufacturing setting, including Lean Manufacturing and process improvement.
- Proficiency with warehouse or inventory management systems such as WMS, EWM, CMS, or YMS and use of digital boards for product flow.
- Strong experience in logistics, inventory processes, inventory management, inventory control, material control, and supply chain operations.
- Knowledge and practical application of Lean Manufacturing principles, Kaizen, 5S, constraint management, and continuous improvement methodologies.
- Experience in manufacturing environments such as body shop, stamping, subassembly, assembly, machining, or welding.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, and Outlook.
- Valid forklift operator certification or the ability to become certified.
- Knowledge of OSHA safety standards and ability to enforce safety policies and procedures.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills to effectively lead a team and report to upper management.
- Demonstrated leadership skills in a manufacturing setting, including team leadership, people management, and production supervision.
- Ability to work independently with limited supervision and make effective decisions in a fast-paced environment.
- Capability to assign work to a unionized hourly workforce and hold employees accountable for following processes related to safety, quality, and throughput.
- Strong organizational and administrative skills with the ability to multi-task and manage competing priorities.
- Strong problem-solving and conflict management skills to address operational issues and personnel concerns.
- Knowledge of Lean Manufacturing and process improvement concepts and tools.
- Ability and willingness to work any shift, rotating shifts, and weekends as required.
- Good job tenure that reflects reliability and commitment.
Additional Skills & Qualifications
- Experience supervising in a unionized environment, including prior exposure to UAW or similar union workforce.
- Experience in body shop, stamping, subassembly, machining, or welding areas within a manufacturing facility.
- Familiarity with Six Sigma tools and methodologies for process improvement.
- Experience leading or participating in Kaizen events and 5S initiatives on the shop floor.
- Prior experience managing a union workforce in a subassembly environment that includes machining and welding areas.
- Demonstrated ability to drive standardization and continuous improvement in production or material handling processes.
- Strong interpersonal and team-building skills, with the ability to influence and motivate diverse teams.
- Comfort working with cross-functional teams such as Production, Procurement, and Quality to align material flow with operational needs.
Why Work Here?
You join a large, sophisticated manufacturing operation that values standardization, continuous improvement, and employee development. The organization focuses on designing and producing high-quality products that serve a diverse customer base, and it recognizes that employees and their varied perspectives are central to its success. You gain the opportunity to grow your career in a complex, high-volume environment, learn advanced manufacturing and material flow practices, and contribute to initiatives that improve quality, efficiency, and safety. The company maintains a strong commitment to the quality of its products, the environment, the surrounding community, and the broader world, offering a meaningful place to build a long-term career.
Work Environment
The facility is a large-scale manufacturing plant with approximately 2,400 total employees, including around 2,150 hourly union workers and about 200 union employees in the materials department that supports the rest of the plant. Operations run on three shifts around the clock, with typical shift times of 6:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m., 1:00 p.m.–11:00 p.m., and 10:00 p.m.–7:00 a.m., and supervisors are expected to arrive at least 30 minutes before their shift. The plant operates 9-hour workdays with frequent overtime, and you should expect to work 6–7 days per week and, at times, multiple weeks in a row without a day off, including weekends and during certain shutdown periods. The environment is fast-paced and production-focused, with current products including rear axles, front axles, and rear drive units for a variety of vehicle lines. You work closely with a large unionized workforce in a structured, process-driven setting that relies heavily on Warehouse Management Systems, EWM, CMS, YMS, and other digital tools to manage material flow. Safety standards are strict, and adherence to OSHA regulations and internal safety protocols is a core expectation in all areas of the plant
Job Type & LocationThis is a Contract position based out of STERLING HEIGHTS, MI.
Pay and BenefitsThe pay range for this position is $26.26 - $37.94/hr.
Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job
classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be
subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits
available for this temporary role may include the following:
• Medical, dental & vision
• Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital
• 401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available
• Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)
• Short and long-term disability
• Health Spending Account (HSA)
• Transportation benefits
• Employee Assistance Program
• Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)
This is a fully onsite position in STERLING HEIGHTS,MI.
Application DeadlineThis position is anticipated to close on May 7, 2026.
About Aerotek:
We know that finding work is hard, and finding meaningful work is harder. Aerotek connects 180,000+ light industrial and skilled trades workers with 14,000+ employers each year, helping our workers navigate an evolving labor market and find jobs that meets their goals, skills and interests. Since 1983, we have provided a variety of career opportunities across North American industry – from short-term assignments at Fortune 500 companies where you can build your skills, to long-term opportunities where you can play a vital role solving for companies’ construction, manufacturing and maintenance challenges. Our 1,500+ experienced recruiters across 250+ offices work relentlessly to put our workforce in a position to thrive. Let us rise to meet your challenges and put our people-are everything spirit to the test as your career continues to grow.
Aerotek offers weekly pay, employee benefits including medical, dental & vision, life insurance, health advocacy and employee assistance programs, a 401(k) plan, and employee discounts.
The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regards to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.
Contact Information
Email: sschuldt@aerotek.com
On-Site