How do you become a warehouse supervisor?

So, you have a warehouse supervisor role, or at least you are aiming to become a supervisor one day. Either way, you may have some questions about what a warehouse supervisor does, how much a warehouse supervisor earns or maybe even what the expectations for day-to-day work are. We are here to answer all of your questions and more!

What is the salary of a warehouse supervisor?

Your first question is probably, “how much does a warehouse supervisor make?” A promotion is wonderful, but it should also come with a decent pay increase. A warehouse supervisor’s average salary is around $50,000.   This works out to about $24.00 an hour for a warehouse supervisor. Now, a warehouse supervisor’s wage can differ depending on factors like experience, company and location. For example, many home-improvement companies (ACE Hardware, Lowe’s, Homedepot) often have their warehouse supervisor salaries set closer to $60,000 annually. This is because their warehouses are handling specialized materials in very large quantities. Their warehouse supervisors are, as you can imagine, managing a lot more than a private warehouse.

What is the job description for a warehouse supervisor?

If you are currently looking for a warehouse supervisor job near you or just looking at your future career opportunities, it is important to know what you will be facing. A warehouse supervisor position description is a great place to start since it can tell you what job duties and responsibilities you can expect from the job. As well, it can clue you in on what skills you should focus on in your resume.

Warehouse Supervisor

In need of a dedicated and passionate warehouse supervisor to lead our team! Warehouse supervisor duties and responsibilities include leading a team of 10-20 employees in day-to-day production and helping the warehouse run smoothly.

Warehouse Supervisor Responsibilities

• Direct and manage a team of 10-20 employees
• Review and approve timecards
• Create employee schedules based on production demands
• Track inventory levels and order needed supplies
• Find improvements and make suggestions for processes
• Track and manage production goals
• Communicate and collaborate with other teams/management
• Train new employees on processes, safety and best practices
• Ensure your facility area is kept clean, maintained and safe

Warehouse Supervisor Qualifications

• Forklift Operation Certified
• 5+ years of experience working in a warehouse setting
• Will be on-call
• Great communication and conflict management skills
• Good with time-management and well organized
• Great critical thinking and problem-solving skills
• Team player

What are the typical duties and responsibilities of a warehouse supervisor?

Whether you are trying to become a warehouse supervisor or just stepped into the role, you are probably wondering what your day-to-day responsibilities might look like. Warehouse supervisor duties are vast since they are responsible for managing a team and making sure the warehouse operations run smoothly. It’s all a balancing act. We have put together a warehouse supervisor duties and responsibilities list so you know exactly what to expect each day on the job.

• Time Cards & Scheduling – Since you oversee a team, you will need to make sure your team’s timecards are accurate and that they are aware of what their schedules will look like. You probably also be spending some of your day answering their questions about benefits, schedules or company policies.

• Team Meetings – You will likely be running or organizing any team meetings. Sometimes your meetings will be daily, weekly or quarterly depending on the topic. Either way, part of your job is to make sure the content being discussed is relevant and interesting to your team.

• Check Inventory – You don’t just have a team to look after, but a warehouse too. This means checking that parts or equipment are stocked and in order. If supplies are low, you will often be the one to order them.

• Make Improvements – You want to look good as the new warehouse supervisor, and one of the best ways to do this is to make department improvements. This may mean you find ways to save money or speed up production. Part of your role is finding ways to make your work more efficient in some way.

• Training – New teammates are likely to come onto your team at some point, and they will need to be trained on their job responsibilities. Part of your job, as the supervisor, is to train new members.

• Safety Check – Part of your duties includes making sure the warehouse is safe and in working order. You may occasionally need to perform safety checks on equipment, replace any faulty or expired devices (fire extinguishers, old gloves, cracked hardhats, etc.) and order repairs for the warehouse.

• Management Report – You will likely be asked to report to upper management since you are now managing your own team. You may be asked to give updates on team projects or of a problem that needed to be resolved. Either way, you will be the one speaking for your department when the higher-ups ask what’s going on.

• Performance Reviews  – Your department will now have goals it needs to meet, your warehouse supervisor performance objectives, if you will. These objectives are things like a certain number of products produced in a week or zero injuries or lowering costs. You must stay on top of these goals and make sure they are met.

What kind of skills do you need to become a warehouse supervisor?

If you are reading this article, you probably already possess the skills and passion that a warehouse supervisor needs. But just in case you still aren’t sure, we have put together a Warehouse Supervisor Skills List to help you see if you are the perfect fit for this job.

• Time Management – A warehouse supervisor’s key skill is time management. You are managing your time, your team’s time and doing so all around the company’s clock. You need to make sure you can get all the work that needs to be done for the day finished in just a few hours. This means keeping distractions to a minimum and prioritizing effectively.

• Multi-Tasking – One of the most obvious skills for warehouse supervisors to have is the ability to manage multiple jobs at once. You will need to talk to your team about safety while checking the inventory of the warehouse and keeping track that monthly goals are met. It’s a lot to juggle but if you can manage it, you are golden.

• Organization – You need to make sure inventory is easy to track and that your goals are properly documented. If you are great at keeping things color-coded and organized, this may be the job for you.

• Attention to Detail – If you have an eye for noticing the smallest details, you may be a shoo-in for a warehouse supervisor job. You need to be able to notice if your team isn’t doing something right or if a safety hazard exists.

• Second Language – The ability to speak a second language isn’t usually required, but it is certainly desired for supervisor roles. This skill allows you to communicate with a much broader team.

What is the interview process for a warehouse supervisor?

The interview process for a warehouse supervisor is just like any other job. Once you apply for the job, if you are among the best candidates, they will call you in for an interview. You will need a resume showing your qualifications and prepare for the interview so you can expand on why you are the best candidate. While there are no pre-set resume or interview answers that will win you the job, there are a few things that can help you prepare.

• Think about the warehouse supervisor qualifications – What is the job asking for? 10 years of experience? A college degree? Forklift certification? If the job post asks for something you have (say 10 years of experience), be sure to spell this out on your resume so they know you have exactly what they are asked for.

•  What job duties did they mention? – If the job posting said your responsibilities would include time management and teamwork, make sure you speak about these topics in your interview so the employer knows you have the skills they need.

• Practice what you’re going to say – This is especially important for your opening and closing statements in the interview. Practicing what you want to say will help you be clear and confident in the interview.

• Wear something nice – Your job may take place in a warehouse in boots and a hardhat, but for the interview, you need to show the interviewers you know how to clean up and be professional. Make sure you dress to impress!

What kind of experience and qualifications do you need to become a warehouse supervisor?

Since you will be leading several other employees, understandably, the hiring company prefers that you have the right qualifications for the job. Some companies have warehouse supervisor qualifications that require years of prior experience working in a warehouse or in some supervisor role. Other companies have warehouse supervisor requirements that are a little more complex, like a bachelor’s degree. This degree can be in business management, logistics or something similar. It is assumed this knowledge will provide you with the job skills and concepts you will need to properly manage and maintain a team’s daily goals

As with any job, you may experience a requirement combination of experience and a college degree. This, again, will depend on the company you will be working for and the work or team size you will be overseeing. A company hiring a warehouse supervisor to lead a team of five employees may not require as much has company that has a team of 30 people.

What are the hours of a typical warehouse supervisor?

Warehouse supervisor tasks often take place during a normal Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. shift. This is because of a warehouse supervisor’s need to communicate with their employees and other teams within the company. So while day-to-day you may be working a very set schedule, you should be prepared for the possibility of being called in. Many warehouse supervisors are on-call in case something with their team goes wrong or they are short-staffed. If your team is missing too many people, you may need to jump in and help get the work done. This could happen on a weekend, night or holiday when you least expect it, and this is especially true during busy seasons in the business. Warehouse supervisor work can happen at any time of the day but, for the most part, you can expect to work a normal 8-5 schedule.

How do you become a warehouse supervisor?

Becoming a warehouse supervisor can be a lengthy process depending on the road you take to get there. Since this job will often require a degree or years of experience, you may be a few years out from being qualified. There are options out there for warehouse supervisor training courses. Check with your company first to see if this outside training will help move you into a warehouse supervisor position after completing it. Some companies will be ok with this route and use the training courses as part of your advancement plan.

Normally, however, the warehouse supervisor career path consists of working your way up from a warehouse associate into a supervisor role. You may even start in an entry-level position with one company before applying to become a warehouse supervisor with another company. In both instances, you are going to need some time under your belt to prove you know the job, its needs, and that you are management material.

If you think you have the qualifications or are just interested to see what jobs are available in your area, you can Google “warehouse supervisor jobs near me” and see what comes up. This will help you understand the exact qualifications jobs in your area are looking for as well as what industries hire for this particular job the most.

One other option if you are looking to move from warehouse associate to warehouse supervisor is to meet with a local recruiter. A recruiter can match your skills to a supervisor job in your area or simply help you stay on the look-out for these jobs when they become available.