Surface Production Supervisor

For over three decades, Lyons Salt has provided superior deicing and agricultural salts from our mine in Lyons, KS. Our thriving business stems from commitment to our customers and a respect for every product request to help them better serve their clients. As a member of the team at Lyons Salt, you are contributing to personalized, responsive service day or night.

Job Summary

Morton Salt, operating a mine in Lyons, is seeking a Surface Supervisor as an integral part of our operations management Team. Reporting to the Surface Superintendent, the successful candidate will provide leadership and supervision for the hourly workforce to safely and efficiently produce and ship bulk and package salt products. The Surface Supervisor will empower employees to maintain positive employee relations, a Team environment, and create a culture of continuous improvement and ownership.

This position is responsible for maintaining safe and compliant operations on the shift for the surface production and loadout department including scheduling personnel, tracking time and job coding, coaching and discipline, tracking shift production and quality information, ensuring proper maintenance and housekeeping standards, scheduling product line production, managing contractors, project planning and execution, and all other duties and responsibilities involving surface shift operations.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Supervision of mill operators, bulk loader operators, package operators, laborers, and contract employees. May require supervision of maintenance personnel on an as needed basis.
• The surface department workforce generally consists of 20-30 employees total over multiple shifts, 24-hours by 7 days per week. The surface supervision team consists of 1 supervisors, 1 superintendent, 1 general maintenance or electrical supervisor, and 1 maintenance planner / buyer.
• Ensure safe operations – set high safety standards and lead by example, ensure compliance with MSHA standards and company safety policies and processes. All employees are expected to manage safety hazards and work safely as a daily requirement.
• Ensure compliance with environmental requirements and company policies, immediately ensuring spills are cleaned up and pollution control devices are operating.
• Ensure company quality policies are followed, record and track product quality information, follow safe feed and HACCP program with all GMPs.
• Schedule production and ensure production requirements are met, focusing on safety, compliance, quality, productivity, efficiency and de-bottlenecking.
• Request materials, parts, and supplies for operations, minimize waste and control costs.
• Employee timekeeping and job tracking.
• Assist with interviewing and selecting candidates for hire.
• Train, coach, and hold employees accountable for performance through discipline as necessary.
• Interface with other departments and staff in a Team environment including mine production, maintenance, and customer service & sales – providing timely reports, information, facts, and opinions.
• Assist with or lead projects from design through implementation, including installation of new equipment and developing new or changing processes; and
• Ensure regular routine maintenance and servicing of stationary or mobile equipment including troubleshooting and completing, assisting with, or supporting corrective maintenance.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• High School diploma or GED.
• 3 years of proven leadership and supervision experience in heavy industry or manufacturing.
• Familiarity with heavy and light mobile equipment. Lyons equipment includes front-end loaders, dozers, skid steer loaders, forklifts, telehandlers, boom lifts, trucks, railcar movers, and other equipment.
• Familiarity with milling, powered haulage, and support equipment. Lyons equipment includes crushers, screeners, belt conveyors, screw conveyors, bucket elevator legs, dryers, chutes and spouts, manually or power controlled gates, pumps, fans, scales, manual bag filling equipment, robotic palletizing lines, and other equipment.
• Strong mechanical aptitude.
• Excels in organizing and planning tasks.
• Ability to learn and apply maintenance best practices.
• Excellent communication skills – both verbal and written with a good customer service attitude.
• Knowledge and experience with email and computer applications, including business applications such as Word and Excel.
• Ability to work overtime, holidays or weekends and any shift as needed by the business.
• Ability to lift between 50 - 100 pounds; and
• Engineering or technical degree, other applicable degree, or equivalent job experience preferred.

Work Environment

• Must be able to work productively in a group environment.
• Must be able to work additional hours as required.
• Must lift up to 50 pounds", must wear PPE, must navigate in and out of offices, very hot, cold, or wet outdoor environments. Must be able to work in an underground mine.

Essential Job Functions

• Salt or mining industry experience.
• Safety and/or environmental compliance knowledge.
• Maintenance knowledge with hands on expertise resolving complex problems.
• Data and report presentation experience – constructing and using spreadsheets and computer-based charts and graphs.
• CMMS (Computerized Maintenance Management System), purchasing software, and/or computerized timekeeping software experience,
• Excels in project coordination and detailed planning.
• Possess mechanical aptitude and knowledge of maintenance and preventative maintenance.
• Ability to comprehend simple accounting practices, procedures, and reporting.
• Mine supervisors daily coordination and execution alignment. Strong working relationship required.
• Electrical Supervisor or General Maintenance Supervisor – daily coordination and execution alignment. Strong working relationship required.
• Surface Superintendent – one up, daily coordination and execution alignment. Strong working relationship required.
• Maintenance and operations contractors – external – strong coordination on technical / long term strategic growth

At Morton Salt, we work best when we work as a team, when we treat one another with dignity and respect, and value the unique contributions of others. We are committed to equal employment opportunity and prohibit discrimination and harassment based on race, national origin, sex, religion, color, disability, marital status, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, citizenship, or any other characteristic protected by law.