Supervisor

Job Description:

Supervisors manage teams of staff and organise their workload.

Job Category:

Professional Services

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What you will do:

As a supervisor, you could:

plan workloads and rotas
allocate tasks to team members
brief teams on targets, initiatives and policy changes
report on team performance and do individual performance reviews
keep up to date with regulations

Skills:

You’ll need:

business management knowledge
to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently

As well as:

leadership skills
the ability to motivate and manage staff
the ability to organise your time and workload (organisational skills)
to be thorough and pay attention to detail
the ability to use your initiative (ambition/drive)
patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
excellent verbal communication skills

Illustration of employee looking at workspace

Entry Requirements:

To become a supervisor in various fields, there are no specific subjects you need to take. However, gaining some general skills and knowledge can be helpful for leadership roles. Here are suggested subjects that can be advantageous if you want to become a supervisor:

English: Strong communication skills, including reading, writing, and speaking, are essential for effective leadership and management roles.
Mathematics: Basic math skills are valuable for understanding budgets, financial reports, and data analysis, which are often part of supervisory responsibilities.
Business Studies: Courses in business studies can provide you with a foundational understanding of business concepts, management principles, and leadership techniques.
ICT (Information and Communication Technology): Proficiency in using computers and software is increasingly important in many supervisory roles, as it can help you manage data, communicate effectively, and make informed decisions.
Science: While not directly related to many supervisory roles, science subjects can help develop problem-solving and critical thinking skills.
Social Sciences: Subjects like psychology or sociology can enhance your understanding of human behaviour, which is relevant in managing and leading teams.

Post School

You can get into this job through:

an apprenticeship
working towards this role
applying directly

Apprenticeship

You could do a Team Leader and Supervisor Advanced Apprenticeship.

Work

You could work towards being promoted to a team leader or supervisor role in your organisation.

In a larger organisation, you might need to complete a management trainee scheme.

Direct Application

You could apply directly for team leader or supervisor jobs.

You’ll usually need at least 1 or 2 years’ experience in a job to apply directly.

Employers might also want you to have work based qualifications and training certificates for the industry you’re working in.

Working Hours and Environment:

A typical week consists of 39-41 hours of work. You could be required to work evenings/weekends on shifts.

You could work in an office, in a contact centre, in a factory or at a store.

Career Path & Progression:

With training and experience, you could move into middle management and then senior management positions.

You could also move into a different industry.