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Supervisor

Alternative titles for this job include Team leader, first line manager

Supervisors manage teams of staff and organise their workload.

Average salary (a year)

£15,000 Starter

to

£30,000 Experienced

Typical hours (a week)

39 to 41 a week

You could work

evenings / weekends on shifts

How to become

Explore the different ways to get into this role.

How to become Supervisor

You can get into this job through:

  • an apprenticeship
  • working towards this role
  • applying directly

Apprenticeship

You could do a Team Leader and Supervisor Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship. 

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship
  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship

More Information

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.

More Information

Further information

You can find out more about careers and qualifications in supervisory management from the Chartered Management Institute (CMI).

What it takes

Find out what skills you’ll use in this role.

What it takes

Skills and knowledge

You'll need:

  • leadership skills
  • the ability to motivate and manage staff
  • the ability to organise your time and workload
  • to be thorough and pay attention to detail
  • the ability to use your initiative
  • patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
  • excellent verbal communication skills
  • business management skills
  • to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently

What you’ll do

Discover the day to day tasks you’ll do in this role.

What you'll do

Day-to-day tasks

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

Working environment

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

Career path and progression

Look at progression in this role and similar opportunities.

Career path and progression

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

You could also move into a different industry.

Current opportunities

Find apprenticeships, courses and jobs available near you.

Current opportunities

Apprenticeships In England

Apprentice Supervisor - Bristol

  • Wage: Competitive Annually
  • Location: BS14 0DE

Apprentice Sports Facilities Team Leader

  • Wage: £12,313.60 a year Annually
  • Location: S6 2ET
Find apprenticeships near you

Courses In England

Certificate in Team Leading

  • Provider: FURNESS COLLEGE
  • Start date: 08 September 2025
  • Location: BARROW-IN-FURNESS

Certificate in team leadership

  • Provider: DEVON COUNTY COUNCIL
  • Start date: 13 January 2025
  • Location: Not known
Find courses near you

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