As a postal supervisor, you work for the United States Post Office, a long-standing government agency, which offers competitive salaries and federal employee benefits. In this position, you manage vital operations that ensure the delivery of more than 500 million mail pieces each day. With good organizational skills and management abilities, you can have a rewarding career.

Skills You Need

Postal supervision requires a number of skills. According to the employment website, O*Net Online, these workers need problem-solving skills. They must identify potential and actual weaknesses with the mail-delivery process, then develop adequate solutions quickly and efficiently. They must also exhibit communication skills, as supervisors often write reports and speak to the public on behalf of the postal service. They must also manage their time and the time and tasks of the employees they supervise.

Daily Duties

Postal supervisors manage employees and operations on a daily basis. Depending on the specifically assigned department, they may oversee incoming and outgoing mail and parcels as they are sorted. They also manage various forms of postal transportation, from long distance tractor trailer movement to daily delivery trucks. Postal supervisors often hire employees and coordinate their training. They also create work schedules and conduct regularly performance reviews. Postal supervisors are also tasked with resolving customer complaints.

Extra Responsibilities

Postal supervisors may need to communicate with walk-in customers at times, conducting transactions and collecting payments. Postal workers are unionized, so you may participate in labor disputes and negotiations. Supervisors solicit supplier bids and work with post office partners to coordinate the requisition of products and services. If illegal activity or wrongdoing is discovered within your assigned location, you will work with law-enforcement authorities and participate in any resulting investigations.

Becoming A Supervisor

According to the Postal Service website, you must be at least 18 years old and a U.S. resident or lawful, permanent resident. Most employees in this position possess an associate degree at minimum. While you can directly obtain a supervisory position as a new employee, the agency offers extensive management development training for current postal workers who want to advance their careers into supervisory positions. According to O*Net Online, the average salary of a postal supervisor is $65,150. The employment outlook is on the decline, with an expected 3 percent decrease through 2022.