HGV Workshop Supervisor Jobs

The HGV Workshop Supervisor is the operational day-to-day leader of a heavy vehicle workshop, sitting between the technician team and the HGV Workshop Manager and making the daily decisions that determine workshop flow, quality outcomes and individual technician performance. In many operations the Supervisor remains a working technician for a portion of their shift, handling complex fault diagnosis or technically demanding jobs while simultaneously directing the rest of the team's workload, managing bay allocation, checking job quality and keeping the Workshop Manager informed of any issues affecting throughput or compliance.

The Workshop Supervisor role is one of the most practically demanding in the heavy vehicle sector. The Supervisor must be technically credible enough to command respect from experienced HGV Technicians, HGV Fitters and HGV Mechanics, organised enough to keep multiple jobs moving simultaneously, quality-focused enough to catch errors before they become comebacks and calm enough to manage the competing priorities of a busy commercial vehicle workshop without losing control of either throughput or team morale.

Venatu recruits HGV Workshop Supervisors for permanent and contract roles across franchised truck dealerships, fleet Vehicle Maintenance Units, logistics operator workshops and independent commercial vehicle maintenance businesses throughout the UK. This role sits within our truck and van recruitment division.

Who We Recruit For

We place candidates with:

• Franchised truck and commercial vehicle dealerships
• Fleet VMU operations at logistics, utilities, local authority and public sector employers
• Independent HGV and commercial vehicle service workshops
• Managed maintenance contractors with multi-site workshop operations
• Bus and coach fleet engineering departments - see also our bus and coach division
• Trailer hire and leasing businesses with in-house workshop teams

Roles We Place

• HGV Workshop Supervisor
• Heavy Vehicle Workshop Supervisor
• HGV Working Foreman
• HGV Workshop Team Leader
• Commercial Vehicle Workshop Chargehand
• HGV Workshop Supervisor (Night Shift)
• Senior HGV Workshop Supervisor

Who Can Apply

Strong HGV Workshop Supervisor candidates typically come from:

• Experienced HGV Workshop Supervisors or Working Foremen who want to move to a new employer, a larger and better-equipped operation or an improved package
• Senior HGV Technicians or Master Technicians at franchised truck dealerships who have been providing informal team leadership, assisting with induction of new technicians, carrying out quality checks and supporting the Workshop Manager, and are ready to formalise their supervisory contribution into a Workshop Supervisor appointment
• Senior HGV Fitters at fleet VMUs or local authority workshops who have been leading a small team on shift, managing bay allocation and ensuring inspection documentation standards, and want a formally recognised Supervisor appointment
• Senior HGV Mechanics at independent workshops who have been acting as workshop foreman informally and want to move into a larger, more structured environment where their supervisory role is properly recognised and remunerated
• HGV Trailer Technicians who have developed team leadership skills within a trailer workshop environment and want to broaden into a full commercial vehicle workshop supervisor role covering tractor units alongside trailers
• Night shift leads or shift supervisors in commercial vehicle operations who have been managing a team of technicians across an unsocial hours shift and want to formalise or progress their supervisory experience

Technical credibility at Level 3 HGV standard is expected. Supervisors are assessed for their ability to allocate work effectively, check quality, manage pace and support the development of less experienced team members. AVE qualification is required or preferred for roles where the Supervisor needs to sign off statutory inspections. Venatu confirms all technical and qualification requirements with each employer before presenting candidates.

HGV Workshop Supervisor Salary Guide

Night shift and unsocial hours premiums are standard across most commercial vehicle workshop supervisor roles operating beyond standard day hours. Tool allowances are common at franchised dealer operations. Venatu benchmarks total package expectations including all shift supplements with each employer before beginning a search. Visit the HR Hub for broader context on heavy vehicle supervisory and management role remuneration.

What the Role Involves

• Managing the daily workflow of the workshop, allocating jobs to technicians based on skill level, job complexity, bay availability and planned completion times, adjusting allocations throughout the shift to maintain throughput and minimise vehicle turnaround time
• Carrying out technical work directly on complex, diagnostic or time-critical jobs where the Supervisor's experience and diagnostic capability offers the fastest path to resolution, balancing bench time against supervisory responsibilities throughout the shift
• Conducting quality checks on completed work before vehicles are returned to service or to the customer, verifying that job cards are correctly completed, that test drives have been carried out where required and that any additional defects identified during the repair have been communicated clearly to the service desk or fleet controller
• Supporting less experienced HGV Technicians and apprentices with fault diagnosis guidance, safe working procedure support and technical knowledge transfer, developing the capability of the team without doing the work for them
• Managing the workshop's DVSA inspection programme on shift, ensuring safety inspections are scheduled and carried out within the required intervals, that inspection documentation is completed accurately and that any vehicles that fail inspection are managed correctly in line with DVSA prohibition and defect rectification requirements
• Maintaining the workshop environment to the required health and safety standard throughout the shift, checking that lifting equipment, wheel and tyre equipment, workshop tools and chemicals are used safely and stored correctly
• Providing end-of-shift handover information to the incoming HGV Workshop Supervisor or HGV Workshop Manager, covering outstanding jobs, vehicle statuses, any defect or compliance matters arising and any team issues requiring management attention
• Supporting the HGV Workshop Manager with attendance management, punctuality and conduct matters at team level, escalating any issues that require formal management intervention

How the Process Works

For employers:

1. Submit a vacancy with the workshop scale, team size, vehicle types, shift structure, any AVE or diagnostic system requirements and the degree of working technician involvement expected.
2. We confirm candidate availability and technical background and present a pre-screened shortlist within five working days.
3. Candidates are assessed for technical competency, supervisory experience and inspection documentation capability.
4. Interview and offer supported by Venatu throughout.

For candidates:

1. Register your CV with your technical qualifications, supervisory or team leader experience, vehicle types and makes worked on, AVE status where applicable and preferred shift pattern.
2. A Venatu consultant will review your background and contact you directly.
3. Roles are matched to your technical background, supervisory level and geography.
4. Venatu manages the process and advises on package expectations ahead of offer.

Browse current vacancies or create a job alert to be notified when relevant roles become available.

FAQ

What is the difference between an HGV Workshop Supervisor and an HGV Workshop Manager? An HGV Workshop Supervisor manages the day-to-day operational flow of the workshop - bay allocation, job quality checking, team pacing and technical support - typically while remaining a working technician for a portion of their time. The HGV Workshop Manager holds the full commercial, financial and strategic accountability for the workshop operation, manages the Supervisor and team, owns the P&L or budget, manages the DVSA compliance programme at management level and manages customer and fleet operator relationships. In smaller workshops one person may carry both functions.

Does an HGV Workshop Supervisor need to continue doing technical work? In most operations yes. The working supervisor model is by far the most common in HGV workshops, and most employers recruit supervisors who remain productive technically for a significant portion of their shift alongside their supervisory responsibilities. The balance of bench time versus supervisory time varies by operation size and the level of administrative support available. Venatu confirms the expected balance clearly with each employer before presenting candidates.

What qualifications does an HGV Workshop Supervisor need? Level 3 in Heavy Vehicle Maintenance and Repair is the standard technical qualification. For roles involving sign-off of DVSA statutory safety inspections, AVE qualification is required or preferred. Many employers will support an existing senior technician in obtaining their AVE as part of the transition to a supervisory appointment. Venatu confirms all qualification requirements with each employer.

What does an HGV Workshop Supervisor earn in the UK? Experienced HGV Workshop Supervisors typically earn between £38,000 and £50,000. Night shift supervisors earn between £40,000 and £54,000 including shift premiums. Senior and multi-shift supervisors earn between £44,000 and £56,000. Venatu benchmarks total package and shift supplement expectations with each employer before beginning a search.

What is the progression from HGV Workshop Supervisor? The most direct progression is to HGV Workshop Manager. Supervisors who develop budget awareness, customer communication skills and a track record of improving technician productivity and inspection compliance quality are in the strongest position for Workshop Manager appointments. Read about career development pathways in the commercial vehicle technical sector in Benefits Of Becoming A HGV/PSV Technician.

Register or Enquire

Candidates - Register your CV with your technical qualifications, supervisory experience, vehicle types worked on, AVE status and shift pattern preference. Venatu will match you to current HGV Workshop Supervisor vacancies across franchised truck dealerships, fleet VMUs and commercial vehicle workshops, including roles not publicly advertised. Browse live vacancies or create a job alert.

Employers - Submit a vacancy or visit the client hub to discuss your HGV workshop supervisor requirements. Our team will respond within one working day.