Production Manager Job Descriptions, Average Salary, Interview Questions

What Does a Production Manager Do?

Production managers oversee the production of goods in manufacturing or industrial settings. Managing the production process ensures that products are made efficiently, within budget, and of high quality. As part of this role, they supervise the production team, monitor production output, and make sure that production targets are met. Additionally, these professionals must ensure that production deadlines are met by managing production schedules and workflows. Their responsibilities also include identifying production-related problems and developing solutions with teams.

Production managers must keep their teams efficient and safe while serving as a liaison between upper management and their teams. They are excellent communicators and have the ability to anticipate delays and inefficiencies accurately. In this position, the main objective is to ensure a safe and efficient working environment for the team.

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National Average Salary

Production manager salaries vary by experience, industry, organization size, and geography. To explore salary ranges by local market, please visit our sister site zengig.com.

The average U.S. salary for a Production Manager is:

$101,540

Production Manager Job Descriptions

It’s important to include the right content in your job description when hiring a production manager. The following examples can serve as templates for attracting the best available talent for your team.

Example 1

We’re a diverse and growing manufacturer looking for a solid production manager to lead our team. The ideal candidate will be well-versed in machine operations and manufacturing processes, as well as a very capable manager that can motivate and manage a large workforce. In your role, you’ll be overseeing potentially dozens of staff members across a multitude of departments. These team members may come from production, operations, maintenance, engineering, and quality control in varying numbers. With your expertise, we hope to bring about a safer, more productive, and more cost-efficient production floor.

If you think you have what it takes to be an outstanding team player with great communication skills, and an unrivaled understanding of the manufacturing process, we’d love to hear from you!

Typical duties and responsibilities

  • Determine objectives and limitations with other managers
  • Create cost estimates and prepare budgets
  • Structure workflow to meet deadlines
  • Monitor production to resolve issues
  • Evaluate the performance of staff and production personnel 
  • Order and approve maintenance work and replacement equipment
  • Create and enforce health and safety guidelines that align with company goals and regulations

Education and experience

  • Demonstrated management experience in related field
  • Thorough knowledge of production management processes

Required skills and qualifications

  • Excellent leadership and organizational skills
  • Great attention to detail
  • Proficiency using MS office suite or ERP software
  • Strong decision-making skills with a solution-oriented mindset
  • Outstanding communication skills
  • Understanding of health and safety regulations and quality standards

Preferred qualifications

  • B.S. or B.A. in business administration, industrial engineering, industrial technology, manufacturing, or related field
  • 5 years of prior plant manager, floor manager, or production manager experience
  • Experience with Solidworks or Autocad
  • Management experience
  • Working knowledge of current manufacturing processes
  • Experience speaking to different types of people effectively

Example 2

Essential functions

  • Manages and directs activities of the production department, ensuring product adheres to ABC Company’s standard of safety, quality, and throughput
  • Collaborates with the planning department to create production schedules that meet both internal and external needs. Establishes and adjusts work procedures and schedules to meet production plan
  • Maintains effective working relationships with team members through open communication, visibility, and involvement to promote a positive working environment that maximizes safety, employee engagement, productivity, and throughput
  • Provides direction to supervisors on team member coaching and development, employment decisions, and resolving issues through conflict resolution. Hires, trains, coaches, and reviews performance of team members. Partners with Human Resources for recruitment, corrective actions, and terminations
  • Collaborates with Maintenance Department leadership to plan preventative maintenance on the production lines
  • Analyzes and submits reports for production numbers, downtime, attendance, overtime, and quality checks to the Plant Director
  • Collaborates with the Plant Director and Planning Department to develop the Production Department budget and forecast
  • Develops, recommends, and implements measures to improve production methods, equipment performance, and quality of product
  • Develops capital equipment justification for machine upgrades and process technology to improve quality, cost, and cycle times
  • Suggests changes in working conditions and use of equipment to increase efficiency of department personnel
  • Interfaces with multiple departments within in the organization to ensure customer deadlines are met
  • Collaborates with plant leadership to champion a world-class safety culture
  • Adheres to the highest standards of company and plant safety programs, guidelines, rules, and regulations
  • Abides by ABC Company’s Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP’s) and Food Safety Standards at all times
  • Collaborates with raw material planners to ensure correct inventories based on production schedules. Escalates supplier quality issues to prevent customer shortages
  • Partners with the Quality Department to prevent and resolve Non-Conforming Finished Goods and Non-Conforming Raw Materials
  • Regular and predictable attendance is an essential function of the job
  • Please note this job description is not designed to contain a comprehensive list of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without prior notice

Qualifications

  • Minimum Qualifications:
    • 6 Years – Experience in Field or similar manufacturing environment
    • 6 Years – Experience in Position
    • 4 Years – Experience managing people/projects
    • Understanding of production processes and controls experience may include a combination of work experience and education
  • Preferred Qualifications:
    • 10+ Years– Experience in Field or similar manufacturing environment
    • 10+ Years – Experience working in Position
    • 6 Years – Experience managing people/projects experience may include a combination of work experience and education

Example 3

The job

The Production Manager is responsible for the on-stage, backstage, show settlement and other technical details of concerts and events at ABC Company-operated venues and third party venues including theatres, clubs, stadiums, and arenas in the local market and surrounding areas.

Responsibilities

  • Coordination between tour/private production and venues. Advancing and obtaining presale technical information, including production needs, rider requirements, staging, and capacity changes
  • Interface with local contractors (vendors) and tours, clients renting ABC Company venues and venue production teams when ABC Company is a client at a venue for all show requirements, including stagehands, runners, security, casual labor and rental equipment, with an emphasis on quality, reliability, and cost
  • Day of show management of concert/private events from load in to load out, with an emphasis on customer (artist/client) service, adherence to time schedules, sound restrictions, and cost containment
  • Show settlement, artist and vendor payments on events
  • Live Nation representative at scheduled shows for business unit and production and show settlement responsibilities for non-Amphitheater shows in market, as directed
  • Coordinate and manages approved subcontractors and third party vendors to ensure safe, efficient, and successful events

Qualifications

  • Combination 4 plus years experience as Production Manager, promoter rep, or event coordinator; general knowledge of venue operations preferred
  • Possess strong organizational, communication, interpersonal, and analytical skills with attention to detail/problem solving skills
  • Ability to prioritize and handle multiple tasks simultaneously in a fast paced environment
  • Be a self-motivated individual who possesses a “roll up the sleeves attitude” and a “hands-on” style, as well as the aptitude to thrive in a fast-paced, results oriented environment
  • Ability to travel as schedule dictates
  • Flexible Schedule (days/nights, late hours, weekends, and holidays)
  • Implementation and execution of all ABC Company policies, procedures, and programs
  • Must work well under pressure and remain even tempered
  • Ability to make clear concise decisions; sometimes with limited information
  • Computer proficiency in Windows applications (Outlook, Excel, Word, PowerPoint)
  • Excellent references
  • ABC Company’s policy regarding vaccinations and masking will evolve based upon updated regulations and factors related to COVID-19. Currently, we strongly encourage employees to be fully vaccinated or have received a negative COVID test within 24 hours of entering an office

Example 4

Overview

You’d be the secret sauce for client satisfaction, providing quality, cost-effective services by scheduling and directing personnel and resources efficiently. You’d also support the Account Manager in estimating and budgeting as needed, helping ensure profitability and exceptional outcomes for every account.

Responsibilities

  • Performance & Quality:
    • Coordinating materials, people, equipment, and subcontractors to ensure job site quality meets ABC Company standards
    • Inspecting properties prior to scheduled service to develop an appropriate action plan, and performing hands-on work as needed
    • Addressing issues before they arise by proactively monitoring irrigation systems and areas with the potential for disease or insect problems
  • Operations:
    • Ensuring the proper maintenance, storage, and use of branch equipment
    • Coordinating with the Branch Administrator to ensure branch databases contain current client information
    • Ordering materials as needed, and monitoring costs and deliveries
  • Personnel:
    • Working with the Account Manager to identify staffing needs, perform hiring duties, and prepare daily crew schedules
    • Developing and reviewing growth plans for employees, and providing counsel and discipline
    • Providing crew member training, including proper equipment operation, pruning techniques, safety, and quality standards
  • Safety:
    • Implement safety best practices and monitor branch safety record

Qualifications

  • A minimum of 2 years of experience in the landscaping industry or local marketplace
  • A minimum of 1 year of prior experience in a supervisory role
  • A 2 year degree or more in a landscape-related field or certification by a landscape association

Preferred qualifications

  • The ability to coach and develop teams

Candidate Certifications to Look For

  • CPIM – Certified in Production and Inventory Management. Demonstrating an understanding of what makes supply chains resilient and agile in today’s world, the CPIM shows candidates how to manage disruptions, mitigate risk, and adapt to demand variations.
  • IPC J-STD-001. This certification is about obtaining the IPC endorsement for the standard process control of materials, methods, and verification criteria for producing high-quality soldered electronics. It demonstrates the user’s thorough understanding of process control and certifies an industry-standard consensus.
  • CMS Certified Manufacturing Specialist. CMS is heavily geared towards programs with a strong manufacturing emphasis. This certification demonstrates the user’s ability to properly handle electronics, technical drafting, woodworking, metrology, polymers, traditional machining, standard industrial materials, production planning and quality, and management and supervision.

Sample Interview Questions

  • What strategies do you use to ensure that deadlines are met, and production workflows are managed?
  • What metrics do you use to measure production performance?
  • To ensure smooth production processes, what methods do you use to communicate with the production teams?
  • What is your process for prioritizing tasks and managing resources?
  • What’s your method of quality control?
  • What are your methods for forecasting and planning staff scheduling?
  • What are your methods for managing production budgets and reducing costs?
  • How would you address today’s most significant challenge facing production managers?
  • Give an example of when you had to identify a production issue and implement a solution. How did it turn out?
  • In order to achieve production targets, what is the best way to prioritize production demands?
  • Tell us about a time when you dealt with a production-related conflict. How did you resolve the situation?

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