What does a director of manufacturing operations do?
A director of manufacturing operations is responsible for overseeing the overall manufacturing operations, strategizing techniques to maximize productivity and efficiency, and monitoring the adequacy of supply inventories for production. Directors of manufacturing operations coordinate with trusted suppliers and vendors for resources that meet high-quality standards with minimal costing. They analyze manufacturing processes and develop procedures to minimize errors and downtimes and meet deliverables according to budget limitations and timetables. A director of manufacturing operations assists the team with their inquiries and concerns and resolve process-related issues to prevent delays in operation.
Director of manufacturing operations responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real director of manufacturing operations resumes:
- Manage production schedules and supervise a group of highly skil CNC machinists.
- Manage all aspects of CNC machining, training, and machine and facilities maintenance.
- Manage city and OSHA compliance through efficient facilities setups including power, water, and gas.
- Manage contract manufacturing projects, inventory control and logistics process.
- Manage OEM manufacturer for product assembly and internal manufacturing for product customization.
- Rely upon to represent company and handle discussions with external FDA, UL, CSA and ISO personnel.
- Re-Implement company's existing ERP software, install master scheduling, forecasting, shop floor control and MRP.
- Audit of suppliers as a certify ISO auditor.
- Help to maintain policy and procedures for ISO.
- Direct production, QA, and risk management.
- Conduct an OSHA in-house audit, training and document the in-house OSHA handbook.
- Work to ensure technical specifications and FDA regulations are strictly comply with by all suppliers through quality and organizational excellence.
- Implement product customization, configuration and logistics postponement for flexibility.
- Optimize forecasting accuracy and purchasing through implementation of MRP system.
- Implement non-disclosed commissionaire structure in Europe as part of ERP implementation.
Director of manufacturing operations skills and personality traits
We calculated that 13% of Directors Of Manufacturing Operations are proficient in Continuous Improvement, Supply Chain, and Lean Six Sigma. They’re also known for soft skills such as Management skills, Leadership skills, and Problem-solving skills.
We break down the percentage of Directors Of Manufacturing Operations that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Continuous Improvement, 13%
Directed quality engineering and inspection resources with data collection and analysis tools in an effort to drive continuous improvement.
- Supply Chain, 9%
Managed the procurement department to fulfill our supply chain requirement and communicated closely with the sales department to accomplish customer forecasts.
- Lean Six Sigma, 5%
Developed PCP Lean Six Sigma Certification program and trained over 120 employees across the organization in lean and six sigma principles.
- Lean Manufacturing, 5%
Managed transition to lean manufacturing by implementing 5s, cost reduction strategies and Isuzu Manufacturing Management tools standards to all locations.
- FDA, 4%
Relied upon to represent company and handle discussions with external FDA, UL, CSA and ISO personnel.
- Sigma, 3%
Reduced cycle time from 190 to 88 days by focusing on lean/six sigma manufacturing principles and elimination of non-value added processes.
Common skills that a director of manufacturing operations uses to do their job include "continuous improvement," "supply chain," and "lean six sigma." You can find details on the most important director of manufacturing operations responsibilities below.
Leadership skills. Many director of manufacturing operations duties rely on leadership skills. "top executives must be able to shape and direct an organization by coordinating policies, people, and resources.," so a director of manufacturing operations will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways director of manufacturing operations responsibilities rely on leadership skills: "selected by leadership as the sme for otc products governed by the fda. "
Problem-solving skills. directors of manufacturing operations are also known for problem-solving skills, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to director of manufacturing operations responsibilities, because "top executives need to identify and resolve issues within an organization." A director of manufacturing operations resume example shows how problem-solving skills is used in the workplace: "support the requirements definition for the implementation of a new erp enterprise system and business intelligence solution. "
Time-management skills. For certain director of manufacturing operations responsibilities to be completed, the job requires competence in "time-management skills." The day-to-day duties of a director of manufacturing operations rely on this skill, as "top executives do many tasks concurrently to ensure that their work gets done and that the organization meets its goals." For example, this snippet was taken directly from a resume about how this skill applies to what directors of manufacturing operations do: "initiated quality plans to monitor supplier performance which included on time delivery, product quality, documentation, and service. "
Communication skills. Another common skill required for director of manufacturing operations responsibilities is "communication skills." This skill comes up in the duties of directors of manufacturing operations all the time, as "top executives must be able to convey information clearly and persuasively." An excerpt from a real director of manufacturing operations resume shows how this skill is central to what a director of manufacturing operations does: "established roles and responsibilities that clearly defined tasks and improved communications reducing indirect labor costs by 14%. "
The three companies that hire the most director of manufacturing operationss are:
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Compare different directors of manufacturing operations
Director of manufacturing operations vs. Operations support manager
Operations Support Managers are employees who handle different support initiatives for the employees or operations-related departments. These support initiatives may come in people management and upskilling, IT infrastructure assistance, or process improvement, among others. Operations Support Managers must have a deep understanding of company operations and the employees' needs. They manage processes and standards to ensure that company operations are fully supported and will not be disrupted. They resolve concerns and anticipate problems that may come. They can plan and create safeguards to ensure that such problems will not arise in the future.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, director of manufacturing operations responsibilities require skills like "continuous improvement," "supply chain," "lean six sigma," and "fda." Meanwhile a typical operations support manager has skills in areas such as "customer service," "project management," "professional development," and "support operations." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
Operations support managers earn the highest salaries when working in the technology industry, with an average yearly salary of $68,847. On the other hand, directors of manufacturing operations are paid more in the start-up industry with an average salary of $152,321.The education levels that operations support managers earn slightly differ from directors of manufacturing operations. In particular, operations support managers are 5.4% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a director of manufacturing operations. Additionally, they're 0.5% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Director of manufacturing operations vs. Operations vice president
The responsibilities of an operations vice president will revolve around overseeing business operations and ensuring workforce and workflow efficiency through evaluations and providing strategic plans that would drive the company to meet its vision and mission. An operations vice president, in adherence to the company policies and regulations, also has the power to hire and train employees, even to execute disciplinary actions such as termination or suspension when necessary. Furthermore, an operations vice president also has discretion in reviewing and approving reports and requirements in various aspects such as budgeting and new policies.
Each career also uses different skills, according to real director of manufacturing operations resumes. While director of manufacturing operations responsibilities can utilize skills like "supply chain," "lean six sigma," "lean manufacturing," and "quality standards," operations vice presidents use skills like "customer service," "oversight," "project management," and "financial statements."
Operations vice presidents may earn a higher salary than directors of manufacturing operations, but operations vice presidents earn the most pay in the hospitality industry with an average salary of $167,073. On the other hand, directors of manufacturing operations receive higher pay in the start-up industry, where they earn an average salary of $152,321.operations vice presidents earn similar levels of education than directors of manufacturing operations in general. They're 2.4% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.5% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Director of manufacturing operations vs. Operations director
Operations directors oversee all company operations. They have the power to set the direction, change the course of the organization, and reform strategies to ensure efficiency in how the company operates. Operations directors manage business operations effectively by constantly analyzing company data and by anticipating any challenge that may come their way. As such, they make sound business decisions and recommendations that will help strengthen the organization. Operations directors oversee finances, quality control, and even human resources. They ensure that all aspects of the business are considered in making business operations decisions.
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a director of manufacturing operations is likely to be skilled in "supply chain," "lean six sigma," "lean manufacturing," and "quality standards," while a typical operations director is skilled in "customer service," "oversight," "patients," and "project management."
Operations directors earn the highest salary when working in the finance industry, where they receive an average salary of $120,460. Comparatively, directors of manufacturing operations have the highest earning potential in the start-up industry, with an average salary of $152,321.When it comes to education, operations directors tend to earn similar degree levels compared to directors of manufacturing operations. In fact, they're 3.0% less likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.1% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Director of manufacturing operations vs. Director
Directors work in show business, whether in a film, a television show, or a theatre production. They are responsible for bringing the material to life. They work with the writers to get a clear vision of how the production should look. They lead the production team in planning for the production, identifying filming or rehearsing schedules, casting for roles, and other aspects that need to be decided upon. Directors provide direction to the actors to ensure that the actors understand their role and will be able to effectively convey emotions to the audience. They also manage all other crew members and communicate their expectations clearly so that everyone on the set is working towards one vision.
Even though a few skill sets overlap between directors of manufacturing operations and directors, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a director of manufacturing operations might have more use for skills like "continuous improvement," "supply chain," "lean six sigma," and "lean manufacturing." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of directors require skills like "healthcare," "customer service," "oversight," and "project management. "
The finance industry tends to pay the highest salaries for directors, with average annual pay of $155,819. Comparatively, the highest director of manufacturing operations annual salary comes from the start-up industry.In general, directors hold similar degree levels compared to directors of manufacturing operations. Directors are 0.5% more likely to earn their Master's Degree and 2.0% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Types of director of manufacturing operations
Updated January 8, 2025
