How to hire a factory manager

How to hire a factory manager, step by step

Here's a step-by-step factory manager hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a factory manager job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new factory manager
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your factory manager job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a factory manager for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A factory manager's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, factory managers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list shows salaries for various types of factory managers.

   Type of Factory Manager	Description	Hourly rate
   Factory Manager	Industrial production managers oversee the daily operations of manufacturing and related plants. They coordinate, plan, and direct the activities used to create a wide range of goods, such as cars, computer equipment, or paper products.	$32-62
   Production Administrator	Production administrators support all artistic and production functions with expert administrative support to the entire production team. Part of their responsibilities includes maintaining the annual production expenses and production calendar, researching potential venues and maintaining a venue database, and preparing expense reports for artists and production staff... Show more	$12-28
   Plant Superintendent	Plant superintendents must have skills in operations, productions, and management. They also need a 4-year degree in business or industrial management... Show more	$32-64

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Continuous Improvement
   • Lean Manufacturing
   • ISO
   • Sigma
   • On-Time Delivery
   • Employee Engagement
   • Focus Factory
   • Product Line
   • Production Planning
   • Kaizen
   • Production Schedules
   • Value Stream
   • Lean Six Sigma
   • Employee Development

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Lead the process change to use MRP for planning all in house manufacture production products.
   • Manage engineering and maintenance technicians in order to improve equipment reliability and improve OEE.
   • Design a visual kanban for the factory floor and develop an electronic system using MRP technology to replenish parts.
   • Develop and maintain set-up sheets / device history records for all customer jobs to ensure SMT tractability.
   • Reduce work-in-process inventory from 2 weeks to 2 days by improving processes and setting up a KANBAN system.
   • Direct all operations for manufacturing, warehousing supply chain and logistics.

   More factory manager duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your factory manager job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A factory manager salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, factory managers' average salary in iowa is 43% less than in alaska.
   • Seniority. Entry-level factory managers earn 49% less than senior-level factory managers.
   • Certifications. A factory manager with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a factory manager's salary.

   Average factory manager salary

   $94,025yearly

   $45.20 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level factory manager salary

   $67,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 20, 2026

   Average factory manager salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Connecticut	$111,790	$54
   2	New York	$107,658	$52
   3	North Carolina	$105,747	$51
   4	Oregon	$102,038	$49
   5	California	$97,823	$47
   6	Massachusetts	$96,837	$47
   7	Florida	$95,275	$46
   8	Texas	$95,003	$46
   9	New Jersey	$94,414	$45
   10	Pennsylvania	$94,353	$45
   11	Arizona	$93,389	$45
   12	Michigan	$92,516	$44
   13	Maryland	$89,992	$43
   14	Minnesota	$89,333	$43
   15	Ohio	$88,883	$43
   16	Illinois	$88,272	$42
   17	Virginia	$87,021	$42
   18	Tennessee	$86,657	$42
   19	Georgia	$84,241	$41
   20	Indiana	$83,036	$40

   Average factory manager salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Amazon	$126,581	$60.86	10
   2	Deloitte	$104,515	$50.25	82
   3	Ice Cream	$100,380	$48.26
   4	HELLA Corporate Center USA, Inc	$99,915	$48.04
   5	AvL Technologies	$99,758	$47.96
   6	Vollrath	$99,758	$47.96	1
   7	GlobalFoundries	$98,978	$47.59
   8	Philips	$98,928	$47.56	1
   9	HNI	$98,799	$47.50
   10	Magna International	$97,668	$46.96	3
   11	Plexus	$96,889	$46.58	6
   12	Ascena Retail Group	$96,193	$46.25
   13	Trane	$95,428	$45.88
   14	HMSHost	$93,994	$45.19
   15	Fun Factory Parties	$93,958	$45.17
   16	Mars	$93,946	$45.17	1
   17	ITT	$93,750	$45.07
   18	Textron	$91,497	$43.99	7
   19	BAE Systems	$90,521	$43.52	3
   20	Liberty Diversified International	$87,449	$42.04	1

4. Writing a factory manager job description

   A job description for a factory manager role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a factory manager job description:

   Factory manager job description example

   Summary: Plans, coordinates and directs all activities within the assigned operations areas. Analyze and calculate data to determine, develop, or recommend improvements in the day-to-day operation of the assigned operation area. Schedule, train, and develop subordinate personnel. Responsible for the successful, cost-efficient operation of assigned operations area.
   ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
   Coordinate activities in the production department to ensure profit plan commitments are achieved.Continuous product quality improvement.The FFM plans, coordinates, and directs all activities within production operations. Use KPI's to analyze and calculate data to determine, develop, or recommend improvements in the day-to-day operation. Schedule, train, and develop subordinate personnel. Responsible for a successful and cost-efficient operation.The FFM is responsible for implementing strategy and standards to drive best practices and continuous improvement.Capable of problem solving (Kepner Tregoe/Six Sigma - TrainingThe FFM also ensures that the functional strategy is executed effectively through organizational plans and policies and is linked closely with other site functional areas.As a leader and manager, it is an expectation to be a role model in exhibiting the behaviors and fostering the development of integrity, excellence, teamwork, and accountability.Coordinate with materials department to ensure parts are in stock and received.Assure 100% on time delivery to customer.Stabilize incoming material flow.Develop and maintain a safe work environment.Implement fail-safe process in the production department.Facilitate cost reduction process.Develop and maintain visual management throughout all areas.Initiate action to prevent the occurrence if any nonconformity's relating to product, process, safety and quality systems.Control further processing, delivery, or installation of non-conforming product until the deficiency or unsatisfactory condition has been corrected.Maintain union free work environment.The FFM has overall responsibility for the safety, quality, productivity, and cost.
   
   SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:
   Directly supervises the Production Supervisors. The Focus Factory Manager is responsible for the overall direction, coordination, and evaluation of the Production department. Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization's policies and applicable laws. Responsibilities include training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; rewarding and disciplining employees; addressing complaints and resolving problems.
   
   REQUIRED EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:
   Bachelor's degree and/or 7+ years related manufacturing experience. Leadership skills and supervision of large work groups. Related experience, training, education or some combination of all three may be considered.Proficient in Microsoft (Powerpoint, Word, Excel) Experience with launches
   
   DESIRED/PREFRRED EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:
   Automotive experience in a Just In Time (JIT) environment, Stamping experience, Cost studies, Justification for projects, Sales.
   
   PRIMARY LOCATION
   
   Clanton

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find factory managers for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your factory manager job on Zippia to find and recruit factory manager candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting factory managers requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new factory manager

   Once you've decided on a perfect factory manager candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new factory manager. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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