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Industrial engineering manager skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

7 min read

Quoted experts

Dr. John Ballato,

Dr. John Ballato

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical industrial engineering manager skills. We ranked the top skills for industrial engineering managers based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 9.2% of industrial engineering manager resumes contained project management as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills an industrial engineering manager needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 industrial engineering manager skills for your resume and career

1. Project Management

Here's how industrial engineering managers use project management:

Led a staff of engineers for cost savings and cycle-time reduction projects using formal industrial engineering methodologies and project management.
Assumed project management responsibilities and conducts financial analysis when required.

2. Lean Manufacturing

Here's how industrial engineering managers use lean manufacturing:

Implemented continual process improvement that supports cost reduction, enhances manufacturing methods and increases throughput in accordance with lean manufacturing concepts.
Lead all initiatives for maximizing efficiency and utilization of operations using process management and Lean Manufacturing techniques.

3. Logistics

Logistics is a complete organization and implementation of a problem. Logistics are often considered in a complex business operation, as some works need detailed plannings. Logistics are also used in military action.

Here's how industrial engineering managers use logistics:

Managed a project to modernize and redesign an outdated logistics operation, Results productivity increased 33% without increasing staffing requirements.
Project Manager for successful implementation of PkMS to support third party logistics operation in Canada.

4. Process Improvement

Here's how industrial engineering managers use process improvement:

Supported manufacturing in process improvement activity, process monitoring and visibility, and assisted in the implementation of 5S.
Developed semi-automatic machinery for process improvement, and direct labor cost reduction using programmable logic controllers (PLC).

5. IE

Here's how industrial engineering managers use ie:

Restructured the IE department to better support the operations of both plants, while reducing IE staff by 30%.
Managed all functions of the IE group including preparing budgets, estimating costs, start-up curve and staffing for projects.

6. Cost Reduction

Here's how industrial engineering managers use cost reduction:

Managed six Industrial and Process Engineers involved in Capital Projects and cost reduction activities that focused on yield and productivity improvements.
Created, updated and maintained cost affordability initiatives business cases for cost reduction initiatives.

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7. Lean Six Sigma

Here's how industrial engineering managers use lean six sigma:

Utilized Lean Six Sigma principles and increased the inducted units per hour from 14 to 40 UPH.
Lead and manage several Lean Six Sigma projects in the Manufacturing Plant and the Distribution Center.

8. Sigma

In Greek alphabets, sigma is the 18th letter that means "to sum up". In statistics, the lower case symbol of sigma is the unit of measurement for standard deviation which is used to assess the variability in a given set of data. While the upper case symbol is for summation notation means to add up all the given numbers in the data set.

Here's how industrial engineering managers use sigma:

Served as change agent by effectively communicating, training, coaching and mentoring managers on manufacturing processes and lean/six sigma implementation.
Mentored and facilitated Six Sigma improvement teams.

9. Facility Layout

Here's how industrial engineering managers use facility layout:

Create and update/maintain facility layout utilizing AutoCAD software.
Developed plant facility layouts and office arrangements.

10. Capacity Analysis

Here's how industrial engineering managers use capacity analysis:

Performed capacity analysis for post-fab operations, including capital equipment justification.
Managed efforts to develop capacity analysis tools and CAD-based layout tools for plant.

11. Data Analysis

Here's how industrial engineering managers use data analysis:

Perform to resolve diverse scope problems requiring variable factors evaluation for data analysis.
Performed data analysis and provided recommendations to achieve reduced labor costs.

12. Value Stream

A value stream applies to any of the phases or stages that a buyer has the willingness to pay to transport a product or service across the main flows needed to manufacture the product or service.

Here's how industrial engineering managers use value stream:

Established opportunities and plans for improvement utilizing Value Stream Mapping.
Optimized production floor space by 15% using value stream mapping and AutoCAD to simplify process flow.

13. Kaizen

Kaizen is a Japanese term derived from the words "kai-" which means "Change" and "zen" for good. In short, Kaizen means "change for the better," or it could also mean "continuous improvement." It is a term used for the process that continuously improves all employees. Kaizen believes in the improvement in productivity in a gradual and methodological approach. This improvement could happen by making the workplace more efficient and effective by improving team atmosphere, making the job less tiring and fulfilling and safer for the employees. Members of a company are expected to suggest an improvement when they encounter a problem.

Here's how industrial engineering managers use kaizen:

Participated in many Kaizen events, transforming assembly operations.
Empowered employees using Kaizen methodology.

14. WMS

A WMS, warehouse management system, is an application software solution tool utilized to coordinate, control, automate and manage a company's warehouse operations and processes. WMS optimizes the supply chain process by maximizing warehouse efficiency, thereby eliminating errors.

Here's how industrial engineering managers use wms:

Fostered integration of CHEP WMS and LMS systems throughout AMP network to reduce administration costs ten-fold across new AMP facilities.
Designed and implemented Manhattan WMS slotting, Receiving, Putaway, Picking, Loading, Inventory cycle count, Warehouse Replenishments.

15. ROI

Here's how industrial engineering managers use roi:

Contributed to development of departmental budgets and capital budget expenditures using ROI analysis.
Instituted Bar Coding, WIP Tracking, and Product Serialization program which produced a 44% first year ROI.

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What skills help Industrial Engineering Managers find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What skills stand out on industrial engineering manager resumes?

Dr. John Ballato

J. E. Sirrine Endowed Chair and Professor, Clemson University

The phrase "well rounded" may be getting old, but it's still true. We like to see graduates who didn't just go to class but worked in a laboratory or did a co-op/internship and had various extra-curricular activities, both personal and professional. Remember that materials science and engineering are leveraging computer science more and more, whether through atomistic or microstructural modeling or newer technologies such as machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI). So having some familiarity with those and how they complement experimental/hands-on studies are helpful.

Another point about skills that stand out is a simple one - do your homework. There are few things more irritating than receiving a resume or email asking for a job, and the student clearly didn't care enough to look up what we do. The resume is a copy and paste and isn't personalized to the specific position, Group, or company. That stands out like a sore thumb.

What soft skills should all industrial engineering managers possess?

Dr. John Ballato

J. E. Sirrine Endowed Chair and Professor, Clemson University

To me, the most important soft skill has always been communication. And, due to the pandemic where people have had to isolate and possibly quarantine, effective communications are even that much more critical. We're spending less face-to-face time and more screen-to-screen time, which gets boring quickly. So, paying attention, being clear and concise in your communications since you don't have the opportunities as often now to simply walk into someone's lab or office and talk through ideas and next steps. Effective communications are also especially important in materials science and engineering because our field is innately interdisciplinary. This means that you might be the only materials scientist on a team that includes marketing, sales, manufacturing, etc. Knowing your audience, including your project team, and learning how to communicate with them is critical.

What hard/technical skills are most important for industrial engineering managers?

Dr. John Ballato

J. E. Sirrine Endowed Chair and Professor, Clemson University

Important hard/technical skills really depend on the nature of the job/position and the organization. This really relates back to the What Skills Stand Out question. Employers want to know that employees have the requisite "toolbox" of basic skills and a willingness and aptitude to learn on the job. No person comes out of school with all the skills and experiences needed for a given job, so organizations inevitably continue to provide training on product-specific skills. Knowing how to learn, wanting to learn, and admitting what you don't know are as important, if not more so, than any hard/technical skills one gains during their education.

What industrial engineering manager skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Dr. Kanton Reynolds Ph.D.

Director, Undergraduate Programs & Associate Teaching Professor, North Carolina State University

Today's graduates have to be prepared for the dynamically changing society and the corresponding work environment. With that in mind, they should be proactively engaging in continuous learning so that they can be prepared for the next evolution or disruption in technology. In this case, anything that can enhance data science or data analysis skills is going to be important. Companies now have vast new sources of data to evaluate in making decisions on trends, customer insights, business intelligence, and forecasting. It will be imperative to have a functional understanding of how to navigate this space. In addition, this pandemic has taught us new ways to interact, learn, and collaborate. Learning a new language to help facilitate global business opportunities will certainly be helpful. An increasing number of our students minor in Spanish, participate in study abroad opportunities, and increasingly seek global Internships to hone their skills in this particular area.

What type of skills will young industrial engineering managers need?

Dr. Lance Sherry Ph.D.

Director, Center for Air Transportation Systems Research Assoc. Professor, System Engineering and Operations Research Dept., George Mason University

Critical thinking - don't take things for granted. Instrumentalize the process, and collect the performance data. Analyse the data, and test hypotheses. Once the problem and issue are understood, then, and only then, develop a solution.

Too many times we rush in with a technology solution that does not really solve the problem.

Also go and listen to the stakeholders. Understand their perspectives and account for these perspectives in the design solution.
Too many times we rush in with a technology solution that causes more problems than it solves because we have not truly understood the perspectives of the stakeholders.

What technical skills for an industrial engineering manager stand out to employers?

Tracy Farrell

Adjunct Instructor, Clarkson University

Technical skills that employers are seeking include "real" computer skills like Microsoft Office Suite tools, proper communication skills via email and website development and postings, developing proper document format that is appropriate to send to stakeholders (i.e., letter formatting, report writing, email formatting); strong communication skills that include speaking professionally and respectfully to stakeholders as well as writing professionally (i.e., making eye contact when speaking, proper handshake, respectful dialogue including questioning); project management - knowing how to organize work and develop a timeline that includes who will be responsible for what and follow through; data analysis - being able to not only present data in an organized and understandable manner; but, be able to interpret data correctly offering the justification behind what they are interpreting and why.

Respectfully, today's graduates do not understand that being able to text and use social media does not prepare them for "real" computer skills. Many students that I have in high school and in college do not have proper writing skills, document formatting skills, or document management skills to know how to save documents properly and where to save to.

Do you want to know more?

List of industrial engineering manager skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for an industrial engineering manager resume and required skills for an industrial engineering manager to have include:

Project Management
Lean Manufacturing
Logistics
Process Improvement
IE
Cost Reduction
Lean Six Sigma
Sigma
Facility Layout
Capacity Analysis
Data Analysis
Value Stream
Kaizen
WMS
ROI
Process Flow

Capital Projects
Direct Reports
Management System
Plant Layout
Cost Savings
Continuous Improvement
ISO
Product Line
Corrective Action
CAD
Labor Standards
Distribution Centers
R
Kanban
KPI
Material Flow

Labor Costs
Manufacturing Support
Capacity Planning
Engineering Projects
Inventory Control
Product Quality
MRP
Process Control
Product Flow
Assembly Line
OEE
Capital Equipment
BOM
Productivity Improvement
Production Standards
ERP

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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