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What is a manufacturing director and how to become one
Manufacturing organizations require the skill of a competent manufacturing director to oversee production processes and ensure those processes meet required standards. A manufacturing director directs and coordinates all the manufacturing processes. Their responsibilities include purchasing equipment, overseeing production processes, and maintaining equipment. Coordinating training processes for workers in the production unit, staffing, and preparation of financial reports for the purchase of raw materials are also duties of the director.
The manufacturing director serves as an intermediary between the workers and the top management. They convey messages from the management to the workers and vice versa. They also give instructions to workers. A manufacturer must be competent and versed in the field of production to perform well and minimize errors.
Since they oversee production processes, a manufacturing director is expected to have strong interpersonal skills, managerial skills, and problem-solving skills.
Avg. Salary $147,277
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth rate 3%
Growth rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.51%
Asian 9.02%
Black or African American 3.78%
Hispanic or Latino 12.92%
Unknown 3.86%
White 69.91%
Genderfemale 7.15%
male 92.85%
Age - 48American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 48Stress level is very high
7.1 - high
Complexity level is advanced
7 - challenging
Work life balance is very poor
6.4 - fair
Manufacturing director career paths
Key steps to become a manufacturing director
Explore manufacturing director education requirements
Start to develop specific manufacturing director skills
Skills Percentages Continuous Improvement 8.77% Supply Chain 6.27% Lean Manufacturing 6.23% Sigma 3.72% On-Time Delivery 3.61% Complete relevant manufacturing director training and internships
Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New manufacturing directors learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a manufacturing director based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real manufacturing director resumes.Gain additional manufacturing director certifications
More About CertificationsManufacturing director certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific manufacturing director certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.
The most common certifications for manufacturing directors include Six Sigma Green Belt and Six Sigma Black Belt.
Research manufacturing director duties and responsibilities
- Manage quality inspection, production control, inventory, procurement, facilities, product sales, support and ISO compliance functions.
- Manage OEM manufacturer for product assembly and internal manufacturing for product customization.
- Interact with QA and other support groups to resolve technical and GMP issues in manufacturing.
- Develop an in-house bar code scanning system as part of DMAIC measurement phase to compile shop floor data.
Get manufacturing director experience
Generally, it takes 1-2 years to become a manufacturing director. The most common roles before becoming a manufacturing director include plant manager, manufacturing manager team lead and production manager.Prepare your manufacturing director resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your manufacturing director resume.
You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a manufacturing director resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.
Choose from 10+ customizable manufacturing director resume templates
Build a professional manufacturing director resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your manufacturing director resume.
Apply for manufacturing director jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a manufacturing director job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
How did you land your first manufacturing director job
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Average manufacturing director salary
The average manufacturing director salary in the United States is $147,277 per year or $71 per hour. Manufacturing director salaries range between $100,000 and $214,000 per year.
What am I worth?
How do manufacturing directors rate their job?
Manufacturing director reviews
Being part of the core team, making desicions and having a positive impact on my team daily , Expressing my abilities to grow as a leader face new challenges day to day. Put all my expierences and acknowlegment into action creating a postive enviroment to work.
There are ups and down but it is gratifying when you come out on top
Improve 5's & increase productivity, manpower reduction...n+/- concept..
Can be managed accordingly situation.
its a challenging work. you need lot of potential to be materials manager.
Updated January 8, 2025
