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The differences between manufacturing directors and senior manufacturing managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a manufacturing director and a senior manufacturing manager. Additionally, a manufacturing director has an average salary of $147,277, which is higher than the $146,889 average annual salary of a senior manufacturing manager.
The top three skills for a manufacturing director include continuous improvement, supply chain and lean manufacturing. The most important skills for a senior manufacturing manager are continuous improvement, lean manufacturing, and sigma.
| Manufacturing Director | Senior Manufacturing Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $147,277 | $146,889 |
| Hourly rate | $70.81 | $70.62 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 42,235 | 39,741 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A manufacturing director is primarily in charge of spearheading and overseeing a company's manufacturing procedures. Their responsibilities revolve around setting goals and objectives, coordinating and managing different departments, planning budgets, identifying the strengths and weaknesses of existing processes, implementing solutions, and developing strategies to optimize manufacturing operations. Furthermore, as a manufacturing director, it is essential to lead and encourage the workforce to reach goals, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations, including its vision and mission.
A senior manufacturing engineer specializes in designing and developing tools and machinery to optimize manufacturing procedures, ensuring efficiency and smooth workflow. Their responsibilities include understanding and identifying the company's needs, producing prototypes and test structures, studying feedback from internal and external parties, creating progress reports, and analyzing existing systems and machinery, implementing solutions against vulnerable areas. Furthermore, as a senior manufacturing engineer, it is essential to maintain an active communication line with staff while enforcing the company's safety policies and regulations.
Manufacturing directors and senior manufacturing managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Manufacturing Director | Senior Manufacturing Manager | |
| Average salary | $147,277 | $146,889 |
| Salary range | Between $100,000 And $214,000 | Between $100,000 And $215,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Nationwide Children's Hospital | The Walt Disney Company |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a manufacturing director and a senior manufacturing manager in terms of educational background:
| Manufacturing Director | Senior Manufacturing Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between manufacturing directors' and senior manufacturing managers' demographics:
| Manufacturing Director | Senior Manufacturing Manager | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 92.9% Female, 7.1% | Male, 86.7% Female, 13.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.8% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 12.9% Asian, 9.0% White, 69.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 3.9% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 13.4% Asian, 9.3% White, 69.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |