How to hire a manufacturing leader

How to hire a manufacturing leader, step by step

Here's a step-by-step manufacturing leader hiring guide:

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

What does a manufacturing leader do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a manufacturing leader, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect manufacturing leader also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   This list shows salaries for various types of manufacturing leaders.

   Type of Manufacturing Leader	Description	Hourly rate
   Manufacturing Leader		$30-60
   Operation Supervisor	Operations supervisors manage a specific operations-related team or department. They ensure that all the agreed-upon key performance indicators are being met... Show more	$17-41
   Supervisor	Supervisors are responsible for overseeing the daily functions of employees in a specific team, department, or even a work shift. They create work schedules, organize work processes and workflows, train new hires, provide necessary reports related to the team function and the employees, monitor and evaluate employee performance, and ensure that goals of the specific team or department are met... Show more	$14-44

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Lean Manufacturing
   • Continuous Improvement
   • GMP
   • Harvest
   • Sigma
   • Value Stream
   • Safety Regulations
   • Safety Procedures
   • Project Management
   • Process Improvement
   • Production Equipment
   • Customer Satisfaction
   • Production Schedules
   • Troubleshoot

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage the non-conformance records and coordinate with QA on keeping performances metrics up to date and post in the work cell.
   • Manage and develop associates base on organizational and developmental needs/conduct monthly one-on-ones with each employee to provide guidance and leadership.
   • Create wiring schematics for custom jobs for PLC wiring.
   • Maintain the smooth flow of work through the shop and troubleshoot any issues.
   • Run, setup, troubleshoot, and maintain coil fed presses and progressive dies.
   • Verify and update NC programming for Allen-Bradly and Omron PLC driven high-speed conveyor systems.

   More manufacturing leader duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your manufacturing leader job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A manufacturing leader can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, manufacturing leaders' average salary in alaska is 43% less than in new jersey.
   • Seniority. Entry-level manufacturing leaders 50% less than senior-level manufacturing leaders.
   • Certifications. A manufacturing leader with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a manufacturing leader's salary.

   Average manufacturing leader salary

   $89,761yearly

   $43.15 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level manufacturing leader salary

   $63,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 15, 2025

   Average manufacturing leader salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New Jersey	$121,209	$58
   2	Massachusetts	$116,558	$56
   3	South Carolina	$115,658	$56
   4	California	$111,930	$54
   5	New York	$109,378	$53
   6	Texas	$98,479	$47
   7	Indiana	$92,052	$44
   8	Ohio	$91,332	$44
   9	Georgia	$90,342	$43
   10	Illinois	$90,177	$43
   11	Minnesota	$89,170	$43
   12	Wisconsin	$85,999	$41
   13	Washington	$84,623	$41
   14	Colorado	$82,912	$40
   15	Arizona	$82,483	$40
   16	North Carolina	$81,856	$39
   17	New Mexico	$80,824	$39
   18	Pennsylvania	$77,826	$37
   19	Tennessee	$75,615	$36

   Average manufacturing leader salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Western Digital	$135,173	$64.99	1
   2	Meta	$128,559	$61.81	26
   3	Biogen	$120,750	$58.05	6
   4	FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies	$119,195	$57.31	23
   5	Joby Aviation	$115,807	$55.68	18
   6	Novartis	$110,953	$53.34	5
   7	General Motors	$110,520	$53.13	41
   8	Bristol-Myers Squibb	$109,522	$52.65	12
   9	FUJIFILM Medical Systems USA	$109,482	$52.64	44
   10	Bloom Energy	$109,054	$52.43	15
   11	Siemens Enterprise Communications Inc	$108,370	$52.10
   12	REGENXBIO	$104,767	$50.37	3
   13	Rockwell Automation	$102,288	$49.18	7
   14	Zoetis	$102,201	$49.14	7
   15	General Electric	$99,952	$48.05	278
   16	Capgemini	$98,860	$47.53	20
   17	Tesla	$97,785	$47.01
   18	Biomérieux	$96,979	$46.62	5
   19	Momentive	$96,231	$46.26	1
   20	Pentair	$96,066	$46.19	12

4. Writing a manufacturing leader job description

   A manufacturing leader job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a manufacturing leader job description:

   Manufacturing leader job description example

   Lexington Medical is a Boston based medical device manufacturer that produces a proprietary, minimally invasive surgical stapling solution. We are one of the fastest growing medical device companies in the industry, growing our revenue exponentially since our product was launched. Our enhanced capabilities and design approach allow us to be nimble and responsive to market dynamics, while enabling us to work closely with leading physicians to bring a unique range of devices best suited for patients' needs.
   
   Our recruiting philosophy is centered on hiring highly talented individuals committed to delivering innovation to health care providers and their patients. We focus on creating a culture that fosters continuous growth as an individual and within the organization. With our continued success, our team has grown organically at a rapid rate, and we have an aggressive hiring plan forecasted over the next few years. By joining our team at Lexington Medical, you will have the opportunity to impact the lives of millions of patients worldwide.
   
   We are seeking a technically-oriented manufacturing operations leader to drive new product introductions and lead manufacturing scaling in a high-growth environment. Our ideal candidate will possess strong analytical skills, excellent knowledge of theoretical and practical fundamentals, a solid manufacturing foundation, and a proven ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously. This is a great opportunity for an ambitious, hands-on and product-driven individual who prioritizes astute technical decisions, inspires and grows the people around them, and performs best in a dynamic, entrepreneurial environment.
   What you will do:
   Lead and grow our manufacturing infrastructure.
   Responsible for the implementation of the Automation Engineering strategy relating to medical devices.
   Identify areas and opportunities for application of robotic process automation technologies.
   Spearhead new product introduction programs.
   Drive the development and scaling of manufacturing lines both in-house and with contract manufacturers.
   Lead production planning.
   Drive proactive operational improvement to identify and adapt best-in-class operational practices.
   Guide team on systematic approaches to identify, prioritize, communicate, and resolve production issues.
   Mentor and develop production and operation teams.
   Requirements:
   BS in Engineering or Operations Management from a top tiered institution
   7-10 years of manufacturing experience in complex manufacturing environments (medical devices, defense, firearms, automotive or microelectronics).
   Prior experience leading technical and operational teams.
   Demonstrated ability to lead in a cross-functional environment.
   Experience in NPI, starting up and scaling volume production, and production transfers.
   In depth knowledge of DOE, statistical process control, lean manufacturing, and risk-based decision making.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find manufacturing leaders for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any manufacturing leaders they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level manufacturing leaders with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit manufacturing leaders, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   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 manufacturing leader

   Once you have selected a candidate for the manufacturing leader position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new manufacturing leader first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

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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How much does it cost to hire a manufacturing leader?