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The differences between manufacturing leaders and manufacturing directors 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 leader and a manufacturing director. Additionally, a manufacturing director has an average salary of $147,277, which is higher than the $89,761 average annual salary of a manufacturing leader.
The top three skills for a manufacturing leader include lean manufacturing, continuous improvement and GMP. The most important skills for a manufacturing director are continuous improvement, supply chain, and lean manufacturing.
| Manufacturing Leader | Manufacturing Director | |
| Yearly salary | $89,761 | $147,277 |
| Hourly rate | $43.15 | $70.81 |
| Growth rate | - | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 87,299 | 42,235 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Average age | 46 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A manufacturing leader or production leader is someone who takes charge of the manufacturer's production process. Manufacturing leaders plan, organize, and establish a recommendation for manufacturing strategies. They make sure that products are successfully developed based on the specifications. They supervise the teams working in product development and operations. It is part of their job to ensure great production management. They study successes and failures and emphasize growth. Also, they inspire and engage staff at every level of the manufacturing process.
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.
Manufacturing leaders and manufacturing directors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Manufacturing Leader | Manufacturing Director | |
| Average salary | $89,761 | $147,277 |
| Salary range | Between $63,000 And $126,000 | Between $100,000 And $214,000 |
| Highest paying City | New Brunswick, NJ | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Western Digital | Nationwide Children's Hospital |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Retail |
There are a few differences between a manufacturing leader and a manufacturing director in terms of educational background:
| Manufacturing Leader | Manufacturing Director | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between manufacturing leaders' and manufacturing directors' demographics:
| Manufacturing Leader | Manufacturing Director | |
| Average age | 46 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 79.7% Female, 20.3% | Male, 92.9% Female, 7.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.0% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 20.4% Asian, 4.5% White, 60.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 8% |