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Manufacturing leader skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

7 min read

Quoted experts

Jessica Tangen Daniels Ph.D.,

Jessica Tangen Daniels Ph.D.

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical manufacturing leader skills. We ranked the top skills for manufacturing leaders based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 11.1% of manufacturing leader resumes contained lean manufacturing as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a manufacturing leader needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 manufacturing leader skills for your resume and career

1. Lean Manufacturing

Here's how manufacturing leaders use lean manufacturing:

Plant Manager - Corrugated Packaging Reinforced lean manufacturing principles to improve productivity, quality, waste and operating profitability.
Demonstrated resource management and resource integration skills by facilitating lean manufacturing training and support plant wide to U.A.W.

2. Continuous Improvement

Continuous improvement is an ongoing process of improvement of products, services, and processes with the help of innovative ideas. It is an organized approach that helps an organization to find its weaknesses and improve them.

Here's how manufacturing leaders use continuous improvement:

Provide leadership to manufacturing personnel and Shift leaders and actively participate to encourage continuous improvements within the company.
Promote employee participation in continuous improvement projects to maintain ownership and accountability of issues in department.

3. GMP

GMP stands for Good Manufacturing Practice. It is a system that ensures that all products like food, beverages, and medicinal drugs that are produced comply with the quality standards. It helps in minimizing the risks and hazards that cannot be eliminated after the testing of final products.

Here's how manufacturing leaders use gmp:

Supported GMP area qualification and all activities relating to environmental monitoring including routine micro testing.
Lead the production of GMP commercial batches and directed the activities of manufacturing technicians in an environment focused on teamwork.

4. Harvest

Here's how manufacturing leaders use harvest:

Performed cell seeding and growth through incubation, media drain and fill, Cryo formulation, preservation and harvest operations.

5. 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 manufacturing leaders use sigma:

Leveraged Lean Six Sigma process experts to develop, launch and implement strategic national productivity initiatives.
Championed Lean & Six Sigma with cell manufacturing creating a 50% savings of floor space.

6. 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 manufacturing leaders use value stream:

Developed workshops to perform Value stream mapping for specific manufacturing areas.
Created and maintained a Value Stream Map which was utilized for increasing process efficiency and process improvements.

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7. Safety Regulations

Here's how manufacturing leaders use safety regulations:

Maintained the plant's manufacturing equipment in sanitary conditions according to government food safety regulations and company's procedures.
Followed prescribed safety regulations, including wearing protective clothing, shoes, glasses, and headgear.

8. Safety Procedures

Safety procedures are a set of standardized procedures, that ensures minimal to no risk to people, resources, and the work environment. A company follows the step-by-step safety procedures as it they not only keep the customers and the employees safe, but also help in avoiding legal claims.

Here's how manufacturing leaders use safety procedures:

Help develop and implement safety procedures and daily checking on each machine and die.
Improved efficiency and productivity by eliminating waste and production constraints Adhered to all safety procedures in handling equipment.

9. Project Management

Here's how manufacturing leaders use project management:

Project Management involved finding in-country sub-contractors to provide removal services and logistics.
Handle project management and preventive maintenance scheduling.

10. Process Improvement

Here's how manufacturing leaders use process improvement:

Directed process improvement projects using Lean methodologies to improve back-office functionality and service delivery.
Provided feedback to production manager and engineer on process improvements.

11. Production Equipment

Production equipment in limited terms is used to define any type of machinery or equipment used in the production of a video or film. Basic production equipment includes a camera, tripod, lighting kit, camera light, short term microphone, light reflector, boom pole, shock mount, audio cables, wireless microphone, headphones, portable digital audio recorder, camera lenses, extra batteries, external hard drive, and DSLR shoulder mount rig.

Here's how manufacturing leaders use production equipment:

Initiated production equipment layout changes to improve storage and improved production efficiency.
Trained operators on production equipment.

12. Customer Satisfaction

Here's how manufacturing leaders use customer satisfaction:

Cross-trained employees in different department as an alternative solution to ensure product shipments and customer satisfaction.
Promoted customer satisfaction by understanding expectations and current problems.

13. Production Schedules

The project plan of a film or a documentary that highlights how a production budget will be spent over a given period until its completion is called a production schedule. The scheduling process starts with writing and analyzing the script, which is then broken down to determine and allocate the budget for each scene. The production schedule also includes several elements of the film including; cast actors, special effects, wardrobe, special equipment, stunts, extras, silent bits, production equipment, and many others.

Here's how manufacturing leaders use production schedules:

Supervised production and packaging to ensure production schedules were completed on timely basis.
Coordinated material availability within the requirements of the daily production schedule.

14. Troubleshoot

Troubleshooting is the process of analyzing and fixing any kind of problem in a system or a machine. Troubleshooting is the detailed yet quick search in the system for the main source of an issue and solving it.

Here's how manufacturing leaders use troubleshoot:

Help developed plans and maintain troubleshoot.
Manufacture / Test, troubleshoot various cables/harnesses, PCBs, and integrated units.

15. ISO

Here's how manufacturing leaders use iso:

Followed ISO 9000 standards assuring minimal line down situations while continuing to meet ongoing product sampling goals.
Participate in developing ISO procedures, forms, operator reports and visual aids.

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What skills help Manufacturing Leaders find jobs?

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

What skills stand out on manufacturing leader resumes?

Jessica Tangen Daniels Ph.D.

Associate Provost - Innovation and Partnerships, Program Director/Professor, Ed.D. Leadership in Higher Education, Bethel University

The skills that "stand out" on an educational leader's resume are those that synergize into a coherent story. So not necessarily the skills that are self-identified and listed under a "skills" heading, but those that are evidenced through outcomes achieved appointments/promotions, or other demonstrated successes. For example, in an educational institution, being elected to a chair or moderator position within a senate structure might indicate characteristics of diplomacy, advocacy, collaboration, and wisdom. The resume reader can imagine how those attributes might translate to a new employment space, with much more confidence than if those same characteristics were merely listed as skills. So first, on a resume, prioritize representing your skills through a story, experience, and evidence (rather than self-described adjectives) in a way that reflects your unique narrative.

Now, regarding the specific skills. Some of the skills desired in an educational leader change, based on the institutional context, the previous leader, unique internal or external challenges, etc. However, I would suggest two interminable and foundational skills that will always stand out on a resume and differentiate the applicant: working hard and working with others. Employers want to hire a hard worker, determined, responsible, trustworthy, and strong work ethic. And employers want to hire someone who others want to work with, someone who is collaborative, thoughtful, or in Ingnation or Jesuit language, someone who is for and with others.

Those two skills form a foundation for professional success.

What soft skills should all manufacturing leaders possess?

Jessica Tangen Daniels Ph.D.

Associate Provost - Innovation and Partnerships, Program Director/Professor, Ed.D. Leadership in Higher Education, Bethel University

With the rapid rate of change, accelerating information turnover, and boundless access to knowledge, certain new soft skills may now be prioritized in our current society. So we all have to be learners, seeking new information, anticipating that we will need to change our mind, and striving for a disposition of curiosity. The specific skill of asking good questions cannot be underestimated.

Employers may be seeking skills like imaginative bridging, humbly and curiously connecting dots. Or the skills of facilitation and curation, with so many different perspectives and lived experiences, and an overabundance of information, an educational leader, must manage people, perspectives, and content like never before.

Employers are looking for skills that relate to not only the day-to-day tactical aspects of educational leadership but also imaginative problem-solving for a thriving future.

What hard/technical skills are most important for manufacturing leaders?

Jessica Tangen Daniels Ph.D.

Associate Provost - Innovation and Partnerships, Program Director/Professor, Ed.D. Leadership in Higher Education, Bethel University

Many hard/technical skills are incredibly context-specific, so importance varies by role and/or industry. But for educational leaders, generally applicable skills might be related to teaching and learning constructs, finance and budgeting, and basic legal issues awareness. Perhaps familiarity with specific content management systems or learning management systems, but again, this use varies by institution.

What manufacturing leader skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Dr. Kamran Abedini

Professor and Chairman, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

First of all, I do not recommend a gap year or any interruptions in education as it could require additional warm-up and setup for starting it again in the future. However, if they "need" to do so, I recommend they at least take one course so that they understand the trend and the expectations of students in an educational environment. For example, in the last couple of semesters, both faculty and students have learned and experienced new methods of virtual learning and assessment. If you just plan on coming to school after a few semesters, you would be highly surprised by the changes, taking you much time to prepare, and it would cause falling behind your coursework.

What type of skills will young manufacturing leaders need?

Dr. Gianna McMillan

Research Ethics Faculty and Program Administrator, Loyola Marymount University

They will need to have computer skills and be willing to adapt creatively to work remotely. Bioethics is a changing field with three main categories: medical ethics, public health ethics, and research ethics. Young graduates will need to be up to date in all three areas since they overlap, but with particular attention to their field of interest. The legal landscape continues to evolve, in all areas, and is different from state to state, so basic knowledge of current issues is needed. I tell my students they might have to do some things for free to prove their commitment and skill set. Volunteering and unpaid internships are a great way to build a resume and network within the field. Creativity is important. Sometimes a couple of hours of service at a local health clinic or writing for a blog can turn into a job or generate ideas for where bioethics is needed.

Do you want to know more?

List of manufacturing leader skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for a manufacturing leader resume and required skills for a manufacturing leader to have include:

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

Develop Team
OSHA
On-Time Delivery
Quality Standards
FDA
Manufacturing Support
Basic Math
BOM
CNC
MES
Cost Savings
ERP
EHS
Quality Products
Additive Manufacturing
WIP

Cost Reduction
Production Floor
QA
Direct Reports
Quality Issues
Production Processes
Quality Checks
Performance Reviews
Solidworks
SPC
Production Lines
Strategic Sourcing
TPM
Medical Devices

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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