What does a plant manager do?
In general, plant managers are responsible for the entire operations in a manufacturing plant. Plant managers plan, direct, organize, and run the optimum operations of the plant daily. They create and execute organizational or departmental goals procedures, and policies. They aim to increase the manufacturing production and the capacity and flexibility of its assets while keeping its current quality standards and unnecessary costs. They are expected to have a better understanding of the manufacturing industry like equipment use and mechanical aptitude.
Plant manager responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real plant manager resumes:
- Manage 65 plant production and five plant supervisors in bilingual union manufacturing HVAC plant.
- Manage compliance and training for the facility HACCP plan and are awarded PICQS plus status on annual audit.
- Lead skilled trades in the repair and maintenance of robotics, PLC, hydraulic and electrical switchgear applications.
- Lead OEE & SMED initiatives to improve machine utilization, up-time, throughput, change-over time, & yield.
- Manage daily operations of USDA facility.
- Coordinate monthly safety meetings, provide training and lead internal inspections that foster OSHA awareness.
- Utilize Kaizen principles to realize immediate benefits and set foundation for a continuous improvement environment.
- Support and drive the implementation of TPM.
- Implement TPM program and process for maintenance technicians.
- Set up, operate and maintain a high speed asphalt manufacturing plant.
- Improve plant efficiency and increase plant capacity with the new DCS controls.
- Produce materials including asphalt, base course, chip and seal and concrete rock.
- Repair PLC controls, perform multi-axis CNC robotics systems troubleshooting & repair, etc.
- Assist other teams in the plant's lean sigma deck totaling $750k each year.
- Prepare and maintain a wide range of administrative records for EOC, JACHO andOSHA compliance.
Plant manager skills and personality traits
We calculated that 8% of Plant Managers are proficient in Continuous Improvement, Customer Service, and Safety Program. They’re also known for soft skills such as Management skills, Leadership skills, and Problem-solving skills.
We break down the percentage of Plant Managers that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Continuous Improvement, 8%
Lead continuous improvement efforts based on evaluation of value chain, quality management system data, strategic initiatives and operational metrics.
- Customer Service, 7%
Total involvement with all aspects of customer service including: customer complaints, corrective action reports/preventive action reports and scheduling departments.
- Safety Program, 6%
Prepared site for Volunteer Protection Program and Occupational Safety and Health Administration five-star application with aggressive Environmental Health and Safety Program.
- Plant Operations, 6%
Coached and mentored 2 new managers in plant operations resulting in streamlined operations, reduced operating costs and increased equipment/process reliability.
- Lean Manufacturing, 6%
Champion continuous process improvement that identifies quality, safety, production capacity and performance through collaborative initiatives using lean manufacturing techniques.
- OSHA, 5%
Delivered 68% reduction in OSHA fines through identification of problem areas and implementation of previously non-existent safety measures and procedures.
Most plant managers use their skills in "continuous improvement," "customer service," and "safety program" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential plant manager responsibilities here:
Leadership skills. Another essential skill to perform plant manager duties is leadership skills. Plant managers responsibilities require that "top executives must be able to shape and direct an organization by coordinating policies, people, and resources." Plant managers also use leadership skills in their role according to a real resume snippet: "provided leadership and played a key role in the successful implementation of a new erp program for the charlotte facility. "
Problem-solving skills. plant managers are also known for problem-solving skills, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to plant manager responsibilities, because "top executives need to identify and resolve issues within an organization." A plant manager resume example shows how problem-solving skills is used in the workplace: "supervised quality and manufacturing improvement, safety issues and resolution, environmental compliance and product development. "
Time-management skills. plant manager responsibilities often require "time-management skills." The duties that rely on this skill are shown by the fact that "top executives do many tasks concurrently to ensure that their work gets done and that the organization meets its goals." This resume example shows what plant managers do with time-management skills on a typical day: "lead sap erp implementation successfully meeting all project milestones on time and without negatively impacting any quarterly financial results. "
Communication skills. A commonly-found skill in plant manager job descriptions, "communication skills" is essential to what plant managers do. Plant manager responsibilities rely on this skill because "top executives must be able to convey information clearly and persuasively." You can also see how plant manager duties rely on communication skills in this resume example: "focused on training and communication to give employees the necessary tools to ensure the highest quality standards were achieved. "
The three companies that hire the most plant managers are:
- GPAC78 plant managers jobs
- Oldcastle Infrastructure26 plant managers jobs
- Parker Hannifin18 plant managers jobs
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Compare different plant managers
Plant manager vs. General manager of operations
General managers of operations are employed to oversee the overall operations of businesses. Their responsibilities include the improvement of the efficiency of the operations and overall management. They coordinate the primary performance goals for direct reporting functions and set the strategies for the organization. It is their responsibility to communicate strategy as well as results to employees. They also engage with the corporate officers in the strategic planning and development of the organization or enterprise.
These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of a plant manager are more likely to require skills like "safety program," "plant operations," "lean manufacturing," and "osha." On the other hand, a job as a general manager of operations requires skills like "develop team," "financial statements," "payroll," and "oversight." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.
The education levels that general managers of operations earn slightly differ from plant managers. In particular, general managers of operations are 0.4% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a plant manager. Additionally, they're 0.3% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Plant manager vs. Continuous improvement manager
A Continuous Improvement Manager initiates and facilitates lean improvement programs and activities. They ensure that progress is maintained on an ongoing basis.
Each career also uses different skills, according to real plant manager resumes. While plant manager responsibilities can utilize skills like "safety program," "plant operations," "production facility," and "human resources," continuous improvement managers use skills like "lean six sigma," "project management," "kaizen events," and "lean tools."
On average, continuous improvement managers earn a lower salary than plant managers. Some industries support higher salaries in each profession. Interestingly enough, continuous improvement managers earn the most pay in the technology industry with an average salary of $95,413. Whereas plant managers have higher pay in the finance industry, with an average salary of $102,077.In general, continuous improvement managers achieve higher levels of education than plant managers. They're 7.3% more likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.3% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for plant managers in the next 3-5 years?
Eric Olsen
Professor, Industrial Technology and Packaging, Orfalea College of Business
Plant manager vs. Manager/partner
A manager/partner or managing partner is an individual who manages the daily activities of a company as well as guides its overall strategic business direction. Managing partners must cooperate with other executives, board members, and employees to implement organizational goals, procedures, and policies. They are responsible for the hiring and managing of employees and should follow the executive committee guidelines and federal and state laws and regulations. Managing partners must also maintain positive client relationships and lead the drive for new business acquisitions.
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a plant manager is likely to be skilled in "continuous improvement," "safety program," "plant operations," and "lean manufacturing," while a typical manager/partner is skilled in "business development," "project management," "client facing," and "account management."
When it comes to education, managers/partner tend to earn similar degree levels compared to plant managers. In fact, they're 2.2% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 1.7% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Plant manager vs. Process improvement manager
Process Improvement Managers oversee the operational processes of the company. These processes are usually related to production, sales, marketing, human resources, or finance. Process Improvement Managers are in charge of creating policies and procedures to guide the company's different departments. They analyze related data and craft recommendations to improve the procedures. They ensure that their recommendations lead to higher efficiency. Process Improvement Managers also ensure that these new processes are implemented properly and yield results.
Even though a few skill sets overlap between plant managers and process improvement managers, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a plant manager might have more use for skills like "customer service," "safety program," "plant operations," and "osha." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of process improvement managers require skills like "lean six sigma," "project management," "dmaic," and "management process. "
The technology industry tends to pay the highest salaries for process improvement managers, with average annual pay of $99,802. Comparatively, the highest plant manager annual salary comes from the finance industry.In general, process improvement managers hold higher degree levels compared to plant managers. Process improvement managers are 7.0% more likely to earn their Master's Degree and 0.3% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Types of plant manager
Updated January 8, 2025
