How to hire a production leader

How to hire a production leader, step by step

Here's a step-by-step production 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 production leader job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new production leader
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a production leader do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a production 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

   A production leader's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, production leaders from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list shows salaries for various types of production leaders.

   Type of Production Leader	Description	Hourly rate
   Production Leader		$14-30
   Lead Person	A lead person or lead worker is an employee who provides leadership and instructions to others in a group to complete tasks quickly and effectively. Lead workers plan and organize meetings with supervisors and the management to discuss a particular project's progress and development... Show more	$30-82
   Leader	Leaders pave the way for a company to achieve certain goals. They are in charge of bringing the organization to greater heights... Show more	$23-73

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Service
   • Continuous Improvement
   • Safety Procedures
   • Quality Standards
   • Customer Orders
   • Production Process
   • Lean Manufacturing
   • Basic Math
   • Production Schedules
   • Quality Checks
   • GMP
   • Safety Standards
   • Math
   • Safety Rules

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage PC production line personnel.
   • Manage the operation of three alkalize systems from a PLC.
   • Manage employee's schedules, time off requests, vacation and payroll with the KRONOS time management software.
   • Maintain maximum yields in accordance with company policies and USDA food and safety guidelines.
   • Maintain the facilities organization, appearance, and cleanliness.
   • Operate and maintain general manufacturing equipment and perform production in accordance with QSR, ISO and establish written procedures.

   More production leader duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your production leader job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A production leader salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a production leader in Georgia may be lower than in New York, and an entry-level production leader usually earns less than a senior-level production leader. Additionally, a production leader with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average production leader salary

   $44,563yearly

   $21.42 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level production leader salary

   $31,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

   Average production leader salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New York	$67,504	$32
   2	Massachusetts	$62,816	$30
   3	California	$49,477	$24
   4	Colorado	$49,386	$24
   5	South Carolina	$48,698	$23
   6	Arizona	$47,576	$23
   7	Minnesota	$47,468	$23
   8	Washington	$46,412	$22
   9	Ohio	$45,316	$22
   10	Texas	$44,950	$22
   11	Wisconsin	$43,570	$21
   12	Illinois	$43,430	$21
   13	Nebraska	$41,626	$20
   14	Utah	$41,335	$20
   15	Florida	$41,019	$20
   16	Georgia	$40,216	$19
   17	Oregon	$39,582	$19
   18	Indiana	$39,252	$19
   19	Nevada	$39,189	$19

   Average production leader salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Meta	$83,882	$40.33	301
   2	MSCI	$80,316	$38.61
   3	HP	$77,810	$37.41	10
   4	Apple	$68,954	$33.15	19
   5	Meggitt PLC	$68,289	$32.83
   6	Genentech	$68,011	$32.70	25
   7	Barnes Group	$67,606	$32.50	2
   8	Bristol-Myers Squibb	$64,812	$31.16	11
   9	Bungie	$63,983	$30.76	1
   10	LinkedIn	$61,956	$29.79
   11	Supermicro	$61,956	$29.79	2
   12	Schneider Electric Industrial Services	$61,639	$29.63	15
   13	Bayer	$61,283	$29.46	20
   14	General Electric	$60,939	$29.30	178
   15	Wabtec Corporation	$59,925	$28.81	2
   16	Zeon Chemicals	$59,875	$28.79
   17	Array Networks	$58,404	$28.08	2
   18	REV Group	$57,973	$27.87	5
   19	Hoffmann-LA Roche Inc	$57,136	$27.47	2
   20	Citi	$56,518	$27.17	9

4. Writing a production leader job description

   A job description for a production leader role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a production leader job description:

   Production leader job description example

   Our people create our best Plexus.
   
   We're hiring. Plexus is hiring production roles to support a variety of shifts across our manufacturing sites. From surgical devices and health monitors to warehouse robotics and space products, we partner with our customers to help create the products that build a better world.
   
   Whether you're looking to start your manufacturing career or are an experienced manufacturer, find your path at Plexus and leave your mark on the world. All team members will experience on-the-job training as necessary to be successful in their role.
   
   *Full Time employees are eligible for benefits starting day one
   Purpose Statement: Responsible for supervising and managing activities directly related to the daily business and department needs. This position requires limited supervision and is also required to exercise moderate discretion and independent judgment by developing, analyzing and delivering simple to complex information. Provides immediate supervision to a unit or group of two or more employees, ensuring employee safety, assigning tasks, checking work at frequent intervals, and maintaining schedules.
   
   Key Job Accountabilities:
   Assign work assignments based on daily department needs, ensure quality products are produced and achieve department metrics.Conduct human resource activities which may include approving time off, conducting performance appraisals, coaching and disciplinary action and maintaining company policies and procedures.Provides mentoring, leadership and direction for those you oversee.Effectively communicate daily schedules, goals, quality issues/concerns between shifts to ensure customer expectations are met. Follow proper escalation process when necessary.Ensure individuals are trained to the appropriate assembly build instructions and ensures personnel are compliant with all applicable SFT training requirements. Intelligently flex those you oversee to meet customer schedules based on training and skill sets.
   
   Additional Accountabilities:
   Review documentation for accuracy and submits requests for appropriate updates.Supports resolution of department issues and escalates as required for immediate action.Supports Lean/Sigma and continuous improvement activities while providing input for improvements.Coordinate cross-training of employees.Ensures 5s practices are followed and maintained within department.Assists other departments as needed to effectively and efficiently meet the needs of Plexus and customers.Additional duties as assigned.
   
   Education/Experience Qualifications:
   A minimum of a High School diploma is required; an Associate's degree is preferred. Two (2) years of related experience is required; Two (2) or more years of related experience is preferred.
   
   An equivalent combination of education and experience sufficient to successfully perform the key job accountabilities may be considered.
   Other Qualifications:
   Basic industry knowledge Basic decision making and problem solving skills Basic supervision and team building skills Good communication skills Intermediate computer skills including Microsoft Office SuiteBasic data analysis and presentation skills General office equipment and materials
   
   Work Environment:
   The work setting should consist of a manufacturing environment with suitable lighting, comfortable temperatures, and a moderate noise level.
   
   This document does not represent a contract of employment and is not intended to capture every possible assignment the incumbent could be asked to perform.
   Some offers of employment are contingent upon successfully passing a drug screen and upon completion of a confidentiality agreement.Our Values and How We Lead behaviors guide our processes. Plexus does not make employment decisions based on race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or veteran status. We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE) and encourage all to apply today!Globally, our policy is to recruit people from wide and diverse backgrounds. However, our company does not typically undertake sponsorship, including for H-1B, TN, and other nonimmigrant visas. Additionally, certain positions require access to controlled goods and technologies subject to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) or Export Administration Regulations (EAR). Applicants for these positions may need to be “U.S. persons.” “U.S. persons” are generally defined as U.S. citizens, nationals, lawful permanent residents (or, green card holders), individuals granted asylum, and individuals admitted as refugees.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find production leaders for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with production leader candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete 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 production leader

   Once you've decided on a perfect production leader candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

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 production leader?