Become A Production Manager
Where do you want to work?
Working As A Production Manager
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
- Getting Information
- Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates
- Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others
Deal with People
Make Decisions
Stressful
$63,500
Average Salary
What Does A Production Manager Do
Industrial production managers oversee the daily operations of manufacturing and related plants. They coordinate, plan, and direct the activities used to create a wide range of goods, such as cars, computer equipment, or paper products.
DutiesIndustrial production managers typically do the following:
- Decide how best to use a plant’s workers and equipment to meet production goals
- Ensure that production stays on schedule and within budget
- Hire, train, and evaluate workers
- Analyze production data
- Write production reports
- Monitor a plant’s workers to ensure they meet performance and safety requirements
- Streamline the production process
- Determine whether new machines are needed or whether overtime work is necessary
- Fix any production problems
Industrial production managers, also called plant managers, may oversee an entire manufacturing plant or a specific area of production.
Industrial production managers are responsible for carrying out quality control programs to make sure the finished product meets a specific level of quality. Often called quality control systems managers, these managers use programs to help identify defects in products, identify the cause of the defect, and solve the problem creating it. For example, a manager may determine that a defect is being caused by parts from an outside supplier. The manager can then work with the supplier to improve the quality of the parts.
Industrial production managers work closely with managers from other departments as well. For example, the procurement (buying) department orders the supplies that the production department uses. A breakdown in communication between these two departments can cause production slowdowns. Industrial production managers also communicate with other managers and departments, such as sales, warehousing, and research and design.
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How To Become A Production Manager
Industrial production managers typically need a bachelor’s degree and several years of related work experience.
EducationEmployers prefer managers have at least a bachelor’s degree. While the degree may be in any field, many industrial production managers have a bachelor’s degree in business administration or industrial engineering. Sometimes, production workers with many years of experience take management classes and become a production manager. At large plants, where managers have more oversight responsibilities, employers may look for managers who have a Master's of Business Administration (MBA) or a graduate degree in industrial management.
Work Experience in a Related OccupationMany industrial production managers begin as production workers and move up through the ranks. They usually advance to a first-line supervisory position before eventually being selected for management. Most earn a college degree in business management or take company-sponsored classes to increase their chances of a promotion.
Production managers who join a firm immediately after graduating from college sometimes work as first-line supervisors before beginning their jobs as production managers.
Some managers begin working at a company directly after college or graduate school. They may spend their first few months in training programs, becoming familiar with the production process, company policies, and safety regulations. In large companies, many also spend short periods of time working in other departments, such as purchasing or accounting, to learn more about the company.
Important QualitiesInterpersonal skills. Industrial production managers must have excellent communication skills so they can work with managers from other departments, as well as with the company’s senior-level management.
Leadership skills. To keep the production process running smoothly, industrial production managers must motivate and direct the employees they manage.
Problem-solving skills. Production managers must be able to identify problems immediately and solve them. For example, if a product has a defect, the manager determines whether it is a onetime problem or the result of the production process.
Time-management skills. To meet production deadlines, managers must carefully manage their employees’ time as well as their own.
Licenses, Certifications, and RegistrationsWhile not required, industrial production managers can earn certifications that show a higher level of competency in quality or management systems. The Association for Operations Management offers a Certified in Production and Inventory Management (CPIM) credential. The American Society for Quality offers credentials in quality control. Both certifications require specific amounts of work experience before applying for the credential, so they are generally not earned before entering the occupation.
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Production Manager jobs
Production Manager Career Paths
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Production Supervisor/Manager 6.0 years
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Plant Manager 5.5 years
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Production Foreman 5.5 years
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Plant And Production Manager 5.4 years
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Manufacturing Supervisor 5.1 years
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Manufacturing Production Supervisor 4.8 years
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Senior Production Supervisor 4.8 years
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Lead Production Associate 4.7 years
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Manufacturing Manager 4.7 years
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Production Engineering Manager 4.5 years
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Senior Production Manager 4.5 years
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Division Manager 4.3 years
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Section Manager 4.3 years
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Production Superintendent 4.2 years
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Divisional Manager 4.2 years
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Production Team Leader 4.1 years
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Operations Manager 4.1 years
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Production Manager 4.0 years
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Shift Operations Manager 3.9 years
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Production Trainer 3.8 years
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Area Manager 3.8 years
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Food Production Manager 3.7 years
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Production Leader 3.7 years
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Assembly Manager 3.6 years
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Production Shift Manager 3.6 years
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Assistant Production Manager 3.4 years
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Production Team Member 2.4 years
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Production Supervisor 17.8%
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Operations Manager 8.1%
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Plant Manager 6.3%
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Manager 6.2%
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Supervisor 6.1%
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Project Manager 6.0%
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General Manager 4.9%
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Production Assistant 4.4%
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Assistant Manager 4.3%
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Internship 3.5%
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Team Leader 3.3%
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Owner 3.2%
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Process Engineer 3.2%
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Shift Supervisor 2.9%
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Store Manager 2.7%
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Graphic Designer 2.7%
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Operations Manager 14.9%
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Plant Manager 12.4%
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Project Manager 9.6%
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General Manager 7.5%
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Manager 5.8%
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Owner 5.0%
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Operations Director 4.0%
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Consultant 3.0%
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Owner/Operator 3.0%
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Account Manager 2.7%
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Supervisor 2.6%
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Office Manager 2.5%
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Vice President 2.5%
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Graphic Designer 2.4%
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Store Manager 2.4%
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Director 2.3%
Average Length of Employment
Top Careers Before Production Manager
Top Careers After Production Manager
Production Manager Demographics
Gender
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Male
74.3% -
Female
23.9% -
Unknown
1.8%
Ethnicity
-
White
79.8% -
Hispanic or Latino
10.9% -
Asian
7.1% -
Unknown
1.7% -
Black or African American
0.6%
Languages Spoken
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Spanish
54.3% -
French
7.4% -
German
5.3% -
Chinese
4.2% -
Mandarin
4.1% -
Portuguese
3.6% -
Italian
3.5% -
Japanese
3.2% -
Russian
2.8% -
Korean
2.2% -
Cantonese
1.7% -
Arabic
1.5% -
Hindi
1.1% -
Carrier
1.1% -
Polish
0.8% -
Hebrew
0.7% -
Dakota
0.7% -
Vietnamese
0.6% -
Thai
0.5% -
Croatian
0.5%
Production Manager
Unfortunately we don’t have enough data for this section.
Production Manager Education
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University of Phoenix
22.1% -
Fashion Institute of Technology
8.2% -
Purdue University
5.3% -
Rochester Institute of Technology
5.0% -
New York University
5.0% -
Michigan State University
4.7% -
Liberty University
4.2% -
Pennsylvania State University
4.1% -
Villanova University
3.8% -
Syracuse University
3.7% -
Full Sail University
3.7% -
Iowa State University
3.7% -
Ohio State University
3.6% -
Ball State University
3.6% -
Auburn University
3.4% -
Indiana Wesleyan University
3.3% -
University of Central Florida
3.2% -
West Virginia University
3.2% -
Clemson University
3.1% -
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
3.1% -
Business 35.9%
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Communication 6.9%
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Graphic Design 6.9%
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Management 6.6%
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Photography 4.1%
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Marketing 3.8%
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Fine Arts 3.4%
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-
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Accounting 2.7%
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English 2.5%
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Psychology 2.4%
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Computer Science 2.4%
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Education 2.3%
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General Studies 2.2%
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Criminal Justice 2.0%
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Project Management 1.9%
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Finance 1.9%
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Bachelors
43.7% -
Other
24.6% -
Masters
14.9% -
Associate
10.2% -
Certificate
4.4% -
Diploma
1.0% -
Doctorate
0.9% -
License
0.2%
Schools
Majors
Degrees
Production Manager
Unfortunately we don’t have enough data for this section.
Real Production Manager Salaries
Job Title
|
Company
|
Location
|
Start Date
|
Salary
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LNG Production Manager | Cheniere Energy, Inc. | Cameron, LA | Jul 13, 2015 | $285,000 |
| Production Manager | Cheniere Energy, Inc. | Cameron, LA | Oct 26, 2015 | $285,000 |
| LNG Production Manager | Cheniere Energy, Inc. | Cameron, LA | Jul 20, 2015 | $240,000 |
| Production Manager | SEM Operating Company LLC | Tyler, TX | Sep 25, 2015 | $171,780 |
| Regulatory Reporting Production Manager | MUFG Union Bank, N.A. | Los Angeles, CA | Apr 06, 2015 | $155,000 |
| Production Manager (Photo/Video) | Susan Vessio, Inc. DBA Geared Graphix | Garden City, NY | Feb 04, 2015 | $148,200 |
| Production Manager | Yuma Energy, Inc. | Houston, TX | Aug 20, 2015 | $146,500 |
| Production Manager | Ethosenergy Light Turbines, LLC | Houston, TX | Sep 04, 2015 | $146,474 |
| Production Manager | Ethosenergy Light Turbines, LLC | Houston, TX | Jul 03, 2016 | $146,474 |
| Production Manager | Vibrant Sciences LLC | San Carlos, CA | Jul 11, 2016 | $140,000 |
| Procurement and Production Manager | Northstar Ceramic Trading, LLC | Dallas, TX | Apr 03, 2015 | $137,821 |
| Production Manager, Corona Sunsets | SFX Entertainment, Inc. | New York, NY | Jun 09, 2016 | $137,000 |
| Production Manager | Tungsten Heavy Powder, Inc. | San Diego, CA | Sep 14, 2015 | $135,000 |
| Principle Market Production Manager | Vodafone Us Inc. | New York, NY | Jul 24, 2015 | $135,000 |
| Production Manager | 4Step Communications, Inc. | Franklin, TN | Feb 04, 2015 | $94,432 - $94,500 |
| Production Manager | Recaro Aircraft Seating Americas, Inc. | Fort Worth, TX | Apr 27, 2015 | $93,787 |
| Production Manager | National Oilwell Varco, L.P. | Houston, TX | Jan 10, 2015 | $93,704 |
| Production Manager | Fluid Routing Solutions, Inc. | Ocala, FL | Sep 11, 2015 | $92,800 - $102,800 |
| Production Manager | Fluid Routing Solutions, Inc. | Ocala, FL | Sep 05, 2015 | $92,800 - $102,800 |
| Production Manager | Justfabulous, Inc. | El Segundo, CA | Jul 25, 2016 | $92,352 |
| Production Manager--ASR | Batteries Plus, LLC | Hartland, WI | Jul 05, 2016 | $92,129 |
| Production Manager | Mystic, Inc. | New York, NY | Apr 01, 2015 | $92,000 |
| Theatre Production Manager | The University of Chicago | Chicago, IL | Sep 12, 2016 | $76,000 |
| New Production Introduction & Technoloby Manager | Glaxosmithkline Consumer Healthcare L.P. | Durham, NY | Jun 13, 2015 | $76,000 - $123,000 |
| Theatre Production Manager | The University of Chicago | Chicago, IL | Dec 09, 2016 | $76,000 |
| Production Manager | Boiling Point Media | Oklahoma City, OK | Jun 25, 2015 | $75,920 |
| Logistics & Production Manager | Tigre-Ads USA Inc. | Janesville, WI | Jul 20, 2015 | $75,483 |
| Production Manager | Amneal Pharmaceuticals of Ny LLC | Brookhaven, NY | Sep 14, 2016 | $75,400 |
| Production Manager | North Six, Inc. | New York, NY | Sep 07, 2015 | $75,000 |
| Lean Engineering Production Manager | Morgan Truck Body LLC | Denver, PA | May 04, 2015 | $75,000 - $100,000 |
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Top Skills for A Production Manager
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Top Production Manager Skills
- Safety Training
- Production Supervisors
- Safety Procedures
- Establish OSHA compliant safety training program.
- Monitor, assess, motivate, and manage 55 direct reports including 3 production supervisors continuing their development.
- Continued implementation of environmental, health and safety procedures.
- Delivered monthly production, on-time delivery, continuous improvement, and scrap goals as set by executive leadership.
- Managed and grew a production facility in a sheltered work environment serving 130 adult, developmentally disabled individuals.
Top Production Manager Employers
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