What does a senior production manager do?
Basically, a Senior Production Manager takes responsibility for supervising the production reports in assigned departments. Senior Production Managers are in charge of the product workmanship or product quality of methods, techniques, and processes. They focus on conformance with economical manufacturing objectives, profit goals, and production schedules. They ensure that the production process is on time and within the budget.
Senior production manager responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real senior production manager resumes:
- Train all plant departments in following them in the IBM AS400 system achieving a significant reduction in transaction errors.
- Manage and direct production QA and QC managers to ensure top quality product ships on time and with proper packaging.
- Organize and manage daily activities of design studio; including financials, operational expenses, creating BOM charts and product costing.
- Manage product booking to multiple overseas business partners seasonally.
- Manage all booking and costing negotiations including seasonal costing and forecasting.
- Coordinate logistics, and manage entire shipping department including warehouse and employees.
- Support the CMC manager with the coordination and assembly of the necessary documentation require for FDA submissions.
- Evaluate RFP's establishing budgets to meet client objectives, most efficient/cost-effective production path for approve designs.
- Confirm art files match print RFQ specifications while making require adjustments before transferring files to the vendor.
- Create and edit sizzle reels, website montages, YouTube videos, promotional videos, and instructional videos.
- Print production/procurement manager for a very high volume of collateral, POS, direct-response, premiums and ads.
- Streamline deployment automation, resulting in the reduction of costly human errors and enabling on-demand deployment for QA teams.
- Develop standards documentation for ISO certification.
- Delegate responsibility between shifts in all departments from press to bindery.
- Support developers in QA activities for digital asset management and production systems.
Senior production manager skills and personality traits
We calculated that 8% of Senior Production Managers are proficient in Project Management, Continuous Improvement, and Lean Manufacturing. They’re also known for soft skills such as Interpersonal skills, Problem-solving skills, and Leadership skills.
We break down the percentage of Senior Production Managers that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Project Management, 8%
Gather job requirements and perform procurement and project management of campaign or effort with understanding of objectives.
- Continuous Improvement, 7%
Created and implemented production job descriptions and work descriptions for department and constantly evaluated quality system for continuous improvement.
- Lean Manufacturing, 6%
Facilitated Lean Manufacturing while participating on management teams, improving overall process flow.
- SR, 4%
Recommended remediation to multiple Sr. VP executive leadership partners.
- Production Schedules, 4%
Develop monthly/yearly production schedules and estimated cost budgets while monitoring manufacturing cycle performance to insure integrity of mailing schedule.
- Sigma, 4%
Improved process improvement efforts, utilizing cross-functional teams and deploying Six Sigma philosophies.
"project management," "continuous improvement," and "lean manufacturing" are among the most common skills that senior production managers use at work. You can find even more senior production manager responsibilities below, including:
Interpersonal skills. The most essential soft skill for a senior production manager to carry out their responsibilities is interpersonal skills. This skill is important for the role because "industrial production managers must have excellent communication skills to work well other managers and with staff." Additionally, a senior production manager resume shows how their duties depend on interpersonal skills: "strengthened communication and interpersonal skills by providing excellent customer service. "
Problem-solving skills. Many senior production manager duties rely on problem-solving skills. "production managers must identify and address problems that arise," so a senior production manager will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways senior production manager responsibilities rely on problem-solving skills: "work closely with customer solutions group, professional services, project management and other groups on various issues affecting the customer. "
Leadership skills. senior production managers are also known for leadership skills, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to senior production manager responsibilities, because "to keep the production process running smoothly, industrial production managers must motivate and direct employees." A senior production manager resume example shows how leadership skills is used in the workplace: "provided technical production project management working closely with the company's leadership staff and clients. "
The three companies that hire the most senior production managers are:
- Wpp Us Holdings Inc17 senior production managers jobs
- Bank of America14 senior production managers jobs
- Riot Games11 senior production managers jobs
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Compare different senior production managers
Senior production manager vs. Plant superintendent
Plant superintendents must have skills in operations, productions, and management. They also need a 4-year degree in business or industrial management. Those who choose this career will be called upon to oversee a plant's manufacturing processes and to recommend improvements to increase productivity. They also enforce all state and federal regulations for plant operations and employee safety.
These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of a senior production manager are more likely to require skills like "project management," "sr," "logistics," and "iso." On the other hand, a job as a plant superintendent requires skills like "plant safety," "production supervisors," "plant operations," and "human resources." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.
Plant superintendents tend to make the most money working in the finance industry, where they earn an average salary of $116,194. In contrast, senior production managers make the biggest average salary, $110,581, in the technology industry.plant superintendents tend to reach similar levels of education than senior production managers. In fact, plant superintendents are 2.4% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.6% less likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Senior production manager vs. Director of manufacturing operations
A director of manufacturing operations is responsible for overseeing the overall manufacturing operations, strategizing techniques to maximize productivity and efficiency, and monitoring the adequacy of supply inventories for production. Directors of manufacturing operations coordinate with trusted suppliers and vendors for resources that meet high-quality standards with minimal costing. They analyze manufacturing processes and develop procedures to minimize errors and downtimes and meet deliverables according to budget limitations and timetables. A director of manufacturing operations assists the team with their inquiries and concerns and resolve process-related issues to prevent delays in operation.
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that senior production manager responsibilities requires skills like "project management," "sr," "production schedules," and "production operations." But a director of manufacturing operations might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "supply chain," "human resources," "employee engagement," and "sops."
Directors of manufacturing operations earn a higher average salary than senior production managers. But directors of manufacturing operations earn the highest pay in the start-up industry, with an average salary of $152,321. Additionally, senior production managers earn the highest salaries in the technology with average pay of $110,581 annually.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Directors of manufacturing operations tend to reach higher levels of education than senior production managers. In fact, they're 7.7% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.6% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Senior production manager vs. Manufacturing director
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.
Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from senior production manager resumes include skills like "sr," "production schedules," "corrective action," and "production management," whereas a manufacturing director is more likely to list skills in "supply chain," "safety program," "human resources," and "medical devices. "
Manufacturing directors earn the highest salary when working in the retail industry, where they receive an average salary of $157,950. Comparatively, senior production managers have the highest earning potential in the technology industry, with an average salary of $110,581.When it comes to education, manufacturing directors tend to earn higher degree levels compared to senior production managers. In fact, they're 6.4% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.5% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Senior production manager vs. Vice president of manufacturing
Vice presidents of manufacturing are executives primarily working for a firm in the manufacturing industry. The vice presidents of manufacturing plan, direct, and coordinate product development and manufacturing. They oversee the manufacturing operations to ensure smooth, efficient, and budget processes. Their responsibilities involve correspondence to external and internal parties. Typically, they handle two or three executive or senior producers. They also implement strategies for manufacturing operations in line with the corporate plan and client needs.
Types of senior production manager
Updated January 8, 2025
