Industrial production managers work to contribute a bottom line to the industry by collaborating with people and providing assistance in various processes involved in manufacturing.
One of the most significant industrial production manager responsibilities is to ensure that production achieves output as well as quality goals by following the most convenient methods and techniques within the budgets.
Depending on the size of the industry and type of operation, the production manager's work varies. In small industries, they may have to oversee a single area, while in a large industry, they may have to take care of all the manufacturing aspects of an entire plant.
With an aim to meet all the objectives of production, these personnel may have to develop new methods to utilize available resources - whether material, capital or human - most effectively.
They may be responsible for taking decisions regarding the requirement of resources, material, equipment and machinery for a particular project along with the production sequence.
Basically, the manager is the expert who is typically responsible for mentoring and supervising direct report staff.
Their job description generally involves deciding budgets, approving costs of materials and supplies and evaluating manufacturing orders for accuracy and quality.
They also decide duty assignments and production schedules, developing strategic decisions as per the requirement in order to make changes in programs when budget or time margins are reached.
Depending on the industry or employer, the production manager's tasks may involve hiring, providing training, assessing and relieving staff, etc. Ensuring compliance by implementing safety occupation programs, controlling expenditure, cross training and organizing employee teams for utmost production flexibility are some of the major responsibilities.
These experts typically supervise each phase of the production, examining current process and developing new methods to save time, steps and material by considering the cost factor.
There are certain tasks that an industrial production manager may have to perform typically in any industry. Some of them are mentioned below, but may vary as per the organization:
It is the responsibility of the production manager to resolve the issues that may cause a product to fail in meeting quality standards. Modern manufacturing plants emphasize on advanced techniques like Six Sigma to ensure continuous quality enhancement. These managers may have to deal with materials and parts' vendors, individual workers, procurement personnel, etc., to provide quality backup.
Training and educational qualification criteria to become an industrial production manager may vary as per the industry and employer. Many employers often prefer to hire a candidate with graduate degree and required experience. Many candidates earn a graduate degree in an associated field such as business administration, industrial engineering or industrial technology and pursue specialization training through management education program.
These experts contribute to the competitiveness and strength of a company with a variety of skills. They often interact with different level of individuals from higher authorities to production line workers and support staff, so sound written and verbal communication skills are significant. Taking decisions, guiding the team members, keeping production profitable, problem solving skills, leadership skills and analytical ability are some essentially required aspects.
To perform industrial production manager responsibilities successfully, the candidate needs a broad range of knowledge and skills, as they have to deal with various crucial issues. They work to provide quality products within the given time frame.