Industrial Production Manager

Career Guide

An Industrial Production Manager oversees day to day manufacturing operations to ensure products are made safely, on time, at the right quality, and within budget. The role coordinates people, equipment, materials, and schedules while driving continuous improvement in output and efficiency.

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Key Responsibilities

Plan daily and weekly production schedules
Coordinate staffing across shifts and work areas
Monitor output, downtime, and delivery performance
Enforce safety procedures and incident reporting
Maintain product quality standards and corrective actions
Manage materials flow and work in progress levels
Partner with maintenance to reduce equipment failures
Lead improvement projects to reduce waste and rework
Track labor and production costs against targets
Coach supervisors and frontline leaders

Top Skills for Success

Leadership

Communication

Problem Solving

Time Management

Process Improvement

Production Scheduling

Quality Management

Safety Management

Inventory Management

Cost Control

Performance Metrics

Manufacturing Systems

Career Progression

Can Lead To

Plant Manager Operations Manager Manufacturing Manager Quality Manager Supply Chain Manager Continuous Improvement Manager

Transition Opportunities

Production Scheduler Maintenance Manager Safety Manager Process Engineer Operations Analyst Program Manager

Common Skill Gaps

Often Missing Skills

Data AnalysisChange ManagementAutomation BasicsRoot Cause AnalysisStandard WorkCoachingSupplier Coordination

Development SuggestionsBuild a simple performance dashboard, lead one improvement project per quarter, practice structured root cause reviews after issues, and partner with engineering to learn automation and equipment constraints. Seek feedback on coaching style and run regular shift handoff routines to reduce missed details.

Market Intelligence Report

Industrial Production Manager is part of the Plant & Line Supervision category.Explore our market intelligence report to see how AI and hiring demand are shifting for these roles.

See the market intelligence report

Salary & Demand

Median Salary Range

Entry LevelUSD 70,000 to 90,000

Mid LevelUSD 90,000 to 120,000

Senior LevelUSD 120,000 to 160,000

Growth Trend

Stable demand with steady hiring, driven by replacement needs, productivity goals, and increasing focus on automation, safety, and supply reliability.

Companies Hiring

Major Employers

General MotorsFordToyotaBoeingLockheed Martin3MGE AerospaceSiemensProcter and GamblePepsiCoTyson FoodsJohnson and Johnson

Industry Sectors

AutomotiveAerospaceConsumer Packaged GoodsFood and BeveragePharmaceuticalsMedical DevicesElectronicsChemicalsIndustrial EquipmentPlastics

Recommended Next Steps

Audit your current production metrics and define a weekly review cadence

Document the top three bottlenecks and create an improvement plan with owners and dates

Create a safety action list and track closure rates

Standardize shift handoffs with a consistent checklist

Strengthen cost control by tracking overtime drivers and scrap drivers

Build partnerships with quality, maintenance, and supply chain leaders

Update your resume with measurable outcomes such as output, scrap, downtime, and on time delivery