Production Manager
On this page
- What's it like to be a Production Manager?
- How to become a Production Manager
- Latest Production Manager jobs
- Top skills and experience for Production Managers
- Is Production Manager the right role for you?
- Production Manager role reviews
What's it like to be a Production Manager?
A Production Manager (Kaiwhakahaere Whakaputa) works to ensure products are manufactured to correct standards, within deadlines, and on budget. As well as training and managing staff, supervising the manufacturing process, and troubleshooting, they usually need to keep on top of procurement, inventory, health and safety standards, and dispatch. Good personnel management skills are needed to ensure staff operate efficiently.
Tasks and duties
- Planning, coordinating and managing production schedules.
- Assessing resource requirements.
- Creating, negotiating and managing budgets and timelines with clients and stakeholders.
- Establishing and managing quality control standards.
- Ensuring health and safety regulations are met.
- Negotiating timelines and resources as necessary for projects as they change in scope.
- Monitoring output and adjusting resources and processes to reduce costs.
- Managing the maintenance and repair of production equipment.
- Supervising and training junior staff.
How to become a Production Manager
You can work as a Production Manager without formal qualifications. On-the-job training is usually provided. However, employers may prefer candidates with relevant training.
- 1.
Secure an entry level role in the industry you want to work in, then gain experience and build skills to work up to Supervisor and then Manager level.
- 2.
Consider advancing your skills with a Level 4 certificate or Level 6 diploma in engineering, manufacturing, quality assurance, supply chain management, warehouse logistics or another relevant course.