Factory Manager Job Description, Skills, and Salary
Get to know about the duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and skills requirements of a factory manager. Feel free to use our factory manager job description template to produce your own. We also provide you with information about the salary you can earn as a factory manager.
Who is a Factory Manager?
Factory managers are responsible for managing manufacturing processes following production goals. The typical tasks of a Factory Manager include developing production schedules and allocating resources. They also ensure cost efficiency and maintain equipment. They are responsible for ensuring safety and compliance with environmental guidelines. This job requires technical skills, analytical thinking, business acumen, and time management. Leadership and communication skills are also essential. A Bachelor’s degree in business administration or industrial management is a key requirement for this job.
To make their products, many manufacturing plants use potentially hazardous chemicals and machines. Some of these safety issues are covered by government programs and policies. The large variety of manufacturing techniques makes it nearly impossible to address all possible safety threats through public laws, so it may be up to the factory manager to create and enforce organization-specific rules to keep the workplace safe.
Factory Manager Job Description
Below are the factory manager job description examples you can use to develop your resume or write a factory manager job description for your employee. Employers can also use it to sieve out job seekers when choosing candidates for interviews.
The duties and responsibilities of a factory manager include the following:
- Implementing innovative strategies for streamlining factory operations.
- Training, screening, and recruiting new factory workers.
- Collaborating with quality control managers to implement and maintain quality control processes.
- Ensuring that the factory machinery is in working order.
- Analyzing production data to identify and fix production problems.
- Preparing production reports and submitting them to decision-makers.
- Planning your factory day routines.
- Meeting customer expectations and needs
- Supervising factory workers on the production floor.
- Giving high standards for the production line.
- Implementing production strategies that meet the needs.
- Monitoring factory operations.
- Taking corrective actions when necessary
- Resolving any factory-related problems that arise
- Assigning tasks to the factory workers.
- Establishing and maintaining quality control standards.
- Implementing machine maintenance operations procedures
- Providing suggestions for improvements
- Preparing production reports and schedules.
- Presenting the reports to the top management.
- Assisting the HR department with hiring.
- Training new employees.
- Inspecting the finished product’s quality.
- Establishing solid relationships with clients
The following are other important tasks: Hiring and Training Factory Employees
- Selecting and interviewing candidates
Factory managers are involved in the selection and interviewing of candidates. They also teach new employees about factory policies and procedures.
- Delegating tasks to factory staff when necessary
Factory managers regularly walk the factory floor to ensure that all employees are doing their jobs. This ensures that employees are happy and motivated.
- Establish and enforce Quality Control Standard Operating Procedures
Factory managers collaborate with quality control managers to create a standard quality process and ensure factory workers adhere to established standards.
- Establish and implement machine maintenance standard operating procedures
Factory managers ensure that factory equipment runs at its best. Factory managers create a maintenance plan for each machine and make sure that factory workers follow it regularly.
- Analyze factory production data and devise improvement strategies as necessary
Factory managers must keep an eye on key production metrics. Factory managers can identify and correct production dips by constantly analyzing this data.
- Produce Production Data Reports, and present them to decision-makers
Based on data analysis, factory managers create production reports. These production reports are presented to decision-makers in strategy meetings regularly.
- Overseeing the workers on site
The factory manager is responsible for overseeing all workers on site. He approves all recruitment and provides advice on disciplinary matters. His responsibility is to communicate with staff and motivate them toward achieving factory targets. The factory manager might have to follow corporate policies regarding human resources because many factories are part of larger corporations. It would fall to the factory manager in this instance to communicate with the central human resource function.
- Navigate the Premises
The factory manager oversees the operation of the employees in the building. Safety and health are important in most manufacturing industries. It can be dangerous to work with heavy machinery or handle certain materials. Senior managers must be accountable for assessing risks and ensuring that safety and health procedures are followed.
- Process
Modern factories have a mix of machines and people working together to complete certain parts. In collaboration with other managers and supervisors, the factory manager decides how to create these teams for maximum performance. To motivate teams to achieve their goals, she sets targets and communicates progress.
- Planning
The key to a factory’s efficient operation is making sure there is no downtime and everyone is moving at a reasonable speed. Companies don’t want their staff to work at a snail’s pace or stand around indifferently. Factory managers need to plan for the right staff to fulfill orders on time. However, they should not be paying workers to work when there is nothing to do. They must also plan maintenance for equipment and buildings when they aren’t needed.
Qualifications
Factory managers should have at least a bachelor’s in any field. The focus of the study and the industry in which the company works will determine the type of course. Management experience and training in managerial skills are an advantage. Higher education, such as a master’s or PH.D., is highly valued and offered more job opportunities.
These are other important qualifications:
- Certification in Quality Control and Production Management.
- Solid knowledge and understanding of safety regulations.
- Thorough knowledge of the machinery and equipment used in each industry.
- Multitasking ability
- Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
- Excellent leadership and analytical skills.
- Ability to solve complex problems.
- Excellent ability to meet deadlines
- Great organizational and time management skills.
- Outstanding managerial skills.
- You will have good decision-making skills as well as logical thinking abilities.
Essential Skills
- Financial Management
You are expected to manage a lot of financial matters as a factory manager. Financial management is a key skill for any factory manager. To ensure that the funds are used efficiently, they must be able to allocate them correctly.
- Communication
Communication skills are another essential skill for factory managers. They must communicate effectively with their team members and the public about expectations and general information.
- Leadership
Leadership skills go hand in hand with communication skills. Good factory managers should be able to take control of situations and provide clear direction.
- Performance of Track Team
Factory managers must be able to monitor the performance of their teams daily to succeed. This will allow you to make adjustments to ensure that your performance and productivity continue to improve.
- Maintenance Standards are enforced
When it comes to cleaning and maintenance, there are many expectations and rules for workers at a plant. Failure to follow these expectations and rules can result in mistakes or potentially dangerous accidents. A factory manager must make sure this does not happen.
- Adaptability
Being able to adapt to changing business needs is crucial for a factory manager. This will make it easier to accept and adjust to changes so the plant can remain on the same level as the competition.
- Maximize Staff Utilization
Factory managers should not allow staff to waste time on things that aren’t important. Instead, they should ensure that every worker is doing an important task to maximize their effort.
- Sustainability
Today, sustainability is an important aspect of any business. It is important to improve sustainability as a factory manager. This can be achieved with products used in the plants or even the design of each plant.
- Create Efficiency
You can make your facility more efficient in certain areas. The best drainage solution is one example. A drainage system that is efficient, cost-effective, and simple to maintain will work well.
- Motivation
Sometimes a factory manager’s staff may need extra motivation to get the job done. The factory manager should inspire the team and motivate them.
- Plan ahead
Great planning is another important skill factory managers must have. Factory managers must be able to plan and organize their work.
- Take a decision
Factory managers face difficult decisions. A factory manager must be able to assess the situation and determine the best course of action to be successful.
- Organizational skills
Staff who does the right thing at the right time helps in increasing productivity. A factory manager has to be organized so that the work and tasks that have been scheduled for the day will go as planned.
- Reliable
Factory managers must be reliable at all times. Employees should be able to find and talk to their manager when they have problems. Employees should also feel confident that their manager will resolve any problems.
- Quality Control
Factory managers must have a system to monitor production processes. They must also be familiar with the day-to-day operations of their field. Routine quality control checks can help ensure that every machine and gadget in the factory is functioning well.
- Time Management
A factory manager must also be able to manage their time. Some deadlines must be met to produce products or complete tasks within a manufacturing plant. These deadlines can be hard to meet without proper time management and could lead to a failure to produce a product on time.
- Negotiation
Sometimes, factory managers need to deal with partners like those who provide materials for the plant. These partners may need to be negotiated with sometimes by factory managers to get better deals or continue with their existing contracts.
- Conflict Management
Conflict can occur in all types of jobs, just like any other job. A successful factory manager should be able to handle any situation and resolve it before serious problems arise.
- Delegation
A successful factory manager should be able to delegate tasks to their employees so that everyone can complete a task.
Being a factory manager is an enormous responsibility that requires dedication. A factory manager can still be successful if they have the skills enumerated above.
How to Become a Factory Manager
The desire to be a factory manager could be motivated by a higher salary, prestige, or greater power. This job requires four things: significant work experience, post-secondary education, interpersonal skills, and leadership skills. The factory manager oversees the operation of a manufacturing plant. This person is usually the highest-ranking employee within an organization and is responsible for actual operations. He is a member of the executive team and works closely with finance and sales managers to make business decisions.
Factory managers are always ambitious and committed to their work. This is not an entry-level, middle-management job. It requires at least 15 years of progressive manufacturing experience. This is a high-ranking management position with a lot of responsibilities.
A bachelor’s degree in management, engineering, or business administration is often required to be qualified for a job as a factory manager. A master’s degree in business administration (MBA), is required for certain areas. It is best to examine the educational credentials of factory managers from the area and the industry to find out what qualifications are required to be qualified for this position.
Two types of experience are required to be a factory manager: managerial and technical. The amount of technical skills required to become a factory manager depends on the company’s size and the actual tasks. For example, most positions in a manufacturing plant are technical. You will need to use industry-standard equipment and follow company procedures.
You can gain managerial experience by being promoted to the position of line supervisor, floor manager, or area manager. If you want to move up to the role of a factory manager, these progressions are part and parcel of your career. Experience in people management is a great way to improve your skills in conflict resolution, human resources management, and other areas.
This job requires excellent interpersonal and communication skills. This job also requires the ability to solve conflicts, inspire and create teams.
While some people are natural leaders, others can benefit from formal training to improve team-building skills and people management. This job requires leadership skills such as problem-solving, budgeting, and strategic planning. Coaching and executive training are common ways to develop the leadership skills needed to manage a manufacturing plant.
Where to Work as a Factory Manager
Factory managers work in both an office and in their factory/plant. They work on weekdays and are not expected to be off for holidays. Factory managers might work outside of the normal working hours because they have to complete certain work-related tasks on a given day.
Factory Manager Salary Scale
An average factory manager earns $63,540 annually. This salary will vary depending on the company’s size, location, and type. The basic salary for a year includes benefits such as life insurance, health care, and vacations. They may also receive bonuses depending on their company.