What Does an Industrial Production Manager Do?

An industrial production manager works in the manufacturing sector as a coordinator of both the human and non-human components of the manufacturing process. That is to say that they make sure everything in the manufacturing process goes smoothly. The scope of the job of industrial production managers depends on the size of the manufacturing facility. If the facility is small, they may be in charge of the whole facility. If the plant is big, they may only be responsible for one section of the plant. One of their chief responsibilities is to ensure that the level of production meets predetermined targets. If there is a surge in demand, it is the responsibility of industrial production managers to ensure that the output level is increased to meet the increase in demand.

Apart from meeting production targets, an industrial production manager must ensure that the products meet the highest acceptable standards. This includes the standards set by the company and standards demanded by various government regulations. For instance, if the manufacturing plant produces tinned food, the production manager must ensure that the food preparation, packaging, labeling and other essentials meet the requirements of the law. Industrial production managers must consistently come up with solutions to any production problem and must also figure out ways to make the production process as efficient as it can be under the available circumstances.

The industrial production manager has the overall responsibility for the hiring and discharging of workers in the manufacturing plant. He or she must train the workers, take them through an orientation course on the dangers in the plant, and lead them through frequent refresher course programs. Industrial production managers serve as mentors to the plant workers, and they also serve as a sort of liaison between the workers and other management. If workers have any grievances, they can relay such issues to the production manager who will forward any complaints to the appropriate management.

Whenever there is any breakdown in communication between the industrial production manager and the plant workers, it may have some serious effects on the effectiveness and productiveness of the plant. As such, the industrial production manager must have good leadership qualities and effective communication skills. He or she is usually the first level of negotiation between management and plant workers whenever employees threaten to embark on strike. Production managers must be able to use diplomatic skills to resolve such issues.