Manufacturing & ProductionISCO 1321
Chemical production manager
A chemical production manager is a person who answers for the engineering side of chemical manufacturing and for supervising it, in one production unit or several.
Check yourself in a minute: chemical production manager
Rate 5 of the 33 essential skills of this occupation (European ESCO data). No account needed.
manage supplies
keep up with digital transformation of industrial processes
ensure compliance with environmental legislation
adjust production schedule
manage budgets
About chemical production manager
The manager designs production plans and schedules and then sees that they are carried out. The schedule is adjusted when an order, a raw material delivery or the state of a plant changes, and technical and human resources are distributed across tasks so that volume, quality and timing targets are met. Chemical processes are part of the knowledge.
The manager also manages supplies of raw materials and utilities, applies the principles that govern a supply chain, and assesses the quality of services from suppliers and from maintenance. Risk management runs alongside: working out what happens if a pump fails, if power is lost, or if a reactor has to be shut down.
The manager ensures compliance with safety regulations, implements quality procedures, and looks after working conditions and environmental practice: emissions, effluent, waste, the integrity of the plant. Major-hazard sites fall under separate industrial accident rules and inspection.
Key Work Functions
Core areas of responsibility for a chemical production manager.
1
Production Planning and Scheduling
- Design and implement production plans that meet volume and quality objectives
- Adjust production schedules to optimize manufacturing efficiency
- Coordinate with supply chain to ensure material availability
2
Quality Assurance and Process Control
- Monitor manufacturing quality standards and implement corrective actions
- Oversee chemical process inspections and improvements
- Create and enforce manufacturing guidelines and standard operating procedures
3
Safety and Environmental Compliance
- Ensure compliance with safety legislation and good manufacturing practices
- Implement environmental protection measures and waste management
- Conduct risk assessments and develop mitigation strategies
4
Team Leadership and Staff Management
- Manage and supervise production staff to achieve performance targets
- Provide training and professional development opportunities
- Foster team collaboration and maintain safe working conditions
5
Budget and Resource Management
- Manage production budgets and control operational costs
- Oversee manufacturing plant equipment maintenance and upgrades
- Keep up with digital transformation initiatives and new technologies
European Skills Framework
Skills and knowledge areas required for this occupation based on European classification.
Essential (33)
good manufacturing practicesgood manufacturing practicesRegulatory requirements and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) applied in the relevant manufacturing sector.manufacturing processesmanufacturing processesThe steps required through which a material is transformed into a product, its development and full-scale manufacturing.risk managementrisk managementThe process of identifying, assessing, and prioritising of all types of risks and where they could come from, such as natural causes, legal changes, or uncertainty in any given context, and the method...chemical processeschemical processesThe relevant chemical processes used in manufacture, such as purification, seperation, emulgation and dispergation processing.supply chain principlessupply chain principlesCharacteristics, operations and resources involved in moving a product or service from supplier to the customer.manufacturing plant equipmentmanufacturing plant equipmentThe characteristics and functioning conditions of manufacturing plant equipments such as chemical reactors, addition tanks, pumps, filters, mixers.leadership principlesleadership principlesSet of traits and values which guide the actions of a leader with her/his employees and the company and provide direction throughout her/his career. These principles are also an important tool for sel...manage suppliesmanage suppliesMonitor and control the flow of supplies that includes the purchase, storage and movement of the required quality of raw materials, and also work-in-progress inventory. Manage supply chain activities ...keep up with digital transformation of industrial processeskeep up with digital transformation of industrial processesKeep up to date with digital innovations applicable to industrial processes. Integrate these transformations in the company's processes aiming for competitive and profitable business models.ensure compliance with environmental legislationensure compliance with environmental legislationMonitor activities and perform tasks ensuring compliance with standards involving environmental protection and sustainability, and amend activities in the case of changes in environmental legislation....adjust production scheduleadjust production scheduleAdjust work schedule in order to maintain permanent shift operation.manage budgetsmanage budgetsPlan, monitor, report on the budget and prepare set production budgets.ensure compliance with safety legislationensure compliance with safety legislationImplement safety programmes to comply with national laws and legislation. Ensure that equipment and processes are compliant with safety regulations.strive for company growthstrive for company growthDevelop strategies and plans aiming at achieving a sustained company growth, be the company self-owned or somebody else's. Strive with actions to increase revenues and positive cash flows.manage staffmanage staffManage employees and subordinates, working in a team or individually, to maximise their performance and contribution. Schedule their work and activities, give instructions, motivate and direct the wor...create manufacturing guidelinescreate manufacturing guidelinesDraft procedures and guidelines to ensure that government and industry regulations are met by manufacturers in both international and domestic markets.monitor manufacturing quality standardsmonitor manufacturing quality standardsMonitor quality standards in manufacturing and finishing process.improve chemical processesimprove chemical processesCollect data required to make improvements or modifications to chemical processes. Develop new industrial processes, design new process plants/equipment or modify existing ones.manage chemical processes inspectionmanage chemical processes inspectionManage the chemical in-process inspection, making sure the inspection results are documented, the inspection procedures are well written and the checklists are updated.adhere to Standard Operating Proceduresadhere to Standard Operating ProceduresAdhere to and follow the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP).adapt production levelsadapt production levelsAdapt current production levels and strive to improve the current production rates looking for economic gains and margins. Negotiate improvement with sales, dispatch and distribution departments.assess quality of servicesassess quality of servicesTest and compare various goods and services in order to assess their quality and to give detailed information to consumers.meet deadlinesmeet deadlinesEnsure operative processes are finished at a previously agreed-upon time.analyse supply chain strategiesanalyse supply chain strategiesExamine an organisation's planning details of production, their expected output units, quality, quantity, cost, time available and labour requirements. Provide suggestions in order to improve products...adhere to organisational guidelinesadhere to organisational guidelinesAdhere to organisational or department specific standards and guidelines. Understand the motives of the organisation and the common agreements and act accordingly.monitor plant productionmonitor plant productionMonitor plant processes and efficiency set-up to ensure the maximum output of production levels.perform product planningperform product planningIdentify and articulate market requirements that define a product’s feature set. Product planning serves as the basis for decisions about price, distribution and promotion.assess environmental impactassess environmental impactMonitor environmental impacts and carry out assessments in order to identify and to reduce the organisation's environmental risks while taking costs into account.communicate production plancommunicate production planCommunicates production plan to all levels in a way that targets, processes, and requirements are clear. Ensures that information is passed to everyone involved in the process assuming their responsib...liaise with managersliaise with managersLiaise with managers of other departments ensuring effective service and communication, i.e. sales, planning, purchasing, trading, distribution and technical.follow company standardsfollow company standardsLead and manage according to the organisation's code of conduct.monitor chemical process conditionmonitor chemical process conditionMonitor the conformity of the chemical process, checking all indicators or warning signals provided by the instruments such as recording instruments, flowmeters and panel lights.regulate chemical reactionregulate chemical reactionRegulate the reaction by adjusting the steam and coolant valves so that the reaction is within the specified limits for explosion prevention.
Optional (28) — show
engineering principlesengineering principlesThe engineering elements like functionality, replicability, and costs in relation to the design and how they are applied in the completion of engineering projects.pharmaceutical drug developmentpharmaceutical drug developmentDrug manufacturing phases: pre-clinical phase (research and tests on animals), clinical phase (clinical trials on humans) and the sub-phases required to obtain as an end product a pharmaceutical drug.pharmaceutical technologypharmaceutical technologyPharmaceutical technology is the branch of pharmaceutics which deals with the technological design, development, manufacture, and evaluation of drugs and medicinal products.nuclear energynuclear energyThe generation of electrical energy through the use of nuclear reactors, by converting the energy released from nuclei of atoms in reactors which generate heat. This heat subsequently generates steam ...laboratory techniqueslaboratory techniquesTechniques applied in the different fields of natural science in order to obtain experimental data such as gravimetric analysis, gas chromatography, electronic or thermic methods.pharmaceutical manufacturing quality systemspharmaceutical manufacturing quality systemsThe quality systems model that apply in pharmaceutical manufacturies. The most common system ensures quality in facilities and equipment system, laboratory controls system, materials system, productio...pharmaceutical industrypharmaceutical industryThe main stakeholders, companies and procedures in the pharmaceutical industry and the laws and regulations that govern the patenting, testing, safety and marketing of drugs.multimedia systemsmultimedia systemsThe methods, procedures and techniques pertaining to the operation of multimedia systems, usually a combination of software and hardware, presenting various types of media such as video and audio.pharmaceutical chemistrypharmaceutical chemistryThe chemical aspects of identification and synthetic alteration of chemical entities as they relate to therapeutic use. The way various chemicals affect biological systems and how they can be integrat...green chemistrygreen chemistryThe process of creating chemical products that diminish or cancel the negative impact on the environment caused by the use of hazardous substances. It follows all the phases of chemical product genera...characteristics of chemicals used for tanningcharacteristics of chemicals used for tanningComposition and physico-chemical properties of auxiliary chemicals used in the different tanning processes (tanning agents, fat liquors, pigments, dyes, etc.).mechanicsmechanicsTheoretical and practical applications of the science studying the action of displacements and forces on physical bodies to the development of machinery and mechanical devices.optimise production processes parametersoptimise production processes parametersOptimise and maintain the parameters of the production process such as flow, temperature or pressure.inspect quality of productsinspect quality of productsUse various techniques to ensure the product quality is respecting the quality standards and specifications. Oversee defects, packaging and sendbacks of products to different production departments.oversee production requirementsoversee production requirementsOversee production processes and prepare all the resources needed to maintain an efficient and continuous flow of production.define manufacturing quality criteriadefine manufacturing quality criteriaDefine and describe the criteria by which data quality is measured for manufacturing purposes, such as international standards and manufacturing regulations.communicate with external laboratoriescommunicate with external laboratoriesCommunicate with the external analytical laboratories in order to manage the required external testing process.develop radiation protection strategiesdevelop radiation protection strategiesDevelop strategies for facilities and organisations which are at risk for exposure to radiation or radioactive substances, such as hospitals and nuclear facilities, for the protection of people within...manage chemical testing proceduresmanage chemical testing proceduresManage the procedures to be used in chemical testing by designing them and conducting tests accordingly.plan health and safety proceduresplan health and safety proceduresSet up procedures for maintaining and improving health and safety in the establishment or workplace.use chemical analysis equipmentuse chemical analysis equipmentUse the laboratory equipment such as Atomic Absorption equimpent, PH and conductivity meters or salt spray chambre.ensure compliance with radiation protection regulationsensure compliance with radiation protection regulationsMake sure the company and the employees implement the legal and operational measures established to guarantee protection against radiation.manage manufacturing documentationmanage manufacturing documentationManage the reports and technical documentation such as Standard Operating Procedures or logbooks, by writing and reviewing them, capturing and eliminating any deviation and ambiguity.train employeestrain employeesLead and guide employees through a process in which they are taught the necessary skills for the perspective job. Organise activities aimed at introducing the work and systems or improving the perform...test production input materialstest production input materialsTest the supplied materials prior to their release into processing, ensuring the results are complying with GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) and to the suppliers` COA (Certificate of Analysis).advise on waste management proceduresadvise on waste management proceduresAdvise organisations on the implementation of waste regulations and on improvement strategies for waste management and waste minimisation, to increase environmentally sustainable practices and environ...energyenergyPower capacity in the form of mechanical, electrical, heat, potential, or other energy from chemical or physical resources, which can be used to drive a physical system.test chemical samplestest chemical samplesPerform the testing procedures on the already prepared chemical samples, by using the necessary equipment and materials. Chemical sample testing involves operations such as pipetting or diluting schem...
Related Occupations
Occupations that need many of the same essential skills, so the move between them is shortest.
chemical plant manager13 shared essential skillspower plant manager11 shared essential skillssewerage systems manager11 shared essential skillsenergy manager10 shared essential skillsmetal production manager10 shared essential skillsprint studio supervisor10 shared essential skillsproduction supervisor10 shared essential skillswater treatment plant manager10 shared essential skills
Frequently asked questions
What does a chemical production manager do?
Chemical production managers are responsible for the technical coordination and control of the chemical production processes. They steer one or more manufacturing units and oversee the implementation of technical and human means, within the framework of objectives of volume, quality and planning. Chemical production managers design and ensure that the production plans and schedules are met. They are responsible for implementation of the processes designed to ensure quality of the manufactured product, good working conditions and environmental practices, and safety of the workplace.
What skills does a chemical production manager need?
A chemical production manager needs 33 essential skills, including good manufacturing practices, manufacturing processes, risk management, chemical processes, supply chain principles.
Will AI replace chemical production manager jobs?
The AI disruption score for chemical production manager is 42/100 (moderate risk). Skills most exposed to automation: monitor chemical process condition, manage budgets, manage manufacturing documentation. Most resilient: energy, liaise with managers, leadership principles.
AI Replacement Risk
42/ 100
Moderate Risk
Low riskHigh risk
Quick Facts
ISCO GroupProduction and specialised services managers
Essential Skills33
What are you missing to work as chemical production manager?
The free skill gap analysis compares your skills with what this occupation requires and shows where to start.
Check your gaps