Manufacturing & ProductionISCO 1321
Manufacturing manager
Manufacturing managers plan, oversee and direct the manufacturing process in an organisation. They ensure products and services are efficiently produced within the timeframe and budget given.
Check yourself in a minute: manufacturing manager
Rate 5 of the 20 essential skills of this occupation (European ESCO data). No account needed.
manage supplies
coordinate manufacturing production activities
manage budgets
strive for company growth
schedule production
Key skills in this occupation
Essential skills and knowledge areas from the European ESCO classification, 20 in total. The ones most specific to this occupation come first.
- manage supplies
Monitor 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.
practical skill - coordinate manufacturing production activities
Coordinate manufacturing activities based on production strategies, policies and plans.
practical skill - manage budgets
Plan, monitor, report on the budget and prepare set production budgets.
practical skill - strive for company growth
Develop strategies and plans aiming at achieving a sustained company growth, be the company self-owned or somebody else's.
practical skill - schedule production
Schedule the production aiming maximum profitability while still maintaining the company KPIs in cost, quality, service and innovation.
practical skill - manage staff
Manage employees and subordinates, working in a team or individually, to maximise their performance and contribution.
practical skill - create manufacturing guidelines
Draft procedures and guidelines to ensure that government and industry regulations are met by manufacturers in both international and domestic markets.
practical skill - manage production enterprise
Organise and instruct staff, plan production strategies and programmes including sales.
practical skill
Check which of these skills you already have ↑
Knowledge (4)
production processes
Materials and techniques required in the production and distribution processes. More →
sustainable manufacturing
The generation of manufactured products using efficient and sustainable production process that enhances the conservation of natural and energy resources while minimizing negative environmental impacts. More →
manufacturing processes
The steps required through which a material is transformed into a product, its development and full-scale manufacturing. More →
lean manufacturing
Lean manufacturing is a methodology that focuses on minimizing waste within manufacturing systems while simultaneously maximizing productivity. More →
Practical skills (8)
define manufacturing quality criteria
Define and describe the criteria by which data quality is measured for manufacturing purposes, such as international standards and manufacturing regulations. More →
optimise production
Analyse and identify the strengths and weaknesses of solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems; formulate and plan alternatives. More →
plan manufacturing processes
Determine and schedule production and assembly steps. More →
meet deadlines
Ensure operative processes are finished at a previously agreed-upon time. More →
manage production systems
Organize, manage, and maintain all aspects of production, including product design, production planning, and production control systems (for example by the use of the computer program WFM). More →
analyse production processes for improvement
Analyse production processes leading toward improvement. More →
follow company standards
Lead and manage according to the organisation's code of conduct. More →
adhere to organisational guidelines
Adhere to organisational or department specific standards and guidelines. More →
Optional skills (61) — show
business management principles
Principles governing business management methods such as strategy planning, methods of efficient production, people and resources coordination. More →
good manufacturing practices
Regulatory requirements and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) applied in the relevant manufacturing sector. More →
engineering principles
The engineering elements like functionality, replicability, and costs in relation to the design and how they are applied in the completion of engineering projects. More →
innovation processes
The techniques, models, methods and strategies which contribute to the promotion of steps towards innovation. More →
production engineering
The subfield of industrial engineering that corresponds to the practice of generating efficient products by transforming raw material into finite products. More →
risk management
The 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 methods for dealing with… More →
quality standards
The national and international requirements, specifications and guidelines to ensure that products, services and processes are of good quality and fit for purpose. More →
environmental management standards
The requirements for an organisation to implement the environmental management system in order to enhance its environmental performance such as ISO 14001. More →
investment analysis
The methods and tools for analysis of an investment compared to its potential return. More →
leadership principles
Set 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. More →
industrial research and development
The set of activities that companies carry out to do industrial innovation and introduce new engineering products and services or new industrial production processes. More →
supply chain management
The flow of goods in the supply chain, movement and storage of raw materials, work-in-process inventory, and finished goods from point of origin to point of consumption. More →
keep up with digital transformation of industrial processes
Keep up to date with digital innovations applicable to industrial processes. More →
ensure compliance with environmental legislation
Monitor activities and perform tasks ensuring compliance with standards involving environmental protection and sustainability, and amend activities in the case of changes in environmental legislation. More →
communicate with customers
Respond to and communicate with customers in the most efficient and appropriate manner to enable them to access the desired products or services, or any other help they may require. More →
optimise production processes parameters
Optimise and maintain the parameters of the production process such as flow, temperature or pressure. More →
adjust production schedule
Adjust work schedule in order to maintain permanent shift operation. More →
manage stocked company material
Maintain company material and stocked product inventory by keeping track of stock profiles and locations. More →
cope with manufacturing deadlines pressure
Cope with a tight schedule on the manufacturing processes level and take the necessary actions when deadlines approach or when some processes fail. More →
inspect quality of products
Use various techniques to ensure the product quality is respecting the quality standards and specifications. More →
maintain relationship with customers
Build a lasting and meaningful relationship with customers in order to ensure satisfaction and fidelity by providing accurate and friendly advice and support, by delivering quality products and services and by supplying… More →
ensure compliance with safety legislation
Implement safety programmes to comply with national laws and legislation. More →
oversee production requirements
Oversee production processes and prepare all the resources needed to maintain an efficient and continuous flow of production. More →
perform data analysis
Collect data and statistics to test and evaluate in order to generate assertions and pattern predictions, with the aim of discovering useful information in a decision-making process. More →
monitor manufacturing quality standards
Monitor quality standards in manufacturing and finishing process. More →
oversee logistics of finished products
Ensure that the processes of packing, storage and shipment of finished products meet the requirements. More →
recruit employees
Hire new employees by scoping the job role, advertising, performing interviews and selecting staff in line with company policy and legislation. More →
oversee quality control
Monitor and assure the quality of the provided goods or services by overseeing that all the factors of the production meet quality requirements. More →
analyse business plans
Analyse the formal statements from businesses which outline their business goals and the strategies they set in place to meet them, in order to assess the feasibility of the plan and verify the business' ability to meet… More →
negotiate terms with suppliers
Identify and work with suppliers to ensure quality of supply and best price has been negotiated. More →
recruit personnel
Carry out assessment and recruitment of personnel for the production. More →
advise on sustainable management policies
Contribute to planning and policy development for sustainable management, including input in environmental impact assessments. More →
ensure finished product meet requirements
Ensure that finished products meet or exceed company specifications. More →
ensure equipment availability
Ensure that the necessary equipment is provided, ready and available for use before start of procedures. More →
adapt production levels
Adapt current production levels and strive to improve the current production rates looking for economic gains and margins. More →
develop staff
Lead employees to meet the organisations expectations for productivity, quality and goal accomplishment. More →
improve business processes
Optimise the series of operations of an organisation to achieve efficiency. More →
manage workflow processes
Develop, document and implement traffic and workflow processes across the company for different functions. More →
disaggregate the production plan
Splits production plan in daily, weekly, and monthly plans with clear objectives and targets required. More →
plan shifts of employees
Plans shifts of employees to ensure completion of all customer orders and satisfactory completion of the production plan. More →
negotiate with stakeholders
Negotiate compromises with stakeholders and strive to reach the most beneficial agreements for the company. More →
evaluate employees work
Evaluate the need for labour for the work ahead. More →
identify process improvements
Identify possible improvements to operational and financial performance, in order to increase productivity, efficiency, quality, and streamline procedures. More →
analyse supply chain strategies
Examine an organisation's planning details of production, their expected output units, quality, quantity, cost, time available and labour requirements. More →
manage factory operations
Supervise factory operations, planning, formulating, organising, controlling. and directing factory production activities. More →
liaise with quality assurance
Work closely with the relevant quality assurance or grading party involved. More →
schedule regular machine maintenance
Schedule and perform regular maintenance, cleaning, and repairs of all equipment. More →
monitor plant production
Monitor plant processes and efficiency set-up to ensure the maximum output of production levels. More →
ensure equipment maintenance
Ensure that the equipment required for operations is regularly checked for faults, that routine maintenance tasks are performed, and that repairs are scheduled and performed in the case of damage or flaws. More →
perform project management
Manage and plan various resources, such as human resources, budget, deadline, results, and quality necessary for a specific project, and monitor the project's progress in order to achieve a specific goal within a set… More →
perform product planning
Identify and articulate market requirements that define a product’s feature set. More →
check material resources
Verify that all requested resources are delivered and in good working order. More →
report on production results
Mention a specified set of parameters, such as amount produced and timing, and any issues or unexpected occurrences. More →
manage manufacturing documentation
Manage the reports and technical documentation such as Standard Operating Procedures or logbooks, by writing and reviewing them, capturing and eliminating any deviation and ambiguity. More →
train employees
Lead and guide employees through a process in which they are taught the necessary skills for the perspective job. More →
communicate production plan
Communicates production plan to all levels in a way that targets, processes, and requirements are clear. More →
align efforts towards business development
Synchronise the efforts, plans, strategies, and actions carried out in departments of companies towards the growth of business and its turnover. More →
liaise with managers
Liaise with managers of other departments ensuring effective service and communication, i.e. sales, planning, purchasing, trading, distribution and technical. More →
use IT tools
Application of computers, computer networks and other information technologies and equipment to storing, retrieving, transmitting and manipulating data, in the context of a business or enterprise. More →
implement strategic planning
Take action on the goals and procedures defined at a strategic level in order to mobilise resources and pursue the established strategies. More →
control production
Plan, coordinate, and direct all production activities to insure the goods are made on time, in correct order, of adequate quality and composition, starting from intake goods up to shipping. More →
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Frequently asked questions
What does a manufacturing manager do?
Manufacturing managers plan, oversee and direct the manufacturing process in an organisation. They ensure products and services are efficiently produced within the timeframe and budget given.
What skills does a manufacturing manager need?
A manufacturing manager needs 20 essential skills, including production processes, sustainable manufacturing, manufacturing processes, lean manufacturing, manage supplies.
Will AI replace manufacturing manager jobs?
The AI disruption score for manufacturing manager is 37/100 (moderate risk). Skills most exposed to automation: report on production results, quality standards, check material resources. Most resilient: cope with manufacturing deadlines pressure, negotiate with stakeholders, liaise with managers.
AI Replacement Risk
37/ 100
Moderate Risk
Low riskHigh risk
Quick Facts
ISCO GroupProduction and specialised services managers
Essential Skills20
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