Becoming a production manager | Salary, skills, requirements

As a production manager, you'll oversee the production process of goods and services, typically in industrial environments, coordinating all technical aspects and operations. The job depends on the nature of the production system itself.

You'll be involved in the planning (often called 'pre-planning') stage as well as the control and supervision stages. It's likely you’ll be responsible for both human and material resources, so a large part of the job is dealing with people, including staff motivation and resource management.

You may also be involved with product design and purchasing. In some larger firms, planners, controllers, production engineers, and supervisors will assist you. In smaller companies, the role may be integrated with other functions, such as marketing, sales, and finance. Your role may also be referred to as operations or manufacturing manager.

What does a production manager do?

As a production manager, you'll need to:

plan and draw up a production schedule
manage resources, including equipment and facilities, and ensure stock levels remain adequate
ensure the production will be cost-effective by estimating and negotiating budgets with clients and managers
monitor the processes, productivity rates, and quality control, adjusting schedules as needed
set and enforce the quality standards
take responsibility for the maintenance of equipment, conduct regular inspections, and organise any repairs
ensure health and safety guidelines are followed at all times, addressing any concerns immediately
liaise across teams and departments, including procurement management, to ensure a smooth and efficient production process that also aligns with goals
complete customer orders on time and to budget, as well as meet quality standards and targets
identify opportunities to improve processes to increase productivity and reduce costs, such as through lean manufacturing
collate and analyse data, putting together production and performance reports for factory managers and customers
supervise and motivate a team of workers, including setting performance goals, evaluating output and standards, and identifying training needs

How much does a production manager earn?

Starting salaries in a trainee role are around £24,000 but can be as high as £39,000.
After around two years, production managers in the UK can earn over £40,000, with an average of approximately £44,000.
Those with greater experience, or more seniority, typically earn between £50,000 and £63,000, but this can be as high as around £78,000.

Salaries vary according to the size and type of business you work for and your location. Hi-tech companies tend to pay more than those in traditional industries. Other factors that affect your salary include skills, experience, and level of responsibility.

Additional benefits may include bonuses for productivity, as well as a pension, private health care and life assurance.

Income figures are intended as a guide only.

How many hours does a production manager work in a week?

You can expect to work around 40 to 45 hours per week, sometimes starting the day before 7am. The role may involve shift work and unsocial hours to make sure there's enough cover throughout the production process. It's likely you'll be on-site, but you may travel around to several locations. Dress code is usually business casual, but you'll be required to dress in more formal attire when meeting suppliers or managers.

Extended hours may be required to meet deadlines, if production targets are not met, or to introduce new systems. You could also be on call at weekends or public holidays to deal with problems. There aren't many opportunities for self-employment, unless you have considerable experience and expertise where you can then work as a consultant.

How do I become a production manager?

A foundation degree, HND or degree in the following subjects may increase your chances of securing a job:

aerospace engineering
business or management
chemistry/chemical engineering
electrical and electronic engineering
fashion and textiles
food science and technology
industrial engineering
materials science and technology
mechanical engineering
manufacturing engineering/management
pharmaceuticals
physics
process engineering
transport, distribution or logistics.

Some employers ask for a specific degree or background in their area of production, such as food management, chemistry, or engineering.

Some large companies have production, manufacturing, or operations management graduate training schemes open to graduates with a range of degree subjects.

If you have an unrelated degree, it's still possible to become a production manager if you have sufficient motivation and a willingness to study for the relevant professional qualifications. You'll also need to show you have an interest in the industry.

Alternatively, you can take an apprenticeship. These combine paid work with study, meaning you can train on the job. Relevant apprenticeships include the:

Level 4 (higher) Process Leader apprenticeship, which involves directing production activities and operations
Level 6 (degree) Manufacturing Management apprenticeship, which involves managing manufacturing processes to ensure performance output meets customers' expectations.

Entry without a degree or relevant qualification is possible in a more junior role, such as engineering technician or quality control officer. You may be able to work your way up to team leader or shift supervisor. From there, you could move to production management by gaining experience and undertaking further training.

A postgraduate degree isn't a requirement, but courses that include production and manufacturing management are offered at several universities. Search for postgraduate courses in manufacturing management.

You may also need a health and safety qualification, such as those offered by the Institute of Occupational Health (IOSH), or a food hygiene qualification. This will depend on the sector you work in.

Skills for production management

You'll need to have:

organisation skills to plan, run, and monitor the entire production process
the ability to develop relationships and to communicate clearly and persuasively with your team, managers, and clients
leadership skills, and the confidence to motivate others, and act decisively to solve staff or equipment-related problems
analytical skills, including being able to grasp complex concepts easily, to collect and interpret data in order to improve processes
general IT and technical skills to deal with various technologies and production-related programs
strong negotiation skills for getting materials within budget and on time
a results-driven approach to work, with a strong attention to detail.

Where can I get production manager work experience?

Relevant work experience, such as a placement or summer internship in industry, is useful. Some courses provide the opportunity to take a year out, which can provide practical experience in the manufacturing sector, while also building up a network of contacts.

If you can't find work experience, try to arrange to shadow a production manager to gain an insight into the role.

You could also consider getting student membership with a relevant professional body, such as the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT). This provides access to useful resources, events, and networking opportunities. It also helps you keep up-to-date with industry news.

Find out more about the different kinds of work experience and internships that are available.

Who employs production managers?

Most manufacturing companies have a production manager, though the actual job title may vary. In very small companies, the role may be combined with other functions.

Manufacturing companies can be found in many industries, including:

aerospace and defence
automobile
chemical engineering
electronics and electrical consumer goods
food processing
heavy engineering
pharmaceuticals
printing
textiles.

Many companies are involved in several types of production, including:

flow (mass) production - products that are mass-produced on an assembly line, which are identical and standardised
batch production - a set quantity of identical products that are manufactured together, with one batch being finished before the next one starts
job production - items are made individually to the customer's specific requirements and are often unique or one-offs.

Look for job vacancies at:

Recruitment agencies commonly handle vacancies. You can also seek out jobs on professional networking sites like LinkedIn.

Where can a career in production management lead?

As a graduate, you'll typically start off as a trainee and will gain experience in several different aspects of production management, such as materials management, inventory control, configuration analysis, production control, staff management, and purchasing management. You can then move on to become a supervisor or shift manager before becoming a production manager.

Progression depends on your personal motivation and interests, as well as your career choices. For example, you may start in a smaller company and then move to a larger, even international, organisation. Alternatively, you may already work for a large firm and move to a new role to progress. The role varies significantly among different sectors, meaning you may end up specialising in one sector.

You may decide to eventually pursue a more strategic role and become involved with long-term planning rather than day-to-day operations. There are also opportunities to move into general management. In larger organisations, you may be responsible for production on a number of sites, and opportunities to set up and manage operations overseas can arise with multinational firms.

You may find you're encouraged by your employer to complete a professional qualification, which can help with career prospects. You'll also need to continually update your knowledge and experience as new systems and processes become available.

Some employers have formal training schemes that cover the production process, company policies, and job requirements. Large companies may offer graduate programmes, which provide experience in different areas before you specialise. In smaller firms, you may learn on the job with support from experienced colleagues.

You should keep your skills and knowledge updated throughout your career by undertaking continuing professional development (CPD). One way to do this is to study for professional qualifications offered by organisations such as CILT(UK). They offer a range of operations management qualifications, from entry level certificates to advanced certificates and diplomas.

General and specific management and leadership qualifications are also offered by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI). Both CILT(UK) and the CMI provide the opportunity to work towards chartered status. You could also study for a Masters degree in production and manufacturing management if you don't already have one.