A vice president of production plans, directs and coordinates the development and manufacture of all products made by that company. The person who holds this position should ensure that the company uses the most efficient, effective and economically viable methods for the production of the company's products. The VP of production will correspond with both internal and external parties, and will usually manage two or three senior or executive producers.
Responsibilities
For the most part, the VP of production provides leadership and management to the company's team of producers and tracks the development of the company's products. She should create an environment that encourages interactivity and provides empowerment, support and feedback. From time to time, it may be necessary for the VP of production to seek out, evaluate and sign external production teams to augment the production process.
Education
Applicants for this position should hold a college degree from a top-tier institution, and usually the VP should have experience working in the company's affiliated industry for a minimum of 10 years, with four of those spent at the executive producer level. Furthermore, she should have strong management skills and experience leading technical teams for long periods of time. The applicant should have a passion for the industry and display enthusiasm for adopting new technologies and innovations that improve productivity.
Salary
The average salary for people who hold this position in the United States is $93,099 to $155,854 as of July 2010, although this depends on the industry and company. On average, the highest salaries for production VPs are in medical device manufacturing. Vice presidents of production often receive annual bonuses averaging between $9,941 and $44,698 and can benefit from company profit sharing that provides on average $3,020 to $10,174. Ninety-five percent of VPs of production receive health benefits, with dental and vision benefits slightly less widely received.
Opportunities
The most common method by which a person becomes a vice president is by moving his way up the ladder in his organization. Another option, however, is to apply for a vice president position directly with another company. If you are able to establish a good relationship with your boss, you may be able to replace him when he retires or finds a new job.
Working Conditions
Vice presidents of production usually work on-site full time for 40 hours per week. Companies usually provide production VPs with three or four weeks of vacation each year depending on how long the person has held the position.
