Manufacturing organizations require skilled workers and a leader to orchestrate the entire production operation. A director of manufacturing oversees all manufacturing operations to ensure production meets the required deadlines, quality standards and is completed within the operational budget. The director generally reports to the top executive of the manufacturing organization.

Qualifications

In most cases, a director of manufacturing has at least a bachelor’s degree and five to 10 years of progressive work experience in a similar role related to the manufacturing industry. Many manufacturing organizations promote from within because internal employees understand the organization’s objectives and production process. Along with education and experience, employers often prefer employees who obtain credentials such as lean manufacturing and quality control. Credentials can be obtained from organizations such as the International Organization for Standardization. The Six Sigma certification is offered by a number of universities and training facilities.

Personnel

The director of manufacturing oversees all manufacturing personnel. They select, hire and train new employees and appoint managers and supervisors. They evaluate employees routinely and ensure standards of performance are met within the manufacturing group. They assign responsibilities to supervisors and employees on the production line for each manufacturing project.

Production

Production environments must meet quality standards to produce safe, quality products. A director of manufacturing implements quality-control programs and policies. They routinely analyze production budgets and make changes as necessary. Throughout the production process, the director oversees the workers and the process to ensure safety procedures are followed and performance goals are met. A director of manufacturing also creates production reports for review by top executives.

Salary

The salary for a director of a manufacturing firm varies greatly, depending on the size of the organization, amount of employees the director oversees and type of products manufactured. In 2011, the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated an average salary of $96,370 per year for this occupation. A director of manufacturing may also receive performance bonuses for meeting production goals and other bonuses for sales based on the organization’s revenue.