About This Career

Plans, directs, or coordinates the work activities and resources necessary for manufacturing products in accordance with cost, quality, and quantity specifications.

This career is part of the Business Management and Administration cluster Operations Management pathway.

A person in this career:

• Sets and monitors product standards, examining samples of raw products or directing testing during processing, to ensure finished products are of prescribed quality.
• Directs or coordinates production, processing, distribution, or marketing activities of industrial organizations.
• Reviews processing schedules or production orders to make decisions concerning inventory requirements, staffing requirements, work procedures, or duty assignments, considering budgetary limitations and time constraints.
• Reviews operations and confers with technical or administrative staff to resolve production or processing problems.
• Hires, trains, evaluates, or discharges staff or resolves personnel grievances.
• Develops or implements production tracking or quality control systems, analyzing production, quality control, maintenance, or other operational reports to detect production problems.
• Prepares and maintains production reports or personnel records.
• Reviews plans and confers with research or support staff to develop new products or processes.
• Develops budgets or approves expenditures for supplies, materials, or human resources, ensuring that materials, labor, or equipment are used efficiently to meet production targets.
• Maintains current knowledge of the quality control field, relying on current literature pertaining to materials use, technological advances, or statistical studies.

Working Conditions and Physical Demands

People who do this job report that:

• You would often handle loads up to 10 lbs., sometimes up to 20 lbs. You might do a lot of walking or standing, or you might sit but use your arms and legs to control machines, equipment or tools.
• Work in this occupation involves use of protective items such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, a hard hat, or personal flotation devices
• Sound and noise levels are loud and distracting

Working in this career involves (physical activities):

• Seeing clearly at a distance
• Seeing clearly up close
• Speaking clearly enough to be able to be understood by others
• Identifying and understanding the speech of another person

Work Hours and Travel

• Overtime work
• Rotating shift work