Industrial production managers oversee production in manufacturing plants.

Industrial production managers may oversee all aspects of production. In large plants, one manager is in charge of each operation.

They work in companies that produce:

• Cars
• Computers
• Paper products

Production managers figure out how best to use plant workers and equipment to meet production goals. They must keep production on schedule and within budget limits.

Managers negotiate prices for supplies and materials. They decide when to buy new equipment. They look for ways to make the production process efficient.

Production managers hire and train new employees. Sometimes they retrain current workers to use new equipment. They also decide when workers need to work overtime in order to meet production goals.

Using industry standards, managers monitor the quality of the manufactured products. They test random samples from the production line. If the problem is poor work, managers may try to improve training programs. If the problem is poor materials, managers work with the purchasing department to improve the quality of purchased parts.

Production managers work closely with managers of other departments. For example, production managers may work with the purchasing department to be sure that plant inventories are kept at their best level.

Production managers must stay up to date on developments in their field, including quality control.