Production Director job description.
A Production Director leads manufacturing or production operations, overseeing scheduling, quality, staffing, and output targets across one or more production lines or facilities. They align production strategy with business goals and drive continuous improvement in efficiency and safety.
The Production Director job description · $29
The full editable .docx — role summary, 8 worked responsibilities, qualifications, and skills, formatted for your letterhead. Delivered to your inbox within 24 hours — usually instantly.
Role: Production Director Reports to: VP of Operations or Plant General Manager
A Production Director leads manufacturing or production operations, overseeing scheduling, quality, staffing, and output targets across one or more production lines or facilities. They align production strategy with business goals and drive continuous improvement in efficiency and safety.
- Oversee daily production operations across lines or facilities
- Set and monitor production schedules, targets, and budgets
- Ensure product quality meets established standards and specifications
What's inside the document.
One-paragraph plain-English explanation of the role's outcome and scope.
8 responsibilities phrased the way the work is actually done.
5 qualifications a candidate must have to perform on day 30.
3 qualifications that would make a candidate excellent in year two.
5 skill chips you can copy directly into your ATS.
VP of Operations or Plant General Manager
A complete document set.
- Word document (.docx) — fully editable
- PDF — signature-ready
- Google Docs — one-click copy to your Drive
- 12 months of updates to this document
- Commercial-use licence for internal and client work
The work, not the title.
- Oversee daily production operations across lines or facilities
- Set and monitor production schedules, targets, and budgets
- Ensure product quality meets established standards and specifications
- Lead, hire, and develop production supervisors and staff
- Drive continuous improvement and lean manufacturing initiatives
- Ensure compliance with safety regulations and workplace standards
- Coordinate with supply chain, engineering, and quality teams
- Report production performance and issues to senior leadership
Required — and what would make a candidate excellent.
- Bachelor's degree in Operations, Engineering, or related field
- 7+ years of production or manufacturing management experience
- Strong knowledge of lean manufacturing and quality systems
- Proven ability to manage budgets and production KPIs
- Excellent leadership and cross-functional communication skills
- Six Sigma or Lean certification
- Experience in a regulated manufacturing environment
- Multi-site production leadership experience
Eight steps from download to publish.
- 01Open the Production Director job description in Word or your one-click Google Docs copy.
- 02Replace placeholders for company name, reporting line, and location with your specifics.
- 03Tighten the summary to one paragraph that names the team's outcome, not just the role.
- 04Edit the responsibilities to match the actual scope of the seat — aim for 6 to 8 items, not 12.
- 05Separate required qualifications from preferred. Required is what a candidate must have to do the work on day 30; preferred is what would make them excellent in year two.
- 06Add salary range guidance using BLS, Payscale, or your own band data — do not copy generic figures.
- 07Have the hiring manager and one peer read it. Cut anything that wouldn't survive a candidate question.
- 08Publish to your ATS, intranet, and external careers page.
The right document at the right moment.
Use this Production Director job description any time you are opening or reopening a seat at this level. The senior band sets the calibration — copy the document, tighten it to your specific scope, and circulate to the hiring panel before the first interview.
The reporting line (VP of Operations or Plant General Manager) and skills list are starting points. Override either if your org structure or stack differs from the norm — the template is a draft, not a contract.
Honest answers before you download.
- What distinguishes a Production Director from a Production Supervisor?
- A Production Director typically holds strategic, multi-line or multi-site responsibility, while a Production Supervisor manages day-to-day activity on a single line or shift.
- What certifications strengthen a candidate's profile?
- Lean or Six Sigma certifications and experience in regulated manufacturing environments are commonly valued for this role.
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This Production Director job description is a professionally drafted starting point for your hiring process and is not legal advice. Hiring practice varies by jurisdiction (e.g. pay-transparency laws differ across US states and AU jurisdictions). Adapt this document for your specific location and have employment counsel review any clauses you add before publishing. Salary varies by region, employer type, and experience. Reference BLS or current industry surveys for ranges. Full disclaimer.