WHAT DOES A DIRECTOR OF MANUFACTURING DO?

Updated: Mai 28, 2025 - The Director of Manufacturing establishes strategic plans, ensuring resources align with objectives for sustainable excellence. Manages performance and development of staff while maintaining a safe work environment. Oversees manufacturing processes, compliance, and technological advancements within the organization.

A Review of Professional Skills and Functions for Director of Manufacturing

1. Director of Manufacturing Duties

  • End-to-End Ownership: End to end ownership for everything within the 4 walls of the plant.
  • Target Management: Manage Safety, Quality, Service, Cost, and Sustainability targets at site.
  • Site Management: Oversee site level productivity, asset management, performance, community relationship, and efficiencies in line with business terms.
  • Safety & Quality Assurance: Work with the Quality and HSE leads to ensure that industry-leading Safety & Quality standards are incorporated through all aspects of site operations, executing QHSE programmes flawlessly through our site teams and ensuring assets meet QSHE standards.
  • Strategic Development: Develop a Plant Strategy in line with the global Manufacturing strategy and regional Manufacturing strategy.
  • Continuous Improvement (CI) Leadership: Own and embed a CI mindset across the site.
  • Operational Improvement: Actively seek improvements and efficiency of operations, demonstrate an ability to identify and drive continuous improvement initiatives.
  • Leadership & Empowerment: Inspire leadership and drive empowerment of the site team, actively coach the plant team against a high performing agenda.
  • Culture Building: Build and nurture the culture on site to drive employee engagement.
  • Manufacturing Evaluation: Evaluate Manufacturing capabilities against strategy and benchmark and identify cost savings on a continual basis.
  • Strategic Alignment: Through the VP of Manufacturing, ensure an understanding of the commercial and functional teams strategy, ensuring visibility of the commercial business environment and customer segmentation.
  • Strategic Impact Assessment: Ensure the site impact is understood and make any necessary recommendations.
  • New Product Development: Play an active part in New Product Development process in feeding back to Commercial the cost implications for consideration.
  • Manufacturing Capability Assurance: Ensure that the sites manufacturing capabilities are adequate to deliver against our consumer and customer expectations.
  • Best Practice Sharing: Work with the VP Manufacturing to ensure all sites are sharing best practice across the sites.
  • Cross-functional Resolution: Pro-active in driving resolution for areas that impact plant performance through partnering with the relevant function in GIO (QSHE, Engineering, Supply Chain, Procurement).
  • Process Technology Collaboration: As required partner with RDA and Engineering on Process Technology CoEs driving performance across the Manufacturing network.

2. Director of Manufacturing Details

  • Strategic Planning: Established strategic plans and objectives.
  • Resource Management: Ensures appropriate resources are in place to fulfill goals and commitments while building towards sustainable manufacturing excellence.
  • Safety Management: Ensures a safe working environment for all employees and contractors.
  • Quality Assurance: Ensures that products are produced and stored according to the current set of instructions.
  • Equipment Maintenance: Ensures appropriate maintenance and a state of qualification is maintained for equipment and facilities in the area of responsibility.
  • Employee Training: Ensures employees have the necessary education, knowledge, skills, and training to perform their job in accordance with applicable procedures and regulations.
  • Investigation Oversight: Oversees, either directly or indirectly, Manufacturing investigations, CAPA, process variances, and deviations.
  • Performance Management: Manages and develops the performance of direct reports.
  • Strategy Development: Develops strategies that ensure achievement of Manufacturing objectives and drive overall improvement in performance consistent with the strategic direction.
  • Resource Utilization: Ensures effective utilization of resources through robust employee development, performance management, succession planning, and rewards and recognition practices in the area of responsibility.
  • Technical Leadership: Provides technical leadership to the Manufacturing organization and keeps current on trends and new technologies and developments in the area of responsibility.
  • Budget Management: Manages headcount and participates in setting the site annual budget and quarterly forecasting processes.
  • Production Planning: Participates in the development, revision, and accuracy of short-range and long-range production plans.
  • Project Supervision: Undertakes long and short-term planning and supervision of projects that require cross-functional interaction, alignment, and coordination.
  • Risk Management: Anticipates, identifies, and communicates risks in the area of responsibility and across the site; creates strategies and plans to manage risk to operations.
  • Collaborative Excellence: Works closely with peers and counterparts at other sites and across functions to drive manufacturing excellence, share best practices, and lessons learned to create industry-leading manufacturing of medicine for patients and customers

3. Director of Manufacturing Responsibilities

  • Vision Development: Assists the Manufacturing site leader in creating the three to five-year vision and pipeline of activities to grow the organization.
  • Team Management and Development: Staff, train, manage, develop, and provide leadership to department managers/supervisors in Production, Calibration, and Quality Control in the application of practical operations planning and control techniques toward higher levels of performance while providing an environment that encourages change and teamwork.
  • Performance Goal Setting: Sets performance objectives for the manufacturing organization that focus on both short-term and long-term business objectives.
  • Organizational Planning: Reviews staffing requirements, personnel allocations, and organizational structure to meet not only today's requirements but also those of future growth.
  • Capital Management: Initiates capital requirements for all manufacturing areas and ensures on-time delivery and cost of the project.
  • Budget and Process Balancing: Understands and educates staff on balancing personnel needs and process improvements with managing budgetary expenses to meet overall financial targets. Develops and implements a capacity plan across all teams to assure that sales goals are supported.
  • Production Management: Ensures production goals are achieved including productivity, quality, cost, delivery, safety, and morale requirements.
  • Budget Achievement: Develops and achieves annual and quarterly operating budgets to meet company objectives with risk mitigation plans in place.
  • Sales and Operations Analysis: Evaluates challenges and opportunities to meet the Sales and Operation Plans on a monthly basis.
  • Continuous Improvement: Responsible for year-on-year standard time reductions through continuous and quality improvement initiatives.
  • Metrics Implementation: Evaluates and implements meaningful metrics across the organization, as well as in other cross-functions that impact the manufacturing team.
  • Cost Modeling: Has the ability to create cost models for projects that clearly reflect return on investment and financial impact for cost improvement projects.
  • Regulatory Compliance: Ensures strict adherence to FDA and other government and local regulations.
  • Process Optimization: Assesses the efficacy of processes, aligns with standard operating procedures, and applies enhancements.
  • Performance Evaluation: Continuously evaluates performance through metric reviews and adjusts as required to meet goals.

4. Director of Manufacturing Accountabilities

  • Leadership Skills: Lead the Manufacturing team to support the development and implementation of the company’s manufacturing strategies, including manufacturing site expansion and capabilities evaluation.
  • Analytical Skills: Establish and monitor manufacturing metrics and leverage data and analytics to make informed decisions and recommendations to the executive management team.
  • Operational Management Skills: Oversee the manufacturing team for the successful execution of daily operations on the production floor and ensure that all operations meet production needs.
  • Safety and Compliance Skills: Ensure that the overall safety and compliance with cGMPs are always maintained.
  • Problem-Solving Skills: Provide guidance and assist the manufacturing management team on complex deviations and manufacturing-related matters.
  • Conflict Resolution Skills: Lead site issue management and resolution and provide issue escalation to the right level.
  • Technical Oversight Skills: Oversee execution of tech transfers into both Cell and Plasmid manufacturing.
  • Training and Compliance Skills: Assure that you and functional subordinates (if applicable) are trained on all applicable procedures and processes according to Good Manufacturing Practices, applicable FDA and Regulatory requirements.
  • Process Improvement Skills: Actively promote and support the company’s Management Review process.
  • Quality Assurance Skills: Inform responsible personnel of concerns involving product quality.
  • Safety Management Skills: Perform job functions in a safe and effective manner.
  • Problem-Solving Skills: Apply problem-solving techniques to resolve proper corrective & preventative actions from NCR's, CAPA's, and complaints.
  • Project Management Skills: Own and drive cross-functional team projects for quality compliance, continuous improvements, outsourcing, etc., and present updates to executive staff.
  • Financial Planning Skills: Work with Finance and Operations to establish appropriate cost standards, as well as budgeting for manufacturing capital and expense spending.
  • Process Improvement Skills: Identification and prioritization of design and process improvements needed for reliability, manufacturability, and serviceability.

5. Director of Manufacturing Functions

  • Leadership & Technical Guidance: Provide leadership and technical direction to direct reports including continuous evaluation of staff performance to evolving company needs, mentoring, interviewing, hiring, disciplinary action.
  • Engineering Leadership: Provide engineering recommendations to management and guide product and system development for manufacturability.
  • Quality and Efficiency Improvement: Focus on improvements in standard product quality, cost reduction, and reduction in time to market.
  • Design Review Participation: Attends internal design reviews and engineering change control activity conducted by engineering to critique and recommend design solutions and proposed changes.
  • Goal Setting: Establish departmental and managerial team goals within the framework of schedule, quality, technical, and financial objectives.
  • Manufacturing Standards Development: Drive the development and application of consistent manufacturing practices, standards, and tools of all relevant types.
  • Executive Communication: Communicate with executive management on technical, quality, organizational, resource, and personnel issues.
  • Performance Metrics: Establishes meaningful performance metrics and measures progress against established standards.
  • Lean Manufacturing Advocacy: Initiates, drives, and participates in Lean Manufacturing and Continuous Improvement activity.
  • Budget Management: Oversees Departmental Budgets and expenditures.
  • Quality Oversight: Oversee manufacturing builds to ensure product quality & optimal resource utilization.
  • R&D Collaboration: Partner with R&D to transfer new products and processes to manufacturing that are stable and capable of meeting standards for product quality and cost-effectiveness.
  • Facility Optimization: Ensure the factory layout and equipment are optimized for material flow and manufacturing efficiency.
  • Equipment and Tool Development: Oversee that assembly equipment, fixtures, and tools are developed to meet quality, safety, and performance objectives and are continuously improved through semi-automation, etc.
  • Documentation Standardization: Ensure all manufacturing documentation such as drawings, schematics, QIP’s, MP's, and BOM's are accurate, streamlined, and consistent.
  • Supplier Coordination: Work closely with materials management, QA, and suppliers to assure that purchased material meets specifications.
  • Process Transfer Management: Transfer assembly & test processes to Field Service as applicable for installation, maintenance & repair.

6. Director of Manufacturing Job Description

  • Safety Leadership Skills: Leads and drives plant safety culture and puts safety first in all responsibilities.
  • Problem-Solving Skills: Works with Plant Managers to proactively and cross-functionally identify and solve problems, drive new best practices, and improve the productivity, profitability, quality, and customer service levels of Amcor’s operations.
  • Operational Management Skills: Addresses day-to-day operational issues, as well as the execution of broad, North America-wide initiatives.
  • Safety Management Skills: Drives safety initiatives and improvement.
  • Environmental Health and Safety Skills: Works closely with the plant managers to ensure a safe and healthy work environment.
  • Multi-site Management Skills: Oversees multiple sites, in addition to business unit-wide capital, program, and engineering responsibilities.
  • Capital Improvement Skills: Recommends, plans, monitors, and supports capital improvements across all plants to ensure adherence to short and long-term goals.
  • Financial Management Skills: Manages the expense and capital budgets associated with manufacturing to achieve operational and financial targets.
  • Business Strategy Skills: Works with the Commercial organization to understand contractual obligations, competition, and product group quality and profitability.
  • Quality Assurance Skills: Assures conformance of finished product to the division, industry, and customer specifications across locations.
  • Relationship Management Skills: Builds intimate relationships, collaboration, and clear communication with colleagues, customers, and suppliers.
  • Budget Management Skills: Develops and achieves budget objectives, product cost, safety, continuous improvement, and quality targets.
  • Capital Procurement Skills: Leads the internal capital procurement as well as teams with suppliers to build lower cost, high quality supply relationships for capital assets.
  • Talent Management Skills: Develops, manages, coaches, and optimizes General Managers and talent across sites.
  • ERP/SAP Implementation Skills: Oversees ERP/SAP implementation at assigned facilities in accordance with the roadmap and established timelines as well as ensuring adherence to established procedures.
  • Labor Relations Skills: Supports and provides leadership in Union Avoidance at non-union facilities.
  • Negotiation Skills: Provides strategic direction for contract negotiations for organized facilities.
  • Employee Engagement Skills: Ensures proper action planning for driving employee engagement at assigned facilities.

7. Sr Director of Manufacturing Overview

  • Operations Leadership: Provide solid operations leadership with a focus on Lean transformation and operational integration.
  • Area Management: Manage some or all of the following areas: production lines, manufacturing engineering, equipment and production planning, and facilities.
  • Compliance Assurance: Ensure that all products are developed and manufactured in compliance with the company Quality System, budgetary requirements, and the regulatory requirements of the countries into which the products will be marketed.
  • Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work directly with R&D and Process Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Production, and Quality Assurance staff to ensure the manufacturability of products in accordance with design specifications, Quality Systems, Operator ability, capacity, and cost requirements.
  • Contract Manufacturing Management: Determine the most effective use of contract manufacturing based on internal process capabilities. Through staff, appropriate direct reports, and teams conduct research, evaluate, negotiate, and implement contract manufacturing (domestic and/or overseas) programs to ensure timely and cost-effective production of products in accordance with design and budget requirements and quality systems requirements.
  • Project Management: Working with cross-functional peers, develops and implements comprehensive timelines and project management plans, and monitor their execution to achieve company goals for commercialization and production of stable product(s).
  • Leadership and Coaching: Provide proactive management, coaching, and leadership to staff, including team building and mentoring.
  • Recruitment and Retention: Recruit and retain a team of employees whose skills meet the needs of the organization and who are engaged in the goals of the company.
  • Budget Management: In conjunction with the Head of Operations and Finance, determine and manage departmental budgets. May provide assistance in the development of financial modeling for new opportunities.
  • Performance Metrics Development: Develop and monitor key metrics related to yield, capacity, and process stability.
  • Cost Improvement Identification: Identify cost improvements through design, process development, and manufacturing strategies.
  • Strategic Initiative Leadership: Key partner in leading strategic initiatives including footprint optimization, acquisition integration, cost reduction, margin expansion, lead time/on-time delivery improvements, level-loading capacity across locations, etc.
  • Quality and Performance Standards: Ensure standards for product quality, equipment, and operator performance are maintained and that cost-effective technology is used to maximize production. Ensure fixed assets are preserved. Initiate recommendations on the purchase of new equipment and improvements to plant property.
  • Cost Monitoring: Monitor and report on operating costs within functional areas.
  • Quality System Promotion: Actively promote and support the Quality Management System, Quality Objectives, and Quality Policy.

8. Director of Manufacturing Details and Accountabilities

  • Manufacturing Leadership: Lead the development of Zinc8’s Manufacturing function.
  • Strategic Planning: Develop and propose a strategic manufacturing plan: pilot and future expansion.
  • Cost Forecasting: Develop cost to produce forecast, manage the build of prototype units.
  • Design Collaboration: Contribute to product design and specification reviews and conduct DFM (Design for Manufacturability) and PFMEA (Process Failure Mode Effects Analysis) studies.
  • Production Planning: Estimate production times, staffing requirements, and related costs to provide information for management decisions.
  • Equipment Specification: Identify and define requirements for manufacturing equipment, tools, and fixtures, with a focus on volume production and process automation.
  • Team Supervision: Direct and supervise activities of the production team to achieve performance objectives.
  • Process Improvement: Apply necessary controls to drive continuous improvement activities and to estimate future manufacturing requirements.
  • Health & Safety Compliance: Ensure H&S requirements are maintained and followed by the production team.
  • Facility Management: Plan and manage the layout of the production facility and support facility upgrades.
  • Operational Optimization: Work with engineering staff in the facility to optimize working conditions, preventative maintenance actions, and overall efficiency.
  • Quality Improvement: Identify and report opportunities for quality and yield improvement.
  • Supplier Relations: Develop relationships with key suppliers to negotiate price and delivery improvements.
  • Contract Manufacturing Liaison: Identify opportunities to work with contract manufacturers.
  • Inventory Management: Lead management of parts inventory for both manufacturing and engineering functions.
  • Quality Management Development: Build quality management capabilities.

9. Director of Manufacturing and Sourcing Tasks

  • International Management Skills: Manage overseas eyewear manufacturing companies and component suppliers.
  • Negotiation Skills: Negotiate pricing to achieve desired gross profit margins.
  • Logistics Management Skills: Manage the logistics processes and carriers related to inbound delivery of product(s) to the KREWE central warehouse.
  • Quality Management Skills: Establish and manage quality standards for manufacturers and suppliers.
  • Quality Assurance Skills: Manage CAPA process and conduct quality audits of suppliers.
  • Capacity Assessment Skills: Assess 3rd Party Manufacturer’s capacity and capabilities.
  • Efficiency Improvement Skills: Assess manufacturing, component vendor, and PD deliverable leadtimes and seek opportunities to reduce those leadtimes.
  • Cost Management Skills: Identify and implement cost improvement projects.
  • Team Management Skills: Manage staff inclusive of Production Manager, Project Manager, PD Associate, QC Inspector, and 3rd party Hong Kong based contractor.
  • Performance Reporting Skills: Create and report on various Manufacturing and Quality KPI’s.
  • Communication Skills: Conduct weekly agenda-driven production conference calls with manufacturers.
  • Contract Management Skills: Identify, vet, negotiate contract(s), and onboard new manufacturers.
  • Supplier Management Skills: Source component suppliers, negotiate prices, monitor quality and shipment performance.
  • Production Monitoring Skills: Monitor and report on production status relative to on-time PO’s and fill rates.
  • Project Management Skills: Monitor project timelines related to manufacturing and design tasks to ensure on-time performance.
  • Meeting Facilitation Skills: Attend project and manufacturing status meetings.

10. Director of Supply Chain and Manufacturing Roles

  • Supply Chain Development: Develop and manage a network of external manufacturing relationships that drive quality, speed-to-market, and scalability.
  • Strategic Planning: Develop a long-term plan with contract manufacturing partners to meet key growth objectives.
  • Process Management: Establish a robust management process that controls supply, quality, cost, and delivery.
  • Capital Management: Define capital needs and partner with Finance on associated Capex plans for proprietary manufacturing equipment in use at co-manufacturing partner locations.
  • Material Sourcing: Collaborate with co-manufacturers to execute purchasing for sourced materials.
  • Sourcing Strategy: Apply contemporary sourcing methods to deliver total cost value creation and supply assurance.
  • Purchasing Leadership: Lead purchasing efforts in accordance with forecasted demand, lead times, and cash flow management.
  • Logistics Management: Manage all aspects of transportation, warehousing, and logistics for the company, consisting mainly of third-party relationships, ensuring that each function is customer-oriented and supportive of future growth.
  • Cost Optimization: Identify and execute opportunities to improve COGS, inclusive of supplier integration and innovation, operational debottlenecking, and supply chain cost improvement projects.
  • NPD Commercialization: Lead operational apex readiness for commercialization of NPD launches.
  • NPD Integration: Actively participate in all NPD phases and lead the transfer of production to manufacturing partners.
  • Procedure Standardization: Define procedures and design playbooks.
  • Performance Metrics: Set OKRs and KPIs to ensure strategic alignment.
  • Quality and Supply Chain Management: Manage quality control, supply chain, manufacturing, and warehouse operations.
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