Job profile:

Production Manager (m/f/d)

A production manager plays a crucial role in the manufacturing industry. This profession combines technical understanding and management skills to ensure the efficiency and quality of production processes. As the link between management and production employees, a production manager is responsible for the planning, coordination and control of manufacturing processes.

This job profile provides a detailed insight into the tasks, responsibilities and skills required for the role of production manager.

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► Definition
► Salary
► Tasks
► Training, studies & further education
► Skills
► FAQ

What is a production manager? Definition and overview

A production manager, also known as a production manager or Head of Production, is responsible for the entire manufacturing process of an industrial product. Whether in mechanical engineering, chemical companies or in the manufacture of consumer goods: as a production manager, you ensure that production runs smoothly and are responsible for all employees in production.

You will monitor production planning, ensure that production targets are met and implement improvements to increase efficiency. You will also be responsible for ensuring compliance with safety standards and regulations. Production manager is a profession that requires both analytical and communication skills.

It is not only the organization and management of production, but also quality management and employee management that make the area of responsibility of production managers so varied. In most manufacturing industries, the production manager is seen as a valued specialist who has a variety of tasks and brings a wealth of knowledge to the entire production process.

Production management oversees the entire production process from purchasing to sales. Therefore they plan the production processes, monitor their implementation and adhere to agreed budgets by meticulously planning labor, material and maintenance costs. Production management is also responsible for coordinating production employees and work processes.

In addition to the production industry, there is also a production manager in the film. This is the person responsible for the process on set.

Production Manager Salary Austria: What does a production manager earn?

The average salary for production managers in Austria is €56,000 gross per year. In addition to the fixed salary, some companies pay a bonus of €2,000 to €3,000 per year. However, the income of production managers varies depending on the company's location, academic degree and professional experience.

The industry also has a major influence on earnings in production management, which is why real salaries can often differ greatly.

Junior production manager salary: your starting salary

Production managers are not entry-level employees as they have several years of professional experience before taking on this role. On average, as a junior at the start of your career in production management in Austria, you will earn a starting salary of around €41,000 gross per year.

Senior production manager salary Austria

As an experienced Senior Production Manager in Austria, you can expect an annual income of more than €67,000.

Production manager tasks and activities: What does a production manager do?

Smooth production and therefore also the quality of the product to be produced stands and falls with the competence of the production manager. As a production manager, you must have an overview of the entire process.

This begins with the specification and purchasing of materials and includes the instruction and training of employees in production as well as quality assurance and error analysis. Thanks to close cooperation with marketing and sales, production management incorporates the latest findings in order to continuously improve the efficiency of production and keep an eye on the budget. Your tasks therefore also include the continuous improvement of processes and methods.

In the event of unexpected production backlogs or delays and errors, the production management team works to quickly identify the cause and find a solution. It is also important to have an overview of the machines and systems in operation. Is it necessary to purchase a new machine? Does an old system need to be shut down? These decisions are often the responsibility of the production manager.

Production managers also ensure and safeguard production and occupational safety, as well as monitoring environmental protection requirements. There is constant coordination between production management and plant management.

Specific tasks of production managers are:

The following typical activities belong to the tasks of SAP consultants:

Enabling smooth production processes
Participation in product development and purchasing
Technical and commercial planning and management of production
Planning and controlling the use of materials and resources
Quality assurance and improvement through constant monitoring
Error and problem analysis
Management, motivation and training of employees
Contact person for all stakeholders on the topic of production

How do you become a production manager? Training, studies & further education

If you want to become a production manager, you need several years of professional experience in production. There is therefore no specific training program for production managers. In many cases, production managers have an academic background and have completed either a technical or business degree.

Nevertheless, even after many years in the company, you can work your way up through good performance and, for example, advance from shift supervisor to production manager. In this case, a degree from a technical secondary school (HTL) or a completed technical apprenticeship provides a good basis for your future career.

The experience in production and the technical expertise that you bring with you are therefore particularly important. This is the only way you can be considered for the role of production manager.

Production manager training: The practical way

One way to become a production manager is to complete an apprenticeship in a technical or industrial profession. For example, training as an industrial mechanic or technical product designer could be a good basis for a career as a production manager. During the apprenticeship, you will gain practical experience in production and learn how to monitor and optimize production processes.

Continuous further training is also important after completing your training in order to keep your knowledge at the highest level.

Production manager studies: the academic path

Another way to become a production manager is to study in a relevant subject area. A Bachelor's or Master's degree in engineering, business administration or production management can provide you with the necessary knowledge and skills to be successful as a production manager. During your studies, you will learn how to plan, control and improve production processes, among other things. You will also acquire skills in employee management and business administration.

However, even in this case, you should gain several years of professional experience in production or the desired industry after graduation in order to be promoted to production management.

Possible degree programs for prospective production managers in Austria are:

Further training as a production manager: how to advance your career

Once you have gained a foothold in your career as a production manager, there are numerous opportunities for further training. For example, you could complete further training as a technical business economist to deepen your business knowledge. Or you could specialize in a specific area of production.

Possible further training courses for production managers include

Knowledge of production managers: What hard and soft skills does production management need?

A production manager is a real all-rounder and therefore has knowledge and skills in various areas.

Time management, organizational skills and knowledge of lean production are particularly in demand in production management. Added to this is the ability to gain competitive advantages for the company through cost-efficient, customer-oriented production. A production manager should also have technical understanding and a methodical approach.

As the production manager is responsible for all employees in the production chain, high levels of communication, motivation and leadership skills are just as important as the ability to work in a team and, increasingly, foreign language skills.

Specifically, a production manager needs the following hard skills:

Training or studies in engineering activities such as civil engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, media informatics
Further training through special training courses for production management
Specific industry knowledge

These soft skills are also required in production:

Organizational management
Error detection
Leadership and communication skills
Assertiveness
Time management
Load capacity
Business fluent in foreign languages

Production manager careers: opportunities on the job market in Austria

The chances of finding a job as a production manager are very good in various regions of Austria. In Upper Austria in particular, many companies are looking for employees in this field.

As a production manager, you have the opportunity to work in a variety of industries. These include food production, the mechanical engineering industry and the packaging industry.

In general, it can be said that the job prospects for production managers in Austria are very positive. With the right qualifications and experience, you have a good chance of finding a suitable and well-paid position.