Production Coordinator Job Description, Key Duties and Responsibilities

This post provides detailed information on the production coordinator job description, including the key duties, tasks, and responsibilities they typically perform.

It also highlights the major requirements you may be expected to fulfill to be hired for the production coordinator role.

What Does a Production Coordinator Do?

Production coordinators contribute in a key way to the manufacturing world. They keep all gears running well in the production process, making sure everything that happens is done so in as effective and qualitative a manner as possible.

But what is it that they do?

According to Glassdoor, a production coordinator performs a range of duties that ensure the production team achieves its scheduled goals and maintain quality assurance for the department.

The production coordinator job description essentially entails managing and coordinating all phases of production, including planning, scheduling, and monitoring production activities to ensure products are produced within the constraints of time, cost, and quality.

It is a job that combines organizational talent with technical knowledge and interpersonal skills.

Production coordinators take direction directly from a production or operations manager.

They interface directly with procurement, quality control, logistics, and sales to ensure that production goals are aligned with general business objectives.

Production coordinators can be found at work in everything from manufacturing and automotive to food production and pharmaceuticals, including any industry that deals with producing things a consumer or business user would buy.

The typical requirement for this role is a Bachelor’s degree in business administration, supply chain management, or a related field.

That being said, a few employers may consider work experience for a correlating position instead of a degree.

A lot of production coordinators also have additional certification to give them more skills and job prospects.

The Association for Supply Chain Management has a few highly regarded certifications within the field.

Core coordination functions of the production coordinator include production scheduling, working with outside suppliers, maintaining inventory, and analyzing data.

Other tasks include ensuring that safety and quality standards are met, and collaboration with other departments in resolving issues.

In addition, their primary duties have to do with conducting training for fresh employees, working with new production technologies, and involvement in continuous improvement.

This function, however, is not of the same importance in all countries; generally, it’s very important in countries with a strong production market.

Indeed, production coordinators have been a very key part in the efficiency and competitiveness of the manufacturing industry for countries like China, Germany, and the United States.

Employers usually want to see strong organizational skills, problem-solving and good communication abilities in a candidate, who has an overall understanding of production processes.

Knowledge in production management software and lean manufacturing principles add some advantage to the candidate.

Production coordinators have to follow several regulations handed down by different bodies.

For example, in the United States, they should comply with the standards prescribed by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to ensure safety at the workplace.

They may also be required to follow guidelines set out by regulatory bodies specific to the industry in which the products are being manufactured.

Production Coordinator Example/Sample/Template

The production coordinator job description consists of the following duties, tasks, and responsibilities:

• Develop and maintain production schedules that meet customer demand and deadlines
• Coordinate with suppliers to get raw materials and components on time
• Keep tabs on the inventory and order placement for maintaining optimal stocks
• Analyze production data for any bottlenecks and areas of improvement.
• Interact with quality control departments to ensure production is carried out according to specified standards
• Interaction with the sales and customer service department to respond to any production-related queries from these areas
• Establish and maintain production tracking systems
• Attend regular production meetings to discuss the progress, problems, and solutions
• Prepare production reports and their distribution
• Organize equipment servicing schedules in order to avoid costly down-time
• Implement safety regulations and company policy
• Aid in training new production employees
• Participate in continuous improvement to enhance the efficiency of production
• Manage production-related documentation and records
• Coordinate with the logistics teams to ensure that the finished products are shipped out in time
• Assist in material and labor forecasting for production runs
• Troubleshoot production problems with real-time solution of the issue
• Coordinate with engineering teams for product design changes at the beginning to improve the manufacturability
• Track the production costs and recommend cost-reduction programs
• Coordinate with cross-functional teams to resolve complex production problems
• Assist in developing and implementing SOPs
• Design production staff schedules and overtime and manage arising demands of production
• Participate in new product introduction processes
• Regularly audit the production process to ensure uniformity and quality
• Stay updated with current production techniques, and adopt new technologies in production.

Production Coordinator Job Description for Resume

If you have worked previously as a production coordinator or are presently working in that role and are creating a new resume or CV, then you can apply the sample job description above in making the Professional Experience part of the resume.

You can express the major duties and responsibilities you have or are currently performing as a production coordinator in your resume’s Professional Experience by utilizing the ones provided in the above production coordinator job description example.

This will be proof to recruiters/employers that you have been effective performing the duties and responsibilities of a production coordinator, which can greatly boost your chances of getting the job that you are applying for, especially if it requires someone with some production coordinator work experience.

Production Coordinator Requirements: Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities for Career Success

A production coordinator requires a broad range of skills, knowledge, and abilities to perform effectively.

The following is a comprehensive list of the typical expectations:

• Organizational and Time Management Skills: One needs to be very effective in organization skills and time management
• Communication: Production coordinators should be able to communicate well both in writing and verbally
• Problem-Solving Skills: They should develop problem-solving and critical thinking skills
• Leadership and Teamwork: A production coordinator needs to have leadership or team management skills
• Data Analysis: This involves analytical skills for the interpretation of production data
• Negotiation: It involves developing negotiation skills for dealing with suppliers and internal stakeholders
• Adaptability: Adaptability and flexibility to handle changing priorities are important
• Attention to Detail: One must be detail-oriented and accurate in record-keeping
• Stress Management: The incumbent should have the ability to manage stress and work under pressure
• Computer Skills: The incumbent must have computer skills with working knowledge of production management software
• Production Knowledge: He/she should have adequate knowledge of manufacturing processes and techniques
• Supply Chain Management: Knowledge of supply chain management principles is desirable
• Quality Control: Knowledge of quality control methods and standards is required
• Inventory Management: Knowledge of inventory management practices is required
• Health and safety regulations in manufacturing are very vital
• Knowledge of lean manufacturing principles helps in applying the experiences gained. Understanding production planning and scheduling techniques pays dividend in experience
• The basics of accounting and budgeting are similarly useful
• Any knowledge of industry-specific laws or standards is equally important. Knowledge about logistics and transportation processes is similarly useful
• Multitasking: Ability to multitask and run multiple projects concurrently
• Decision Making: Ability to make sound, sharp decisions
• Technical Documents: Capability to interpret technical documents and blueprints
• Fast-Paced Environment: Ability to work well in fast-paced, deadline-driven environment
• Stakeholder Relationships: Ability to establish and maintain positive working relationships with various stakeholders
• Strategic Thinking: Having the ability to think strategically and link up production objectives with business goals is valuable
• Training and Mentoring: Ability to train and mentor junior staff members. Change Management: Capability in effectively managing and implementing change
• Calm Demeanor: The ability to maintain a calm demeanor in situations of high stress
• Proactive Problem Solving: Anticipate potential issues and develop proactive solutions.

Production Coordinator Employment

According to reports from Zippia, more than 60,851 production coordinators are currently in employment in the United States.

Companies that employ production coordinators in terms of size are:

• over 10,000 employees – 34%
• 1,000 – 10,000 employees – 29%
• 100 – 500 employees – 17%

Employment by Industry

Production coordinators are most commonly employed in media industries (21%), Fortune 500 (16%), retail (13%), and manufacturing (11%).

Employment by State

Also, according to Zippia, the states with highest production coordinator employment include California and New York, with 5,158 and 2,305 jobs respectively.

These states offer the highest employment opportunities for production coordinators, reflecting the concentration of media and entertainment industries in these regions.

Production Coordinator Salary

The average salary of a production coordinator in the United States is $46,592 as of June 27, 2024, according to Salary.com.

Salary by State

According to Zippia, the average salary for production coordinators in the U.S. is $49,366 per year, with the top 5 paying states being:

• Wyoming $70,939
• Hawaii $65,365
• District of Columbia $64,581
• Kansas $61,492
• Montana $57,887

Salary by Industries

The best-paying industries for production coordinators in the United States include technology, aerospace, media, and pharmaceuticals, according to survey data on Zippia.

Here are some of the top companies in these sectors based on median salaries:

Highest Paying Companies for Production Coordinators. Data from Zippia

The technology sector, particularly companies like Meta and Applied Materials, offers the highest salaries for production coordinators.

Other lucrative industries include pharmaceuticals and education, with companies like AbbVie and Viterbo University also providing competitive compensation.

The aerospace industry, represented by Boeing, remains a significant employer as well, albeit with slightly lower median salaries compared to tech and pharmaceuticals.

Production Coordinator Job Satisfaction

Concrete data on the production coordinator job satisfaction is lacking, however, related jobs may give some kind of idea as to where they stand.

According to report on Careerexplorer, studies on similar roles have indicated that production coordinators may have very moderate job satisfaction.

Other jobs with similar duties, such as industrial production manager rated their happiness quite low, at 2.8 stars out of 5.

Salary and meaningful work seem to be the critical factors.

Industrial production managers scored their compensation as average (3.3 out of 5) but meaningfulness of work considerably lower (2.6 out of 5).

Production coordinator tasks may seem repetitive.

One forecastable bright spot is that managers scored the personality fit with their job quite well, 3.8 out of 5.

Focus by the coordinator on organization, multitasking, and communication could align quite well with some personalities.

Companies could enlarge the meaning of the work, pay competitively, and make the working environment favorable.

In addition, there is need for opportunities enabling growth.

By focusing on these aspects, it is possible to enhance satisfaction in the work experience for a production coordinator.

Conclusion

This guide dives deep into the world of production coordinators.

It details their job description, including duties, responsibilities, and necessary skills.

It also provides exhaustive information on the employment and salary of production coordinators for those interested in the role.

Employers can use this information to write job descriptions and assess candidates.

Understanding the intricacies of this role is key in today’s manufacturing environment. As industries change and new technologies emerge, production coordinators will adapt, making it a dynamic and rewarding career for those who enjoy efficiency, problem-solving, and being part of the manufacturing process.