| Detail | For this role |
|---|---|
| Department | Production |
| Level | Mid level |
| Reports to | Production Manager |
| Direct reports | Production Operator, Machine Operator, Helper |
| Experience | 2 to 5 years on a manufacturing shop floor |
Production Executive job description template
Copy this job description, replace the text in square brackets and post it on your careers page or a job portal.
Job title: Production Executive
Department: Production
Reports to: Production Manager
Location: [City], [office, branch or site]
About the role
A Production Executive keeps a manufacturing line running to the daily plan. They turn the production schedule into shift and hourly targets, arrange material and manpower, track output against plan, and log downtime, rejection and consumption in the ERP. The role sits on the shop floor between the Production Manager and the operators. A good executive hits daily output with low rejection, keeps every machine fed with material, and closes each shift with accurate production and downtime entries.
Key responsibilities
- Break the daily production plan into shift and hourly targets for each machine, and brief operators at the start of every shift.
- Arrange raw material, components and consumables from stores before the shift so no machine waits for input.
- Track output against the hourly target, record the reason for every shortfall, and escalate breakdowns to maintenance at once.
- Enter production, rejection, rework and scrap quantities against each work order in the daily report and the ERP.
- Check first-piece and in-process quality with the quality team, and hold the line when a defect trend appears.
- Log machine downtime with reasons and follow up with maintenance until the machine returns to production.
- Keep 5S and housekeeping on the line and make sure operators wear the required safety gear.
- Plan shift manpower, fill absentee gaps from the helper pool, and balance operators across machines by skill.
- Raise indents for tools, spares and consumables, and track consumption against the standard norms.
- Hand over open work orders, pending quality issues and machine status to the next shift in the handover register.
Requirements
- Diploma or degree in Mechanical or Production Engineering
- ITI with line experience is an advantage
- Working knowledge of lean and 5S
- 2 to 5 years on a manufacturing shop floor
KRAs and KPIs for a Production Executive
Key result areas for the appraisal form, each with a KPI you can measure every month or quarter.
| Key result area | How to measure it |
|---|---|
| Plan adherence | Daily production plan met on at least 95 percent of working days each month |
| Rejection control | In-process rejection held below the line target of 2 percent every month |
| Line downtime | Downtime from material or manpower gaps kept below 3 percent of shift time |
| Reporting | Daily production and downtime entries closed the same day with no next-day correction |
| Safety | Zero reportable first-aid or lost-time incidents on the line in the month |
| Housekeeping | 5S audit score for the line at or above 90 percent each month |
Skills and tools
Tools used day to day: ERP production module, MS Excel, Vernier and gauges, Production board, Barcode scanner.
Reporting line and career path
Next roles: Production Supervisor, Shift In-Charge, Production Engineer
Interview questions for a Production Executive
- How do you split a daily target across four machines that each have a different cycle time?
- Your line starts the shift short by two operators. What do you do first?
- Walk me through how you record and analyse machine downtime on your line.
- A defect trend appears mid-shift. When do you stop the line and whom do you call?
- How do you keep material flowing so no machine sits idle during a shift?
- Tell me about a time you raised output without adding manpower.
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What does a production executive do?
A production executive runs a manufacturing line against the daily plan. They set shift and hourly targets, arrange material and manpower, track output, and log downtime and rejection in the ERP. They keep quality and safety on the line and are the first person operators go to when a machine stops or a target slips.
What is the difference between a production executive and a production supervisor?
A production executive focuses on planning and reporting: targets, material, downtime and output entries. A production supervisor stays closer to the people, directing operators, enforcing discipline and checking quality shift by shift. In a small plant one person does both. In a larger plant the executive supports one or more supervisors.
What qualifications does a production executive need?
Most production executives hold a diploma or degree in mechanical or production engineering. Some rise from the shop floor with an ITI and years of line experience. Employers look for production planning, quality basics, 5S and ERP skills, plus the ability to lead a shift of operators.