What Does a Production Coordinator Do?
Production coordinators organize and support manufacturing activities by managing schedules, tracking materials, and facilitating communication between departments. They ensure that production teams have the resources and information needed to operate efficiently. This organizational role keeps manufacturing operations running smoothly behind the scenes.
Production Coordinator Duties and Responsibilities
The primary responsibilities of a production coordinator include:
- Coordinate daily production activities by distributing work orders and monitoring progress.
- Track material availability and communicate shortages or delays to production management.
- Maintain production schedules and update them as priorities or conditions change.
- Prepare and distribute production reports including output, scrap, and efficiency metrics.
- Serve as the communication link between production, purchasing, quality, and shipping departments.
- Schedule and coordinate equipment maintenance windows with the maintenance team.
- Process and track engineering changes, ensuring production has current documentation.
- Organize and maintain production files, work instructions, and quality records.
- Assist with new employee onboarding and training coordination for production staff.
- Support inventory management by coordinating cycle counts and resolving discrepancies.
Required Skills and Qualifications
To succeed as a production coordinator, you will need the following skills and qualifications:
- Production scheduling and coordination
- ERP system navigation
- Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, Outlook)
- Organizational and multitasking abilities
- Written and verbal communication
- Data entry and record keeping
- Problem-solving and initiative
- Teamwork and cross-departmental collaboration
Education and Training
An associate or bachelor's degree in business administration, manufacturing management, or a related field is preferred. Some employers accept a high school diploma combined with relevant manufacturing experience. Proficiency in ERP systems and Microsoft Office, particularly Excel, is expected. Coursework or certifications in production and inventory management (such as APICS CPIM) can improve qualifications. Many production coordinators develop their skills through on-the-job experience, starting in entry-level production or administrative roles before moving into coordination.
Salary and Job Outlook
Average Salary: $38,000 - $55,000 per year
Production coordinator positions are available across all manufacturing industries, with steady demand driven by the need for organized and efficient production operations. Companies value coordinators who can manage information flow and keep complex production schedules on track. This role serves as an excellent stepping stone to production planner, production supervisor, or operations analyst positions. Workers who develop strong analytical skills and deepen their knowledge of manufacturing systems and supply chain principles will find the best advancement opportunities.