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Production Manager Interview Questions

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Whether you are preparing to interview a candidate or applying for a job, review our list of top Production Manager interview questions and answers.

  1. Can you explain the roles and responsibilities that you expect to perform in your position in this company? See answer
  2. In your last engagement as a production manager, how did you ensure quality in all production areas? See answer
  3. What qualities do you consider essential in your position as a production manager? See answer
  4. What knowledge do you have about cutting costs, and how do you go about it? See answer
  5. How do you approach a situation where your team member is performing inefficiently? See answer
  6. How well are you prepared to meet strict deadlines in the production process? See answer
  7. What experience do you have in hiring and firing staff? See answer
  8. As a production manager, which was your most challenging experience, and how did you handle it? See answer
  9. Have you ever noticed a safety concern at work? What action did you take? See answer
  10. The production department works hand in hand with other departments such as operations and marketing. How do you plan to work with them to maximise production? See answer
  11. You will be expected to determine and negotiate budgets in various production processes. What will you consider when budgeting? See answer
  12. What action have you taken in the last year to improve your production management knowledge? See answer
  13. When delegating jobs as a production manager, how do you evaluate whether an employee can complete a task? See answer
  14. This production manager job opening will sometimes demand you work extra hours, weekends, and on holidays. Will you be willing to work after your official working hours? See answer
  15. What do you consider as the production manager’s key performance indicators?
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Hire your next Production Manager today.

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Hire your next Production Manager today.

Post a job
Our mission

Indeed’s Employer Resource Library helps businesses grow and manage their workforce. With over 15,000 articles in 6 languages, we offer tactical advice, how-tos and best practices to help businesses hire and retain great employees.

Read our editorial guidelines

15 Production Manager Interview Questions and Answers

Can you explain the roles and responsibilities that you expect to perform in your position in this company?

As the first question, you want to assess the candidate's understanding of a production manager's roles. Also, you evaluate the candidate's prior research on your company. What to look for in an answer:

  • Understanding of the job roles and responsibilities
  • Examples of roles and responsibilities
  • Prior research on the responsibilities in the job

Example:

"I will be expected to prepare production guidelines and programmes that will be in tandem with your organisation's objectives. To do that, I will work with a team and supervise the members in scheduling production activities, and executing the projects on time and within the set budget."

In your last engagement as a production manager, how did you ensure quality in all production areas?

Production managers need to understand all aspects of the manufacturing process to monitor and supervise effectively. Your candidate should demonstrate their capability to set quality control programmes and implement them accurately. What to look for in an answer:

  • Knowledge of critical quality control measures
  • Understanding of the manufacturing process
  • Deliberate efforts to enforce and implement quality controls

Example:

"My goal is setting quality control guidelines in every phase of the production process by defining the quality standard of the product in each stage. To implement this, I will ensure thorough employee training on quality controls and create a communication system for reporting defects. Lastly, I will build a procedure for handling the defects with minimum interference on the production process."

What qualities do you consider essential in your position as a production manager?

This question seeks to evaluate the candidates understanding of the qualities that make a production manager successful. You want a candidate who has the qualities to oversee the production process effectively. What to look for in an answer:

  • List of qualities essential to a production manager
  • Skills and competence
  • Succinct Explanation

Example:

"I consider it essential that a production manager has leadership skills that will enable them to directly supervise the team and make important decisions. They should also possess strong communication skills, knowledge of the manufacturing process, health and safety procedures, and excellent organisational ability."

What knowledge do you have about cutting costs, and how do you go about it?

Every production manager has management methods of reducing costs while maintaining production levels. You want to learn about your candidate's strategies to minimize costs and their general management style. What to look for in an answer:

  • Business intelligence and approach to management
  • Critical thinking to maximise production
  • Ability to draw lasting strategies in cost-cutting

Example:

"I am experienced in production costs streamlining such as reducing direct labour costs and redesigning processes. However, my focus would be enhancing technology in various phases of the production process. That way we can minimize the costs related to labour and reduce the time taken to produce a unit which translates to high output with minimum resources in the long run."

How do you approach a situation where your team member is performing inefficiently?

The answer to this question determines the candidate's approach to enhancing performance in their team. Your production manager should devise strategies that maximise the performance of the team. What to look for in an answer:

  • Strategies to handle an underperforming subordinate
  • Leadership skills in handling employees
  • An ability to overcome obstacles in a team

Example:

"My management style ensures that there is no room for underperformance but there is enough freedom to improve. However, in a case where staff in my team underperform, my first step is to create a dialogue and understand the cause. This works well as we can discuss the solution or role reassignment and if need be assign the employee a mentor."

How well are you prepared to meet strict deadlines in the production process?

The production manager should demonstrate their capability to meet deadlines. Even though the manager could have plans to meet deadlines, sometimes inevitable challenges might occur that will require the manager to take drastic steps to prevent loss and future delays. What to look for in an answer:

  • Strategic management plans
  • A realistic and defined production timeline
  • Attitude towardss problem-solving

Example:

"I have missed deadlines in the past and I understand how dire the consequences are to the company. I have learned to promptly communicate, ensure that every section provides coordinated reports in intervals, and I provide timely feedback."

What experience do you have in hiring and firing staff?

A production manager is involved in hiring, mentoring, and dismissing staff for various reasons. Your candidate's experience will inform you how they take active staff management and their perceptions about making difficult decisions. What to look for in an answer:

  • Understanding of the supervisory role
  • Staff management plan
  • Ability to make critical decisions

Example:

"While managing staff in my former company, I was actively involved in recruiting experienced employees to be placed in an extended production plant within our company. I screened over 50 candidates and compiled profiles based on their skills, character, and background. I also made several changes in the department when we had to do an overhaul of a specific production phase."

As a production manager, which was your most challenging experience, and how did you handle it?

A production manager has to make many decisions that involve cost management and maximum utilization of resources. Your candidate should demonstrate the ability to make excellently informed logical choices when faced with a challenge. What to look for in an answer:

  • Ability to effectively handle challenges
  • Enthusiasm towardss problem-solving
  • Experience in solving problems

Example:

"During the process of acquiring a new machine for grading our products, I failed to initiate a training programme for troubleshooting it. It broke down a few stalled a few weeks later when we expected to double our production and we almost put the grading phase on hold. However, I quickly sourced a team that fixed the problem and trained our team to repair it ourselves. As a caution, I have insisted on maintenance training for my team at all levels of production."

Have you ever noticed a safety concern at work? What action did you take?

The production manager is responsible for protecting everyone in the workplace from hazardous incidents. This question puts your candidate in a position to explain their knowledge and experience in risk prevention and health and safety policies compliance. What to look for in an answer:

  • Understanding safety protocols
  • Ability to concisely define workplace risks prevention
  • Experience with handling risks prevention

Example:

"As a new production manager in an auto garage, I noticed that there were regular oil and fuel spills at the store exit next to the welding section because mechanics were using the space to grease and lubricate engine parts. The spills were a potential fire hazard and also unsafe to the workers, being a slippery floor. I initiated a rearrangement of the garage to ensure minimal risks in all sections in compliance with the set safety regulations."

The production department works hand in hand with other departments such as operations and marketing. How do you plan to work with them to maximise production?

All departments in a manufacturing company work together towardss a common objective. Your production manager should demonstrate that they can liaise with other departments to maximise production. What to look for in an answer:

  • Ability to cooperate with other managers
  • Reliability
  • Indication of teamwork

Example:

"I have experience working with other departments' managers to create and implement strategies that assist in production efficiency and costs minimizations. I would suggest the establishment of a platform where we can meet on a monthly basis to discuss matters that improve every department's efficiency in the long run."

You will be expected to determine and negotiate budgets in various production processes. What will you consider when budgeting?

The production manager should have the capacity to analyse production costs and implement short-term and long-term financial plans. Your candidate should have the negotiation skills and ability to maximise output using the minimum resources. What to look for in an answer:

  • Financial management knowledge
  • Analyzing and planning expertise
  • Ability to make realistic and achievable financial goals

Example:

"When creating a budget, I draw my experience from past production cost analysis and evaluate financial determinants that can alter the prices of inputs. I also consult team members to establish their projections that will maximise efficiency. The estimates will assist me to draw a realistic budget."

What do you consider as the production manager's key performance indicators?

A production manager should understand the relationship between goals, objectives, and actions to achieve them. You are looking for candidates who will track their performance and evaluate their objectives to improve efficiency continuously.

What to look for in an answer:

  • Understanding the production manager performance metrics
  • Acknowledge the importance of performance indicators
  • Objectivity

Example:

"A production manager's performance evaluation metrics are on-time delivery, operational effectiveness, downtime, production costs, and time. These indicators assist in establishing an improvement through regular performance evaluation. The KPIs provide critical insights to the top management and stakeholders on the overall company's performance."

What action have you taken in the last year to improve your production management knowledge?

This question will give you insights into the candidate's attitude towardss personal development. You want a progressive manager who is likely to add value to their management style continuously. What to look for in an answer:

  • Enthusiasm in personal development
  • Interest to learn
  • Evidence of recent act of knowledge enhancement

Example:

"I enroled in post-graduate diploma last year which I hope to complete late mid next year. I also participate in online weekly seminars where we discuss management challenges and technological advancement. I am also a columnist in a daily paper where I discuss my experiences in production management and receive feedback that assists me to improve."

When delegating jobs as a production manager, how do you evaluate whether an employee can complete a task?

This question seeks to understand the candidate's management style regarding trust, communication, and leadership. The candidate should demonstrate that they know their junior's expectations and how to supervise them without micromanaging.

What to look for in an answer:

  • Ability to authoritatively delegate
  • Communication skills
  • Emphasis to accountability

Example:

"Before delegating a duty I perform a quick evaluation of the employee's similar assignments or closely related one By performing a thorough background performance, attitude and interests search, I let the employee understand why I have chosen them and they should perform well. That way the employee is likely to be excited to work on the tasks instead of feeling burdened."

This production manager job opening will sometimes demand you work extra hours, weekends, and on holidays. Will you be willing to work after your official working hours?

This question prompts the candidate to demonstrate their sacrifice and commitment to working with your company. It also determines the candidate's flexibility in case an emergency or urgent call to action arises. What to look for in an answer:

  • Time management
  • Pride and enthusiasm to work
  • Flexibility

Example:

"I'm efficient in my work and I know I can complete my duties during the regular working hours. However, when emergencies arise such as machine breakdown or urgent logistics to handle, I have no problem working late or during weekends. I'm also flexible enough to work on a holiday as long as such arrangements are communicated in advance."

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