The Assembly Manager's Role

No matter where you live in the world, there are products that require assembly before they are ready for the public to use. Whether it’s an automobile or a kitchen appliance, someone needs to assemble it before you can use it. Of course, there are products that come to your home for you to assemble such as bookcases and desks, but even those are partially assembled, and a factory worker in a manufacturing plant did the job.

The job of the assembly manager is to make certain that everything is in proper working order for the job that is currently on the line. He may also consult with a quality manager in order to be certain that the products that leave the plant are of the highest quality possible. Most manufacturing companies have a quality control manager as well, and many times the quality control manager and the assembly manager will work together in order to assure that quality is maintained during the assembly process.

The assembly manager must take responsibility for everything that his workers do, and all of the products that leave not only the line but go out to the wholesalers and retailers as well. The assembly manager is also responsible for making certain that there are enough workers to handle the work that needs done for the day and to make concessions for shortages – some companies may refer to this position as the line manager depending on what type of a product is manufactured. In some companies the assembly manager and the plant manager will work together so that the is assurance that all of the raw product that is necessary is always on hand, that line machinery and equipment is at peak efficiency, and that all routine maintenance is performed in order to reduced the chances of an equipment shutdown and resulting down time.

The assembly manager must be very diligent, and he must be willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done, even if it means he may have to fill in occasionally himself in a real crunch. He may also be called upon to show up in an emergency outside of his regular hours, so anyone who is interested in this type of position must understand it may not be a job strictly for 8-4 or 4-12 Monday to Friday. In order to be an efficient assembly manager, you must be able and willing to accept the responsibility for your position during an emergency, no matter what time of the day or night.

Richard Taylor Edwards is the Managing Director of Talisman Executive, a specialist recruitment agency for construction careers and construction jobs in the UK and Europe.