what is an operations manager?
As an operations manager, you are in charge of running an organization's daily functions. That involves planning and implementing production processes to improve quality, productivity and performance. Your primary role is to oversee company procedures and enforce the policies. For instance, finding the perfect balance between expenses and revenue is your job. That means optimizing costs to maintain a company's financial health without compromising quality or making customers feel short-changed.
Aside from formulating company processes and policies, the operations manager manages all company resources. That includes raw materials, labor and capital. As an operations manager, you supervise and control all factors of production to ensure maximum productivity. Sometimes, you carry out human resource functions to improve employee engagement and productivity.
Would working as an operations manager suit your skill? Then read on to find out what competencies and qualifications you need to thrive in an operations manager role.
what does an operations manager do?
An operations manager is crucial in every industry, including manufacturing, healthcare, construction and retail. Your job is to put together the resources available to achieve a company's goals. For instance, you manage inventory and sales representatives to increase sales in retail. In manufacturing, you supervise the production processes and minimize costs without affecting the quality standards. In construction, you ensure the company utilizes all materials as expected and manage the on-site workers.
Would working as an operations manager suit your skill? Then read on to find out what competencies and qualifications you need to thrive in an operations manager role.
view jobs near youaverage operations manager salary
You can expect the median salary for a general or operations manager in the United States to be $98,100. However, keep in mind that the salary range usually falls between $43,470 and $221,270, and this could vary depending on important factors such as your education, certifications, additional skills and the number of years you have spent in your profession.
operations manager salary by city
If you are an operations or general manager, you can expect to earn the highest salaries in the following metropolitan areas. In San Jose, California, the average salary for this profession is $187,870, while in Trenton, New Jersey, it's $175,530. New York City follows closely behind with an average salary of $174,340. Meanwhile, in San Francisco, California, operations managers could expect to earn around $168,190 on average, and in Bridgeport, Connecticut, the average salary for this profession is $166,080.
operations manager salary by state
The states and districts with the highest median salaries are New Jersey, with an average salary of $179,190, followed by the District of Columbia, with an average salary of $164,860. In Delaware, the average salary for this profession is $164,650; in New York, it's $157,260. Finally, Massachusetts rounds out the list with an average salary of $150,930 for operations managers.
Wondering what you can earn as an operations manager? Find out immediately with the Randstad salary checker! You can quickly and easily see what the average salary of an operations manager is.
types of operations manager
Operations managers vary depending on the industry they work for. Some include:
- business operations manager: As a business manager, you supervise the operations of various departments in a company. You optimize company resources to improve business outcomes by promoting efficiency and productivity.
- field operations manager: As a field operations manager, you implement field marketing and sales initiatives. That means you are responsible for training and hiring field sales representatives, evaluating performance and managing the logistics of marketing activities.
- healthcare operations manager: Your job is to improve patient efficiency and quality services. You ensure the hospital sticks to the budget by optimizing resources and resolving hospital operational issues.
- construction operations manager: As a construction operations manager, you supervise various building projects and ensure the proper allocation of resources. You also develop efficient ways to improve construction standards and enhance commercial value.
working as an operations manager
Operations managers perform various functions to ensure the smooth running of business processes. Below are the tasks, duties and working conditions to expect in the role.
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operations manager job description
Operation managers are the driving forces behind successful project completion. They perform the following tasks.
- product design: As the operations manager, you ensure the products and services sold to consumers meet their needs. Hence, you help generate new ideas to fill gaps in the market or change the production processes to improve your product's quality. You also study market trends and ensure the product designs fulfill consumer needs.
- forecasting market demand: Your job is to improve business outcomes by ensuring the product meets the demands instead of producing products that take time to sell. You need to analyze the statistics to determine the uptake of your company's products. From the information collected, you can develop strategies to increase sales.
- supply chain management: As an operations manager, you manage the business processes, from acquiring raw materials to production to sales. You must monitor production, distribution and sales to ensure efficiency and low overhead costs.
- strategic planning: Operations managers strategically plan company goals and optimize business processes. For instance, operations managers can determine the best marketing strategies to increase revenue or find cost-effective production methods.
- quality control: As the operations manager, you ensure company products meet the required standards. That includes sourcing suitable raw materials and recruiting qualified personnel to ensure the production process yields high-quality products. You also identify ways to increase value to your customers to improve loyalty.
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operations manager work environment
As an operations manager, your work environment depends on your industry and primary responsibilities. In manufacturing, operations managers work in an office but spend most of their time at the factory or manufacturing plant. In construction, your work revolves around various construction sites since you need to supervise workers and ensure the delivery of raw materials. When working in construction sites or factories, you need personal protective equipment even when not handling the items on-site. In some industries, like retail and information technology, your job is predominantly in the office, requiring minimal traveling.
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who are your colleagues?
Depending on your employer and the industry, your colleagues might include project managers, supply chain managers, cleaning supervisor roles and marketing managers. You could also work closely with contracts managers, chief executive officers and other specialists, including business development managers, finance managers, human resource managers and recruitment consultant positions.
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work schedule
As an operations manager, your work routine runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays. Your work takes at least 40 hours a week, but you should expect to work some weekends and evenings. Most companies employ operations managers on a full-time basis. You can also find a few part-time opportunities, primarily in consultancy companies. Some operations managers also take up jobs on short-term contracts. You will travel to construction sites and supplier meetings as an operations manager.
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job outlook for operations manager
Your advancement path as an operations manager depends on the industry you work for and your career ambitions. As an operations manager, you could specialize in working for a specific sector. For instance, if you started as a facilities manager or logistics supervisor, you could specialize in manufacturing operations or logistics and become an expert in the field. An operations manager is a senior role. Your career advancement opportunity includes becoming the vice president of operations, chief executive officer or managing director. After years of experience, you can become a consultant and become self-employed.
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benefits of working for randstad as an operations manager
Working through Randstad offers you a range of benefits:
- being paid weekly
- flexibility
- always a contact person you can fall back on and ask for help from
- many training opportunities
- a range of jobs in your area
Want a permanent contract? But you wonder why it would be interesting for you to work with a staffing company? A temporary job as an operations manager is often a stepping stone to an attractive permanent job. Every year, thousands of people earn a permanent contract with great employers, thanks to a temporary job found through Randstad. What's more, many companies recruit their permanent employees through Randstad, too!
operations manager skills and education
As a person seeking a career in operations management, you'll need to have at least a bachelor’s degree to meet the education requirements. This degree should be in a field related to operations management, such as business administration, management or accounting, as it provides the foundational knowledge necessary to succeed in this field throughout your career.
If you're looking to advance your career in operations management even further, consider pursuing an advanced degree, such as a Master of Business Administration (MBA). While a master's degree isn't always required to enter the field, some employers prefer applicants with a graduate degree for senior roles.
skills and competencies
To become a successful operations manager, you need a range of skills and competencies. Here are some key ones to focus on:
- strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills: Your assignment requires you to process information from different perspectives and develop solutions that balance the needs of different people.
- leadership and motivation: You help team members develop by promoting a culture of safety, justice, fairness and inclusion.
- creativity and innovation: Your team relies on you to come up with new ideas and find new opportunities and solutions for problems.
- business acumen: Your deep understanding of how a business achieves its objectives and goals is critical to your success.
- effective delegation: In this field, micromanaging doesn’t work. You delegate tasks based on the abilities of those taking on responsibilities and building a cooperative environment.
- customer focus: Gaining insight into customer needs and identifying opportunities that benefit them makes you valuable to employers.
- willingness to learn: You continuously take in knowledge and challenge yourself by staying up with the trends.
- time management skills: The ability to organize and plan how to divide your time between various responsibilities will help you get more done in less time.
- strategic thinking: This skill lets you see the big picture and plan a future course of action.
FAQs about working as an operations manager
Here you will find answers to the most frequently asked questions about operations managers.
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what percentage of operations managers are female?
About 31.6% of operations managers in the United States are women. This is an increase of 1.8 percentage points compared to last year. Moreover, the number of female operations managers has gone up by 3.8 percentage points since 2010. Currently, there are 104,553 female operations managers and 226,314 male operations managers in the United States.
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what personality traits do successful operations managers have?
Operations managers are often skeptical, reserved and analytical. They prefer to work in a serious and exacting manner and are often focused on creating procedures that can benefit others. You might find that they communicate with excessive detail, but this is just part of their nature.
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why is operations management important?
Operations management is the foundation of any organization, overseeing the operating system, managing processes and addressing issues, ensuring smooth day-to-day activities within budget and maintaining quality standards. The goal is to carry these duties through while designing, operating, maintaining and improving systems for efficient production of products and services. This allows organizations to operate seamlessly and achieve their goals.
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what is the role of operations management?
Operations management includes critical functions, like capacity planning, cost-effective product and service design and quality control that ensures high-quality products and services. These functions are crucial for successful operations management, enabling organizations to meet customer expectations.
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can operations managers work from home?
If you work as a remote operations manager, you oversee the production of goods or services. You also check how the business is doing, plan the budget and devise ways to improve things. Depending on your industry type, you might have to ensure the products are of good quality. You talk to employees and other departments, hold meetings online and sometimes visit the workplace.
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how do I find a job as an operations manager?
Applying for an operations manager job is easy: create a Randstad profile and search our operations manager jobs for vacancies in your area. Then simply send us your CV. If you do not have a resume, no worries. Just check out our resume builder. This state-of-the-art tool will help you to create your own resume. Need help with your application? Check out all our job-hunting tips!
submit your resume
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