Operations Manager Job Description
Overview

Steps to start your career as an Operations Manager (and similar roles)
- Many operations professionals have at least a bachelor's degree in a relevant field including business administration, management, operations management, supply chain management, or similar degrees. You may be able to get into the field without it but it likely limits your growth trajectory.
- General work experience on top of a related degree helps but internships or entry level work in or near the operations field (working in a warehouse for example) is better.
- Building skills around communication, teamwork, problem solving, adaptability and time management will help. Operations is about making the business work so being able to mentally switch between multiple work streams and still dive deep is also key.
- Familiarize yourself with the industry and companies, then attend industry conferences, and join professional associations related to operations management. Informally, engage your network, you never know where your next opportunity will come from.
What I Do:
I'm the general manager for a recycling company. My role is a very hands-on role. There's a lot of strategy and forward thinking involved, but there's also daily instances of having to roll up my own sleeves to help my warehouse team or my drivers.
Career Skills:
Operations leaders need to be firm but fluid in their approach. The best laid plans will change in the blink of an eye. You have to be an effective communicator. You're an effective communicator with your team, across your organization and with your customers. You have to have a crisp and clear vision of where you want your operations to go and what will help or hinder you in getting there. You have to be a good people leader even though good is probably a very subjective term.
Operations Manager Salary:
For our company we offer a salary range of $90,000 to $150,000 annual fee and that's dependent on multiple factors.
Career Path Outlook:
I have a lot of optimism for a career in operations. I think you will become trained and skilled across many different industries and as a whole I think operations is the heartbeat of most organizations. At the heart of any operation is its workforce. So understand how different personalities and motivations fit within a company's whole. I lead with the intent on being a positive role model to my young team that will help them become strong leaders and independent makers.
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Find jobs and other location specific info about this role
- 1. Los Angeles, CA (11)
- 2. Costa Mesa, CA (11)
- 3. Washington, DC (10)
- 4. New York, NY (8)
- 5. Woburn, MA (8)
- 6. Boston, MA (7)
- 7. Ayer, MA (7)
- 8. San Francisco, CA (6)
- 9. Arlington, VA (6)
- 10. Newark, NJ (6)
- 11. Hemet, CA (6)
- 12. Atlanta, GA (5)
- 13. Chicago, IL (5)
- 14. San Clemente, CA (5)
- 15. Dallas, TX (4)
- 16. Houston, TX (4)
- 17. Salt Lake City, UT (4)
- 18. Orlando, FL (4)
- 19. Fort Worth, TX (4)
- 20. Mount Laurel, NJ (4)
What skills do Operations Managers need?
These are the most commonly mentioned skills in job descriptions for Operations Manager jobs and are ordered by most to least common.
Employers are increasingly more focused on skill requirements. Make sure you are developing or have some of the most common skills for this role.
Select any that you have to tag them to your career experience. We’ve pre-selected any that are already linked to your profile based on your resume or skills you’ve identified in evaluating other roles.
Education you need to become an Operations Manager
These are the most common degrees or certificates earned by Jobtrees users prior to becoming an Operations Manager
There may be other required degrees or certifications needed for this job. The below info shows you the most commonly desired education level from employers when hiring for this job.
- Master of Business Administration (MBA)
- Bachelor of Arts (b.a.) in Physics Educa...
- Bachelor of Arts (b.a.) in General Studi...
Annual Pay Estimate for Operations Manager and Other Important Info
See how many years Operations Manager's are in their job, how much they make, how long it took to get there and how available this job is in terms of open positions.
Top Companies Hiring for Operations Manager
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Career Paths for Operations Manager
Find data driven insights on the path to get to this role and where it can lead
Jobs to start your career in becoming an Operations Manager
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