Operations Manager Job Description & Profile

Operations Manager Job Description and Profile

Business operations is a broad term that defines all the activities necessary for a company to operate profitably. Most businesses fit into three broad categories. First, the sales and marketing department is responsible for selling the product. Then, the operations department handles creating and delivering the product. Lastly, you have the support departments (like finance, HR, compliance, etc.), which help with these goals.

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From that categorisation, business operations can mean many different things to different companies. The operations department ensures that the business’s main line runs smoothly. The operations manager oversees these activities in the operations department. The operations manager’s job description thus relies on the organisation they work for. Here are some examples of the various responsibilities entrusted to the operations manager.

Improving Operational Processes

Operations managers will better understand the company’s operations than most others. Thus, they can add much value to the company by improving or enhancing the operations department. Companies with a heavy focus on operations will spend a lot of money and resources to ensure their operations run efficiently.

Domain-Specific Activities

Operations managers must also be well-versed in operating in their specific industries. For example, an operations manager in financial services would need to be fully aware of the bank’s core banking systems, banking principles, governance policies, inherent operational risks, etc.

Managing Stakeholders

The operations manager must liaise with scores of people across dozens of departments. They may also need to work with people in other companies. For example, an operations manager must liaise with the procurement manager for raw materials and supplies. The operations manager would have to work with the finance department. This includes things like capital expenditure. They would also have to liaise with the finance department for machinery procurement. They also must ensure the employees are well paid. Moreover, the operations team must work closely with the sales department to meet and fulfil customer orders.

Finally, an operations manager must interact with department heads and top management. Thus, the number of skills an operations manager must have is large.

Managing Safety

As it directly affects the workers’ physical and emotional health, this is a crucial task for an operations manager. Other departments, such as HR or operational risk management, might play a role. Yet, the operations manager is the first line of defence for worker safety. This is especially important in industrial operations. They have many moving parts and enormous machinery.

Providing Training and Leadership

Large companies might have dedicated training programs. Yet, operations managers are still the ones who will have to take the rookies along as they get their feet wet. When it comes to training, smaller and medium-sized businesses may be expected to carry the majority of the burden. Providing training requires a great deal of patience and the ability to keep the trainee motivated.

Operations managers must also provide leadership to the employees working in their departments. The work environment can get stressful, especially when the workload is high. It is usually required of a professional operations manager to inspire the entire staff.

Incident management and troubleshooting

Outliers and long-tail events always influence operations. The operations department should run like a well-oiled machine. An experienced operations manager should handle these exceptions deftly. They should also smartly take care of any contingencies.

See also Finance Manager Salary & Pay for reference here.

The Procurement Manager Job Description and profile are here

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