what is an operations manager?
As an operations manager, you are in charge of the day-to-day running of your organisation. You are involved in every stage, from planning to implementing plans and ensuring everything stays on track once those plans are set in motion. Resource management is a significant part of your role as you seek to make the most efficient use of your organisation's resources to generate the most revenue.
Beyond managing resources, you are also responsible for formulating company strategies and policies. These policies form the glue that keeps an organisation running smoothly in its daily operations. You occasionally take care of human resource functions to ensure employee engagement—and, as a result, productivity—remains high.
An operations manager is an important role in various industries, meaning you have many options when looking for a role. To some degree, the skills and knowledge required for this role are independent of the industry itself, making it easier to move between jobs in different sectors and industries. There are some differences, however, and your specific experience makes you more suited to some operations manager jobs than others.
Would working as an operations manager suit your organisational and leadership skills? If so, read on to find out what competencies and qualifications will help you succeed in this profession.
operations manager jobsaverage salary of an operations manager
According to Payscale, the average salary for an operations manager in India is around ₹778,000 per year. This is primarily a base salary, though commission, profit-sharing, and bonuses can also form part of your overall pay. The potential salary range for this profession is high. At the entry-level end of the scale, the average salary is around ₹300,000 per year, while at the top end, it can be as much as ₹20,00,000 per year.
factors that affect operations manager's pay
The most significant factor affecting your salary as an operations manager is your level of experience and your qualifications. Qualifications will play a bigger part in your potential salary when you are just starting in an entry-level position, when better qualifications often result in higher pay. As you gain experience in the role, that experience correlates almost directly to increased pay.
Another big factor in your potential pay is the nature of your job. If you are in charge of one department, your pay will likely be less than an operations manager in charge of several departments. If your employment contract includes performance-related bonuses or profit-sharing, your wages will be higher the better you perform in your role.
types of operations manager
While the role of an operations manager is mostly a transferrable one that will allow you to move between industries, there are ways in which you can specialise. An entry-level operations manager can move into any industry, whereas a highly experienced operations manager is likely to specialise in one of the following areas:
- business operations manager: a business operations manager is essentially a general-purpose version of the role. You supervise the operations of various departments in your employer's organisation, managing resources and ensuring efficiency and productivity.
- healthcare operations manager: in this speciality, your function is the same, but it applies specifically to the efficiency and quality of service concerning patient care. Performing well in this role requires expertise specific to the healthcare industry.
- field operations manager: this type of operations manager works with field marketing and sales initiatives. You are responsible for hiring and training representatives, as well as managing the field marketing operation for your organisation.
- construction operations manager: this type of role involves the same duties but is specific to the construction industry. In this role, you have expertise and experience related to construction, allowing you to ensure proper resource management, standards, safety and efficiency in any construction projects your organisation undertakes.
working as an operations manager
Regardless of the type of operations manager, the basic function is the same: ensuring the smooth running of your organisation's business processes. Therefore, your duties and responsibilities look the same in almost all versions of this role:
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duties and responsibilities
The specific duties of an operations manager include:
- product design: designing new products and services is a function you play a part in, if not manage in its entirety. It requires market research and insight to ensure the product is something that customers want or need.
- strategic planning: planning is a large part of an operations manager's role, as it lays a solid foundation for success. You are involved in your organisation's strategic planning from the outset and aim to find ways to increase revenue.
- supply chain management: for organisations that produce goods, supply chain management is a crucial aspect of the business. You monitor the supply chain to ensure low costs and prevent unforeseen problems in the supply chain from bringing operations to a halt.
- quality control: quality control is essential to a successful business. You ensure that the operations you supervise meet the organisation's standards. This responsibility includes everything from the quality of raw materials to the production processes themselves.
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work environment
Your role is found in many industries, so your work environment can vary significantly depending on the organisation you work for. For example, as a business operations manager, you spend most of your time in an office setting. If you work in manufacturing, you spend most of your working day in an industrial setting, such as a factory. Construction sees you working around construction sites. Your work will primarily take place in an office, regardless of the industry. However, depending on the industry, your office could be in a bustling building or construction site.
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who are your colleagues?
As with your environment, your typical colleagues differ depending on your industry. Some colleagues you are likely to work with include account managers, deputy managers, human resource managers and finance managers. Beyond that, you may work with site managers on a construction site, project managers, office managers, digital marketing managers or marketing managers in a business setting.
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work schedule
Your work schedule usually follows standard business hours of 9:30 am to 5:30 pm, Monday to Friday, in a full-time position of 40 hours per week. However, in this role, overtime is common, and you will likely work evenings and weekends from time to time, especially when approaching project deadlines. Part-time opportunities are available, as well as short-term contracts.
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job outlook
The pay difference between entry-level and highly experienced operations managers is around ₹17,00,000 per year, so the job outlook is positive if you want to stay in this profession. It's worth noting that to achieve those higher salaries, you will likely specialise as a particular type of operations manager. When you are ready to move on, an operations manager is already a quite senior role, and the next step up sees you moving into executive positions, such as vice president of operations.
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advantages of finding an operations manager job through randstad
Finding your operations manager job through Randstad provides important advantages such as:
- a wide variety of training and development opportunities
- an experienced contact person to provide help if needed
- a range of opportunities in your area
- get paid on a monthly basis
- temporary and permanent contracts
Want a permanent contract? 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!
education and skills
Some of the academic qualifications for operations managers include:
- completed 12th: any path to this role will require a degree, which in turn requires the completion of your 12th in standard education.
- bachelor's degree: a bachelor's degree should be considered the minimum qualification for anyone pursuing a career as an operations manager. Ideally, this degree will be in business administration, but other related subjects are also feasible.
- masters degree: a master's degree in operations will increase your chances of being hired in the first place and improve your prospects regarding potential salary.
skills and competencies
Some of the qualities of an operations manager include:
- leadership: as operations manager, you are in a leadership role and take decisive action regularly. You motivate your workforce, act as a mentor when necessary, and take disciplinary action as required.
- organisation: a good deal of your role involves planning for the future and monitoring things to ensure they remain on track. Therefore, you require excellent organisational skills.
- communication: the ability to communicate effectively with employees, colleagues, and representatives from other businesses that your organisation is dealing with is essential.
FAQs about working as an operations manager
Here are some common questions about working as an operations manager:
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what does an operations manager do in India?
The precise nature of the role varies depending on the organisation and industry. Typically, an operations manager's role is to ensure the smooth and efficient running of the various operations under their supervision.
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how can I become an operations manager in India?
At a minimum, you will need a bachelor's degree in a related subject, such as business administration, though a master's degree in operations will improve your prospects.
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is operations manager a high position?
An operations manager is a senior role in any organisation. In this role, you work closely with executives and shareholders, and any upward move in your career would likely see you become an executive yourself.
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what is another title for operations manager?
An operations manager is a distinct role, but some organisations may advertise their operations manager vacancy under a different title. This is especially the case when smaller companies merge two or more positions. Some alternative titles include program manager, project manager, logistics manager, and operations coordinator.
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how do I apply for an operations manager vacancy?
Applying for an operations manager job is easy: create a Randstad profile and search our job offers for vacancies in your area. Then simply send us your CV and cover letter. Need help with your application? Check out all our job search tips here!
