Career as Operations Manager

Last Updated On 10 Sep, 2018

How to Become a Operations Manager

About Operations Manager

An Operations Manager has a myriad of duties related to administration and supervision. By managing daily activities, analysing statistics, setting and reviewing budgets and managing cost, operations managers play an eminent role in an organization. If you are aspiring for a career as an Operations Manager, then, it can be a right choice for you as operations management field is such that there are plenty of jobs available in almost every industry.

Whether be it retail or education, manufacturing and service organisations, government institutions or, operations management is a sought-after skill set.

To be an Operations Manager, one must have excellent leadership skills, strong analytical skills, conflict management, decision-making, data entry skills and stress tolerance to perform different roles. The job of an operations manager is to manage quality assurance programmes, oversee inventory, distribution of goods and facility layout, review budgets and manage cost. An Operations Manager is also responsible for maintaining a safe and healthy work environment by establishing, following and enforcing standards and procedures and complying with legal regulations.

Eligibility to become Operations Manager

Relevant professional management qualifications are often required to become an operations manager. One must hold a bachelor's or master’s degree in business administration or a similar subject. After acquiring the minimum academic qualification, one can apply for a job of an Operations Manager. Apart from this, to be an operations manager, one must have strong leadership and interpersonal skills, brilliant communication, and an understanding of customer/client requirements.

Following are the academic qualifications required for becoming an operations manager:

Subject Combination – Any stream in class 12 from a recognized board.

  • Candidates should have a Bachelor's degree in any discipline through the 10+2+3 system or an equivalent qualification with a minimum aggregate of 50% or equivalent CGPA in any of the universities.
  • Candidates should also have a Masters degree in Operations Management, i.e. MBA (Operations) or a Post Graduate Diploma in Operational Management.

Types of Job Roles Operations Manager

Within an organization, there are multiple job roles for an Operations Manager. The major responsibility of an Operation Manager includes monitoring and analyzing the current system of production. The role also involves identifying operational inputs, processes, outputs and feedback and ensuring quality operations management in an organisation. Below are some of the operations manager job profiles that one can target:

Supply Chain Manager: Supply chain managers design, implement, and refine the production system from materials to product shipment. They develop and maintain policies on general logistics and procedures. They also keep detailed records, generate reports, and develop presentations to help management understand the logistics perspective.

Administrative Service Manager: An administrative service manager manages supplies, create budgets, and ensures that a business is operating at maximum efficiency level. They oversee that regulations and policies are being met and coordinate office and/or departmental operations. They are also responsible for the supervision and support of the company's clerical staff.

Plant Manager: The job role of a plant manager is to provide support to all manufacturing teams and manage the efficient integration of workflow. He/she maintains an optimal level of customer services for both internal and external customers. He/she prepares profit plans for the plant and maintain an efficient quality of all products within the required budget and prepare a schedule.

Human Resources Manager: Human resources managers hire, train and interview new staff members. They oversee policies, procedures and compliance relating to employees for their organization. They also make sure that the policies, procedures and HR programs are consistently aligned, administered, with organizational goals.

Inventory Control Manager: An inventory control manager ensures that all inventory used for manufacturing goods are at required levels. He/she supervises a team of professionals who work together to ensure that the necessary amount of inventory is maintained and prepare the monthly consignment sales report that is to be submitted to the supplier.

Purchasing Manager: A purchasing manager analyzes and implements purchasing processes and delivery systems, prepare and process requisitions and purchase orders for supplies and equipment. He or she also controls purchasing department budgets.

Facilities Manager: He/she is responsible for ensuring everything to do with the physical infrastructure of the business. He/she manages facilities staff to deliver maintenance and operations services and also manage facilities budget and project planning tasks.

Employment Opportunities for Operations Manager

Working as an operations manager opens up a lot of employment opportunities for those who wish to make a career in this field. There is a lot of scope for operations managers in both the public and private sector. Few of the top sectors that require an operations manager are mentioned below:

  • Healthcare
  • Corporate Businesses
  • MNCs
  • Hospitality
  • Manufacturing & Retail
  • Trading Companies
  • Financial Institutions
  • Insurance Sector
  • Information Technology
  • Hospitality
  • E-Commerce
  • Warehousing
  • Construction
  • Consulting Firms

Top Recruiting Companies for Operations Manager

There are a variety of industries that offer operations job role to MBA graduates. Some of the top recruiting companies where an operations manager can find employment opportunities are mentioned below:

  • Amazon India
  • Ernst & Young
  • JP Morgan Chase
  • Bank of America
  • Accenture
  • Nike
  • Deloitte Consulting
  • Adecco
  • Dell
  • Amazon
  • Apple
  • McKinsey
  • L&T
  • KPMG
  • FedEx Corporation

Planning to choose Operations Manager as your career?

Pay Scale/Salary of Operations Manager

The salary of an operations manager will vary by the industry depending upon each industry's individual growth. An operations manager salary also depends on the performance and experience in this field.

Following are some relative salary figures for different job profiles of an operations manager:

Job Profile

Starting Salary per annum (in INR)

Mid Level Salary per annum (in INR)

Senior Level Salary per annum (INR)

Operations Manager

2.91,542

7,01,361

14,95,765

Administrative Service Manager

1,78,309

4,16,196

11,64,627

Human Resources Manager

2,41,191

6,13,085

14,42,652

Supply Chain Manager

2,75,956

6,90,415

19,30,678

Purchasing Manager

2,99,430

7,14,557

15,56,259

Facilities Manager

3,43,499

6,84,059

14,45,194

 

Note: The above figures are an estimate and may vary from individual to individual and company to company.

Books & Study Material to Become Operations Manager

In order to become successful in the field of operations, one needs to have a professional degree, Masters in Business Administration (MBA) and one needs to appear for related entrance exams. Hence, there are no specific books that can prepare you for this career. Operations management is a field that is related to planning and execution. One must possess creative and analytical skills and qualities, such as the ability to communicate ideas clearly, leadership, critical thinking, negotiation skills and hands-on experience.

Pros of becoming a Operations Manager

  • As an operations manager, you have a good salary potential.
  • A career in operations is relatively secure and high in demand. You are likely to find a job and be highly respected.
  • You can transfer skills across different sectors and industries as there are a variety of industries to work in such as telecommunications, construction, trading, import/export etc.

Cons of becoming a Operations Manager

  • There's a lot of responsibility on operations manager, so it is a stressful and high-pressure position.
  • The job role does not offer much flexibility in terms of working hours. Operations Managers often have to work long hours including evenings and weekends.

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FAQs about Operations Manager

I am pursuing P.G.P.M. (Post Graduate Program in Management) to become an Operations Manager. What other career options do I have ?

You could become a Digital Marketer , a Retail Manager , a Management Consultant , an Entrepreneur after studying P.G.P.M. (Post Graduate Program in Management).

I am pursuing P.G.D.M. (Post Graduate Diploma in Management) to become an Operations Manager. What other career options do I have ?

You could become a Digital Marketer , a Human Resource Manager , a Management Consultant , a Sales Manager after studying P.G.D.M. (Post Graduate Diploma in Management).

I am pursuing M.B.M. (Master of Business Management) to become an Operations Manager. What other career options do I have ?

You could become a Retail Manager , a Management Consultant , a Human Resource Manager , an Entrepreneur after studying M.B.M. (Master of Business Management).

I am pursuing M.B.A. (Master of Business Administration) to become an Operations Manager. What other career options do I have ?

You could become a Human Resource Manager , a Management Consultant , a Retail Manager , an Entrepreneur after studying M.B.A. (Master of Business Administration).

I am pursuing M.A.M. (Master of Applied Management) to become an Operations Manager. What other career options do I have ?

You could become a Management Consultant , an Entrepreneur , a Human Resource Manager , a Digital Marketer after studying M.A.M. (Master of Applied Management).

I am pursuing BBA-MBA to become an Operations Manager. What other career options do I have ?

You could become a Digital Marketer , a Management Consultant , an Entrepreneur , a Human Resource Manager , a Sales Manager after studying BBA-MBA.

I am pursuing B.B.S. (Bachelor of Business Studies) to become an Operations Manager. What other career options do I have ?

You could become a Human Resource Manager , a Retail Manager , a Management Consultant , an Entrepreneur after studying B.B.S. (Bachelor of Business Studies).

I am pursuing B.B.M. (Bachelor of Business Management) to become an Operations Manager. What other career options do I have ?

You could become a Human Resource Manager , a Retail Manager , an Entrepreneur , a Management Consultant after studying B.B.M. (Bachelor of Business Management).

I am pursuing B.B.A. (Bachelor of Business Administration) to become an Operations Manager. What other career options do I have ?

You could become a Sales Manager , an Entrepreneur , a Management Consultant , a Retail Manager after studying B.B.A. (Bachelor of Business Administration).

I am pursuing B.A.M. (Bachelor of Applied Management) to become an Operations Manager. What other career options do I have ?

You could become a Management Consultant , a Retail Manager , a Digital Marketer , a Human Resource Manager , an Entrepreneur after studying B.A.M. (Bachelor of Applied Management).

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