Operations managers are the cornerstone of any business. Their goal is to increase net operating profit by improving either production or service efficiency. Just as an architect designs each space to create a cohesive overall design, operations managers understand how daily activities impact the company as a whole. Moreover, they know what to suggest to improve company function in the long run.
Operations managers are great leaders, analysts, and administrators. Whether it’s juggling business relations, helping accountants balance budgets, strategizing initiatives for future projects, or training new employees, operations managers can do it all. The best operations managers see solutions where others only see roadblocks; they understand how the puzzle pieces of each worker’s actions combine into the company’s bottom line and can adjust every piece of the puzzle to garner even more success and profit.
Because operations managers handle so much, writing an operations manager job description can be extraordinarily tricky. That’s why BeamJobs has written this guide to help you hire the best employee for your company.
Job details: Dusky Rose is known for producing quality makeup, but we think our team is the most impressive thing about us. Thanks to our world-class team, our best-selling foundation went viral in 2007, and we haven’t stopped expanding our shop or our reach over social media since. We now ship our products nationwide to millions of customers.
We need an operations manager to oversee our administrative and finance departments and assist with production as needed. A passion for makeup is not required but highly encouraged!
Responsibilities:
Qualifications:
Benefits: Our competitive salary ranges from $80–110k depending on experience. We also offer the additional benefits listed below.
About the company: Dusky Rose has been improving the makeup industry since 2005 when Carol Hopkins and Bryanna Miller decided they were done with makeup filled with unhealthy ingredients. From debuting the very first product, the stunning “Hello” lipstick, Dusky Rose has been focused on safety, health, and artistry with products that are vegan, cruelty-free, and naturally derived.
Everything has been locally made in Montgomery, NY, since our store’s grand opening in 2006. We now offer nationwide shipping for customers across the U.S. so everyone can enjoy treating their skin with the highest-quality ingredients. Last year, we sold our viral “She’s All That” foundation to over one million happy customers. Our goal is to make our brand a household name and make healthy makeup the new normal.
Job details: For those who love business, coffee, and cats, join our team of service professionals! Kats & Kaffé is an up-and-coming chain of coffee shops that offers delicious coffee, tasty treats, and adorable cats. Kats and Kaffé desires to be the leading cat café in the U.S. but to do that, we need more team members with a passion for business management. Specifically, we need a business operations manager who can encourage cross-functional collaboration to increase RevOps.
Responsibilities:
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Benefits: Salary ranges from $90k–115k.
About the company: Kats & Kaffé is the purrfect combination of your favorite coffee with lovable cats. Founded in 2011, Kats & Kaffé has expanded to include 13 stores across the East Coast with plans for further expansion. We believe that coffee shops are places where people can connect and relax over a meal, and what better way to help people unwind than with a furry friend? We set high standards of cleanliness and safety to keep our customers and cats healthy, and our coffee and food are top-notch. Moreover, we strive for ethical business practices, which is why all of our cats are rescues up for adoption and all our coffee is from Equal Exchange. At Kats & Kaffé, we value people, cats, and great coffee a whole latte!
Job details: Skate Communications is the one-stop shop for everything figure skating. We provide software, an organized messaging system, and targeted research to figure skating teams across the globe to improve performance, build relationships, and increase awareness of issues in the figure skating world.
We need an operations manager with a strong technical background to improve efficiency and revenue of the Skate Communications site. As a senior operations manager, you’ll guide our IT, finance, and administration departments to streamline overall performance and strategize initiatives.
Responsibilities:
Qualifications:
Benefits: Salary for a senior operations manager at Skate Communications ranges from $105k to $132k.
About the company: Skate Communications is changing the figuring skating world one click at a time. Athletes, coaches, and figure skating personnel use the Skate Communications website for every stage of an athlete’s career. We have it all: performance tracking software, links to athletic and health research, partnerships with gear shops, and so much more. Our goal is to help figure skaters achieve their dreams and bring figure skating teams together. There might be one winner at the end of the day, but we all deserve respect and support.
One of our most prominent features is our partnership with Mont VPN, which encrypts our entire site’s data. Your performance metrics, search history, and messages are forever safe from any leaks. We also partner with PorBer gear to turn athlete performance into measurable metrics. Practice in your PorBear shirt, then plug in the sensor to have your data clearly displayed in minutes. When you’re not sure how to proceed with training, check out our database, courtesy of the International Figure Skating Union, or our discussion board with top figure skaters and coaches. At the end of the day, join our ChatBoards to talk about anything and everything with figure skaters from Russia to the United States. Whatever you need, Skate Communications can provide it.
It’s easy for the average person to view job descriptions like posters hanging up on the wall: easy to make, easy to put up, and great for garnering attention. However, writing job descriptions isn’t as simple as they may appear to outside viewers, and it’s not just views and attention you want. Your job description must encourage applicants to apply and submit operations manager resumes tailored to the specific role.
Most businesses don’t spend time on their job descriptions because it’s too difficult or they have more pressing things to do. Others are desperate for employees, so they just want their description up quickly. All of these reasons are valid, but they’re not sustainable in the long run.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, most unemployed people spent over 3 months (15 weeks) looking for a job. That means if job applicants even view just 1 job description a day, they will see over 100 job descriptions before they are hired. If your job description isn’t enticing, it’s likely applicants will skip over you.
Operations managers especially need well-written job descriptions. They are expert communicators and can read between the lines to see the bigger picture. They can also spot filler text and exaggerations quickly. Wording your operations manager job description carefully is crucial.
Don’t make the mistake, though, of assuming a laundry list of detailed qualifications will remedy this problem. Adding too many qualifiers turns away many talented workers, most frequently women. According to Harvard Business Review, women tend to only apply to jobs when they meet 100 percent of qualifications whereas men apply for jobs when they meet only 60 percent of qualifications.
Wordage is also important. Research published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology shows that typically masculine words, including but not limited to “active,” “lead,” and “intellect,” deterred women from applying as they felt they did not fit the qualifications.
To keep your job description from falling into this trap, review your word choice. Forbes also recommends having employees of different backgrounds, genders, and races review your job posting. Keep only what you need.
Reviewing word choice isn’t your final task, though. All writing is improved by revision, including your operations manager job description. Once you’ve revised, take a break. Mistakes are harder to spot when the writer is familiar with the work. Instead, have someone else give it a once-over to spot any issues.
Lastly, even though Grammarly and autocorrect are a huge help, they can’t find everything. Scan the document yourself to catch grammar errors, typos, and minor content mistakes.
It’s also important to check the format of the job listing before you click submit. Many job descriptions are nearly unreadable because of formatting errors.
Overall, when writing an operations manager job description, keep it brief and focused. Choose your words carefully and be understanding of what you require from the applicants. Nobody’s perfect, but lots of people can become just what you’re looking for with a bit of training.
It’s hard to know where to start when writing a job description; follow this outline to get you started.
Job details: This doesn’t have to be titled “job details,” but it should always serve as a sort of introduction to the job. Summarize what your operations manager will be doing in a sentence or two. Remember to include why you’re hiring an operations manager. You can also add a sentence or two about your company, but limit it to two sentences. Readers want to get onto other things and will skip anything too long.
What you’ll be doing/Roles/Responsibilities/Requirements: Whatever this section is called, make sure it’s easy to read and understandable. Applicants need to know what they’ll be doing on the job before they apply. If this section is hard to read or understand, it could cost you applications.
Also, make sure to be specific about tasks. Operations managers assume they will be overseeing production and communicating with stakeholders, but what makes this role different from other operations manager positions? Choose words with care and use active verbs.
Qualifications: Here is where many businesses think they can outline their perfect applicant. As mentioned previously, this tactic is not appealing on multiple levels. Keep this section as brief as possible and in a bulleted list.
Many operations managers require similar experience, so they likely will scan this part. That means you’ll need to make sure any unique requirements are obvious and easy to spot. Include education, experience, and specialization requirements. Soft skills such as organization and detail-focused are applicable but don’t overuse them.
Benefits: Most operations manager roles have similar daily responsibilities, so a benefits section will help your company stand out. As with everything, be specific with what you offer, but don’t fall into the trap of adding too much. Highlight the big things like insurance or 401(k) matching. You should also include a salary range if you can, as it indicates honesty and relieves anxiety for applicants. Having it as a range allows room for negotiation based on experience.
About the company: Many companies have this section first, but many readers will skip it until they know whether or not they want to apply. Regardless of where it is placed, this section is essential once applicants decide to apply. Here is where they’ll learn about your company, the company culture, and what problems you solve. Operations managers especially need to know about the company’s mission and values, so keep this section focused on those elements rather than company history.
Operations managers are professional jugglers. They must smooth out any rough patches across departments, so they’re familiar with executive leadership, finances, HR, and IT. Although operations manager roles differ based on company size and type, they share similar roles from business to business. Some sample roles, responsibilities, and qualifications are listed below. Not all operations managers will fulfill all these responsibilities, but they’re solid examples of what to expect.
Leader
Analyst
Administrator
Technician
Visionary
Onboarding Expert
Compliance Officer