As an operations project manager, you’ve mastered the art of multi-tasking and keeping tabs on resources, budgets, and deadlines. It’s safe to say that you’re a skilled juggler, what with how you manage people and large-scale operations so seamlessly.
Maintaining all the moving parts of project management in perfect sync is likely to keep you busy, but creating a compelling resume is just as important if you want to advance your career.
We’ve helped operations project managers like you score their dream jobs with our resume templates. Check out our suggestions to find out how to spruce up yours.
What Matters Most: Your Project Management Skills & Experience
You’ve got a keen eye for detail and you’re an innovative thinker, but don’t put that on your resume—there are better ways to express that while still capturing the attention of recruiters and applicant tracking systems (ATS).
Managing whole projects also involves managing people. Soft skills come in handy, but you can talk about them when writing a cover letter. In your resume, it’s better to focus on your technical skills, such as using tools like Excel or Tableau.
Make sure to also talk about the project management methodologies you’re familiar with, such as Agile, Scrum, or Lean Six Sigma. Keeping tabs on the financials is crucial in project management, so mention skills that relate to budgeting and reporting.
9 most important operations project manager skills
- Agile/Scrum
- Lean Six Sigma
- Project Management
- MS Excel
- Financial Control
- Risk Management
- Resource Allocation
- Stakeholder Relations
- Data Analysis
Sample operations project manager work experience bullet points
You know better than anyone that “project management” is often an umbrella term for a slew of different tasks. From performance appraisals to complex financial reports for important stakeholders, there’s a lot of ground to cover.
Now, it’s important to translate that experience into quick bullet points that show the measurable impact of your work.
Don’t sell yourself short by simply saying you “managed project financials.” Instead, tell the recruiter about what you could accomplish and about tangible benefits.
Here’s how you can highlight your achievements:
- Increased revenue by remaining 17% under budget while seeing a $2 million project to completion
- Successfully led and supervised the implementation of the Lean Six Sigma methodology, increasing employee efficiency by 32%
- Communicated with and reported to multiple stakeholders to launch a new product line, resulting in a 9% market share increase within a year
- Coordinated a team of 27 and reassigned tasks across 4 departments, resulting in project completion 2 months ahead of the timeline
Top 5 Tips for Your Operations Project Manager Resume
- Match the job description
- No two operations project manager roles are identical. Some job ads will call for a Scrum Master to help team efficiency, and some will focus on the financial aspects of the role to improve revenue. For the best chance of success, adjust your skills and achievements to fit the requirements of each job description.
- Don’t forget your certifications
- Many hiring managers will expect you to have some of the most important certifications for this role. Make sure your resume mentions any and all related certificates, such as PMP, CAPM, ACP, CSM, Lean Six Sigma, and PRINCE 2.
- Save the soft skills for later
- Recruiters like to gauge whether you’re technically suited for the job quickly, so use your resume to showcase your proficiencies, such as Tableau or Basecamp. Once you land the interview, you can then highlight your soft skills, like leadership and creativity.
- Be concise
- Studies show recruiters only spend 6 to 10 seconds looking at a resume. Highlight your skills with Asana and Power BI and your experience with ISO and project plans by focusing on quick bullet points with identifiable metrics.
- Show off your KPIs
- Chasing various performance indicators is second nature for an operations project manager, so show them off! Discuss the KPIs you tracked and their impact, such as improved efficiency or cost savings.
At a certain point in your career, you may not need job-specific certifications anymore, such as Lean Six Sigma. However, operations project managers are often required to be well-versed in some of these methodologies. Make sure to highlight them for a strong resume.
Make sure your resume clearly shows your name, contact info, skills, work experience in roles that involve managing people or projects, and education. List your certifications separately from your skills to avoid confusion.
Just because you were never hired as a project manager doesn’t mean you don’t have any relevant experience. Talk about the projects you participated in and led at your previous job or during college. Emphasize tasks that deal with data, timelines, and budgeting to show your impact.
