Become an Operations Manager
Find the information you need to become an operations manager.
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An operations manager and her staff oversee their
company's facilities.
Operations managers plan, direct or coordinate the operations of a company or organization. They decide how facilities should be laid out, formulate products and policies, control inventory and distribution, drive logistics, and create employee schedules, among other duties. In some organizations, the duties of an operations manager may overlap with those of the CEO.
Undergraduates can earn a bachelor's degree in operations management or take courses in operations management as part of a business degree. MBA students can choose a concentration in operations management, and some schools offer master's degrees and PhDs in operations management.
While both an MBA with a focus on management and a Master of Operations Management degree will prepare you to assume managerial positions within the business world, the MBA will provide you with more skills transferable to other areas. The master's in operations management will provide you with greater specialized management expertise rather than broad and general experience in multiple areas. The MBA degree's broad curriculum also helps operations managers integrate the different functions within a company.
Students in MBA programs with an emphasis on operations management will most likely study everything from information systems, administrative theory, supply chain management, microeconomics and human resources management to finance, managerial accounting, policy, calculus, statistics, project management and management science.
Necessary Skills
Operations managers need a broad range of skills, including a keen understanding of people and processes. They must be deft problem solvers, detailed planners, and adept managers and decision makers. Most importantly, operations managers should enjoy working with people, talking about projects and solving problems in teams. They should also possess the following characteristics:
- Strong leadership ability
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
- Strong interpersonal communication skills
Operations management is also a field that is constantly being shaped by international competition. Operations management personnel, therefore, must be familiar with computer technology, quantitative methods, and planning and problem-solving techniques useful in analyzing business systems, in order to keep up with the rapidly-growing, evolving market.
Career Options for Operations Managers
Entry-level titles include operations manager, operations consultant, manager of business process improvement and project manager. Operations management specialists typically begin their careers in areas such as quality management, production control, service delivery management and logistics. Specialists have opportunities to work in cross-functional teams involved in process re-engineering, strategy development, product design and technology planning.
Those who have proven themselves in the field become senior operations managers and product managers, and some cross over into more general corporate positions such as CFO, industrial relations manager or even CEO. According to Payscale.com's 2007 data, operations management salaries range from $46,994 to $59,708 in entry- and mid-level jobs, while senior-level operations managers can make up to $76,737.
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), while employment of managers is growing at a steady rate, competition is also growing, limiting job openings and making it more difficult to secure available jobs. As operations management, however, is generally accepted as crucial to the success of an organization, the BLS website explains that, “their jobs are unlikely to be automated or to be eliminated through corporate restructuring." Essentially, competition is stiff, but job security and status are both quite secure.
Spotlight Schools
Strayer University
Strayer University is dedicated to helping busy, working adults achieve their educational goals with a valuable, real world education in a fast, convenient format offered online or at one of many campus locations.
Select a Campus: Online | Greenville, SC | Cobb County, GA | Christiana, DE | Alexandria, VA | Anne Arundel, MD | Arlington, VA | RTP Campus, NC | Chamblee, GA | Chesapeake, VA | Chesterfield, VA | Delaware County, PA | Fredericksburg, VA | Henrico, VA | King of Prussia, PA | Loudoun, VA | Lower Bucks County, PA | Manassas, VA | Rockville, MD | Nashville, TN
Northeastern University - College of Business Administration
Northeastern offers its AACSB-accredited MBA program in a 100% online format. They are a world leader in practice-based education focused on expanding students' managerial skills and knowledge base.
Select a Campus: Online
University of Phoenix
University of Phoenix makes quality higher education highly accessible for working students through convenient campus locations and flexible online classes. Get a real-world education with real value.
Select a Campus: Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN | Atlanta, GA | New Jersey, NJ | Houston, TX | Calgary, AB | Online | Austin, TX | Boise, ID | Boston, MA | Central Massachusetts, MA | Charlotte, NC | Chicagoland, IL | Cincinnati, OH | Cleveland, OH | Colorado, CO | Columbia, SC | Columbus, GA | Columbus, OH | Dallas, TX | Ft. Lauderdale, FL
