Career as an Operations Manager – A complete guide for 2023!

A professional who is in charge of keeping an eye on the project team’s performance and ensuring that operations run as productively and efficiently as possible while adhering to internal guidelines and client requirements is called the operations manager.

Operations managers keep track of costs and predict costs while managing the department’s budget and effectively allocating materials and resources.

Almost every sector has a demand for operations managers. Let’s examine what they do in more detail, the benefits of pursuing a career in operations management, and how to get started. The blog will give you an overview of a career as an operations manager.

What does an Operations Manager do?

The operations managers are typically employed directly by corporates, though occasionally they may be consultants.

There is a need for operations managers in almost every industry. They might also take on tasks like evaluating current procedures and recommending changes or creating a fulfilment strategy for a client project that is unusually big. Let’s look more closely at what operations managers do. 

For various businesses and industries, an operations manager will have varied duties. However, you may anticipate performing the majority of the following duties when working in business operations:

• Processes: The organization’s procedures must be implemented and maintained by an operations manager. Software and other programs that the company utilise on a daily basis are included in this.
• Personnel: Any organization’s operations include a significant portion of human resources. As an operations manager, you will either be in charge of the HR division or actively involved in resolving human matters.
• Inventory: This is particularly valid for operations managers who work in retail or for companies that market certain goods.
• Finance: Another significant component of an operations department is accounting and finance. You will either be managing the accounting department, much like HR, or closely monitoring budgets, revenue expansion, and profitability.
• Reporting: An operations manager is in charge of reporting on how the company is doing and if processes and policies that have been put in place are effective or need to be changed.

Job roles in Operation Management

• Inventory Manager
  Inventory managers keep an eye on a company’s stock levels. They are responsible for tracking daily deliveries, assessing new shipments, and researching various suppliers.
  
• Logistics Manager
  An organization’s supplies and resources are moved, distributed, and stored under the control of a logistics manager. They are entrusted with processing goods, processing budgets, and arranging routes.
  
• Operations Manager
  A vital member of a management team, an operations manager is in charge of important HR responsibilities. They also aim to increase quality, productivity, and efficiency by analyzing and improving organizational processes.
  
• Plant Manager
  The task of managing production and ensuring that it happens safely and on schedule falls to plant managers. To consistently maintain good performance and production, entails managing and coordinating everyday tasks.
  
• Supply Chain Manager
  An important part of the manufacturing process is played by supply chain managers. Supply chain managers need to be able to evaluate information and procedures, come up with novel ideas, produce reports, and communicate findings.
  
• Operations Analyst
  To maintain optimum operational performance and output, operations analysts assess a company’s policies, processes, and procedures, spot any flaws or areas for development, and plan and implement new projects.
  
• Manufacturing Supervisor/Engineer
  The production manager manages every area of production to guarantee that it is successful while supervising the manufacturing process. The supervisor is an essential component of the production process in a fast-paced environment like production.

Career Paths to becoming an Operations Manager

PATH 1:

To start a career in operations management, a bachelor’s degree in commerce (B.com) is a good way. You will learn the fundamentals of operating a business through courses in bookkeeping, auditing, and business management. This can be followed by an MBA which will add value to your resume.

PATH 2:

Business Administration (BBA) or Bachelor of Management Studies (BMS) teaches principles of merchandising, marketing, purchasing, inventory control, retail customer service, retail supply chain management, accounting, retail management, display tactics, etc. Similar to path 1, you can follow the bachelor’s degree with an MBA providing you with an edge in comparison to others.

Salary in different stages of Career as an Operations Manager

In India, the initial salary for an operations manager is approximately 425,000 INR. However, they must have some years of experience in that particular industry.

Here is an overview of the salary you can expect to earn once you grow in your career:

Experience level	Entry Level	Middle Level	Senior Level
Salary/year	3,20,000 INR	8,00,000 INR	15,09,000 INR

Salaries in the operations management field go high with years of experience and job roles one pursues throughout their career in the organization.

Average salaries as per the industry –

Industry	Average	Range
IT Services & Consulting	15 lacs	6 to 20 lacs
Media & Entertainment	7.5 lacs	4.5 to 15 lacs
Advertising & PR	9 lacs	4 to 24 lacs
Software Industry	6 lacs	5 to 25 lacs

Essential skills required for Operations Management

• Data Processing
  Tracking several corporate operations, such as sales transactions, incoming and outgoing cash flow, shipments, and other supply chain procedures, requires the processing and organizing of data.
  
• Technical Proficiency
  Technical application integration for tracking and automating corporate processes, managing customer contacts, and tracking costs and revenue production requires a high level of technical skill.
  
• Strategic Planning
  The capacity to foresee problems that may have an impact on successful results and address them with original ideas that support teams in achieving their goals. It also entails having the capacity to comprehend data and input required for choosing how to handle corporate operations.
  
• Risk Analysis
  In this position, it is essential to have the ability to analyze the elements that have an impact on your organization’s operations and develop methods to lower the risks to vital procedures.
  
• Staff Management
  You must possess strong abilities that enable you to assign assignments effectively, organize and maintain personnel schedules, and carry out evaluations and employee assessments.
  
• Budget Management
  You must keep tabs on expenses and incoming money, anticipate future production costs and revenue, and help finance experts create and submit crucial financial reports.
  
• Communication
  Skills in written communication to transcribe technical data, make reports, and also listen, present, and negotiation, as these qualities are crucial for promoting team input, running meetings, and talking about commercial contracts.

Is a career in operations management a good option?

For people who are extremely organized and enjoy planning and arranging activities related to the creation and on-time delivery of high-quality products at a reasonable price, the career prognosis for operations is outstanding. They are in charge of the team’s expansion and accomplishment as a whole.

Operation managers are in greater demand worldwide. The Project Management Institute predicts a spike in job prospects in operations management, with up to 22 million positions available by 2027.

Type of Industries in which Operations Managers are required

Although there are operation project managers in almost every industry, certain sectors typically have the most career opportunities. Although they all seem different at first glance, they all require creativity and remarkable productivity. The following industries have the most demand for operations managers –

• Finance – They might be in charge of managing cash flow, which could include managing payroll and project-related spending.
• Construction and Engineering – These experts precisely coordinate a variety of stakeholders’ resources.
• Healthcare – The two biggest issues are cost and compliance, both of which may be resolved with the assistance of qualified operation managers.
• Insurance Services – For high-stakes ventures, large insurance brokers frequently employ operations managers.
• IT Services – Organizations rely on cutting-edge technologies to boost accuracy and productivity while also spurring innovation.
• Advertising – Advertising campaigns run the risk of becoming bloated, unorganized, and useless without the supervision of an operation manager.

Top Recruiters in India for Operations Managers

• Cognizant Technology Solutions
• Genpact 
• Accenture 
• Amazon 
• Wipro 
• Accenture 
• Capgemini 
• IBM

Certificate Courses to upskill yourself

Certificate Courses	Duration
Introduction to Operations Management	1-4 Weeks
Scaling Operations: Linking Strategy and Execution	1-3 Months
Operations Research: an Active Learning approach	6 Weeks
Operations Management Foundation	2 hours 4 mins

Our JuniorMBA Founder Program also provides skills to complement your abilities further.

Qualifications to become an Operations

Degree in Operations and Project Management career in India

UG degree

Course/Degree	Duration
BBA Logistics Management	3 years
Bachelor in Management Studies	3 years
Bachelor in Commerce	3 years
B.Com Finance & Management	3 years

PG degree

Course/Degree	Duration
MSc Operations and Project Management	1 year
MBA Project Management	2 years
MBA International Business	2 years
Master Programme in Business Administration	2 years
PGD in Operations and Project Management	1 year
MBA Business Analytics	2 years

Degrees Abroad

Some of the degrees abroad to become an operation and project manager include Bachelor in Business Administration and Management, Bachelor of Applied Management, Bachelor in Business Management
Bachelor’s Degree in Advertising & PR. These courses take 3-4 years to complete, depending on which country you apply to.

You can even opt for a master’s degree abroad. Some of the known ones include MSc Digital Entrepreneur and Project Management, and MSc Business Management (Logistics & Supply Chain). These courses take around 10 months- 2 years to complete, depending on the university you apply to.

Entry into these courses will require you to give language proficiency test scores of IELTS, TOEFL, PTE, SATs, etc along with an SOP (Statement of Purpose) and LORs (Letter of Recommendation). Want some help with SATs? We have got you covered. Read this blog to know more!

References for Operations and Project Management careers

A list of books that are both comprehensive and straightforward enough for experienced operations managers as well as new ones. Instead of a book about a single performance domain or knowledge area, here are suggestions for some books about operations management in general.

• Operations Management
• The Checklist Manifesto
• Competing Against Time

Being an operation and project manager may have a significant impact on how firms run in addition to being a rewarding career. Operations and project management can be a great career choice if you’re looking for a job that has a positive impact.

FAQs- Frequently Asked Questions about the career as an Operations and Project Manager