Operations Manager job description: duties, skills and qualifications.

Core duties

9

O*NET task statements

Preparation

Job Zone 4 of 5

considerable preparation

Typical entry education

Bachelor's degree

BLS 2025–35

Median pay

$105,770

BLS May 2025

Data Government data groups this job as General and Operations Managers (O*NET-SOC 11-1021.00). Figures on this page are for that occupation.

1. Review financial statements, sales or activity reports, or other performance data to measure productivity or goal achievement or to identify areas needing cost reduction or program improvement. importance 4.2 of 5
2. Direct and coordinate activities of businesses or departments concerned with the production, pricing, sales, or distribution of products. importance 4.1 of 5
3. Direct administrative activities directly related to making products or providing services. importance 4.0 of 5
4. Prepare staff work schedules and assign specific duties. importance 4.0 of 5
5. Direct or coordinate financial or budget activities to fund operations, maximize investments, or increase efficiency. importance 3.9 of 5
6. Plan or direct activities, such as sales promotions, that require coordination with other department managers. importance 3.8 of 5
7. Perform personnel functions, such as selection, training, or evaluation. importance 3.8 of 5
8. Establish or implement departmental policies, goals, objectives, or procedures in conjunction with board members, organization officials, or staff members. importance 3.7 of 5
9. Monitor suppliers to ensure that they efficiently and effectively provide needed goods or services within budgetary limits. importance 3.4 of 5

Work activities O*NET rates most important here: Working with Computers, Getting Information, Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates, Making Decisions and Solving Problems and Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships.

Also part of the job

Supplemental tasks O*NET lists for this occupation: less central than the core duties above, and not done in every job.

• Manage the movement of goods into and out of production facilities to ensure efficiency, effectiveness, or sustainability of operations.
• Set prices or credit terms for goods or services, based on forecasts of customer demand.
• Perform sales floor work, such as greeting or assisting customers, stocking shelves, or taking inventory.
• Develop or implement product-marketing strategies, including advertising campaigns or sales promotions.
• Direct non-merchandising departments of businesses, such as advertising or purchasing.
• Implement or oversee environmental management or sustainability programs addressing issues such as recycling, conservation, or waste management.

Knowledge areas: Administration and Management, Customer and Personal Service, English Language, Production and Processing and Mathematics.

Software O*NET lists for this occupation: Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft PowerPoint, Adobe Creative Cloud software, Adobe Photoshop, Apache Hadoop. These are examples O*NET records for the job, not a list of tools every employer uses or a checklist of what you must know.

• Education: BLS lists a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education.
• Experience: BLS lists 5 years or more of work experience in a related occupation as typical.
• Training on the job: BLS lists no typical on-the-job training once hired.
• Preparation: O*NET places the job in Job Zone 4 of 5 (considerable preparation). A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations.
• Licenses and certifications: not listed here. A license is a legal requirement set by a state; a certification is a credential from a private or professional body. Rules vary by state and employer, and a missing entry on this page does not mean none is required: check with your state's licensing board and see how to become an operations manager.

The most common answer among operations managers surveyed by O*NET is a high school diploma or equivalent (29%).

Job title: Operations Manager
[Company] · [City, State] · [Full-time or part-time] · [Pay range, where your state requires one]

About the role
[Company] is hiring an Operations Manager to plan, direct, or coordinate the operations of public or private sector organizations, overseeing multiple departments or locations.
[One sentence on your team and why this role matters.]

What you will do
- Review financial statements, sales or activity reports, or other performance data to measure productivity or goal achievement or to identify areas needing cost reduction or program improvement.
- Direct and coordinate activities of businesses or departments concerned with the production, pricing, sales, or distribution of products.
- Direct administrative activities directly related to making products or providing services.
- Prepare staff work schedules and assign specific duties.
- Direct or coordinate financial or budget activities to fund operations, maximize investments, or increase efficiency.
- Plan or direct activities, such as sales promotions, that require coordination with other department managers.
- Perform personnel functions, such as selection, training, or evaluation.
- Establish or implement departmental policies, goals, objectives, or procedures in conjunction with board members, organization officials, or staff members.

What we are looking for
- [Education: BLS lists a bachelor's degree as typical for this occupation; set the level this role truly needs]
- [Experience: BLS lists 5 years or more in a related occupation as typical; adjust to this role]
- Strength in reading comprehension, active listening and speaking
- Working knowledge of Administration and Management and Customer and Personal Service
- [Software your team uses, e.g. Microsoft Excel or Microsoft Office software]
- [Any license or certification your state or company requires]

[Schedule, benefits and how to apply]

Illustrative: every name, employer, school, date and number in these samples is fictional or a bracketed placeholder. Replace each bracket with your own true details; never copy a result you did not achieve.

Not a real job posting. This template is TryHired's illustration built from government occupational data. It is not an opening at any employer, and no employer wrote it.

The median annual wage was $105,770 in May 2025. The median hourly wage was $50.85. BLS estimates about 3,503,020 jobs in this occupation in the U.S.

BLS projects employment of General and Operations Managers to grow 5.0% from 2025 to 2035, with about 285,000 openings a year over that period, including openings to replace workers who leave.

See the full operations manager salary breakdown by percentile, state and metro.

• Read a real operations manager posting next to the core duties above. Duties it repeats, such as “Review financial statements, sales or activity reports, or other…”, tell you what that employer weighs most; anything it adds is specific to that team.
• Tailor your resume to the posting, not to this page: describe only operations manager work you have actually done, with your own results.
• Prepare a story for each of the top-rated skills (reading comprehension and active listening); operations manager interview questions turns them into practice questions.