Operations Manager Resume & Guide

If you are seeking a new opportunity as an Operations Manager, it may be helpful to have a look at a few example job descriptions or just review our top-notch Operations Manager resume sample where you will find examples, tips, and guidelines all in one place. Operations Managers oversee the entire (or part of) the operations cycle which consists of research and development, product engineering, marketing and promotion, finance, budgeting and accounting, sales, client support, and quality assurance.

Operations Manager Resume Sample

(Free sample downloads are at the bottom of this page)

Operations Manager Resume Writing Guide

1. Contact Information: Name, Address, Phone, Email. Remember to alternative contact channels. Business networking URL’s such as LinkedIn and Who’s Who or Joomla should also be listed in this section.

2. Profile Summary: View this as the introduction to your resume and include 1-3 sentences giving a broad presentation of your background, years of industry tenure and the environments you have worked in.

3. Education/Licenses/Certifications/Relevant: Give accurate details of the qualifications and certifications you have completed. You may also mention relevant memberships to industry bodies or groups. Should you be in the process of completing a degree, diploma, or program at the moment, feel free to provide information about that too. Operations Managers typically hold post-school qualifications such as college or university degrees, and large corporations often expect a completed Master’s Degree to form part of your educational suite.

4. Relevant Operations Management Experience: Only use the last ten years of your experience when compiling your resume. Your document should be no more than two pages, thus use brief sentences with bullet points for clarity.

5. Other Employment Experience: If you have been involved with projects or attained work experience leading up to your current position of Operations Manager, you can include short descriptions about these roles too. Alternatively, create a work history table where you merely account the job title, company, and duration to avoid gaps in your employment history.

6. Skills Summary/Key Skills: Use the primary keywords in the job advertisement as ‘’resume SEO’’ verbiage to add much-needed credibility to your resume.

What to Highlight in an Operations Manager Resume

Operations Managers are essential staff members to most organizations, regardless of size or industry type. There are a few vital things that employers and recruiters need to know about you to ensure that you are the right fit for the company in question.

In a nutshell, Operations managers oversee the daily conduct in an organization to ensure optimal productivity and timeous response to problematic issues.

The function of an Operations Manager may differ from company to company because the role combines various focus areas in the organization. Operations Managers, therefore, have a broad scope of responsibilities across all or just some of the departments in the business.

First, you need to provide information regarding company size in terms of employee headcount, turnover, geographic spread, and if it is private, public, or governmental.

Secondly, highlight the scope or purpose of your role. Operations Managers can be categorized as follows:

  • Material Operations: In this area, you would be supervising the movement of products through the production process and oversee manufacturing, warehousing and, logistics, and distribution departments.
  • Purchasing Operations: Managing the procurement process of raw materials or supplier services (in the case of a legal or insurance firm) is the primary purpose of an operations manager overseeing purchasing activities.
  • Industrial Production Operations: Planning of production cycles, scheduling, staffing, and maintenance form part of the Operations Manager’s duties in this department.
  • Quality Assurance Operations: In this department, an Operations Manager’s primary purpose is to prevent deficiencies during the manufacturing of products or in a service industry assuring on-point service solutions and customer satisfaction. Overseeing Inspections, testing, and sampling of finished goods are primary tasks in this type of job.
  • Business Operations: These managers work in non-manufacturing settings and are responsible for implementing policies and procedures, compliance, streamline of operating systems, departmental reporting, and monitoring. Their purpose is to improve operational effectiveness and efficiencies.

Next, comes the planning and forecasting component of operations management. Potential employers would like to see that you are a big-picture thinker who can determine future business needs and connect with various internal stakeholders from departments such and finance, sales, and marketing to put action plans in place for the future. Your knowledge of analytics, forecasting, and data assimilation will come in handy.

Finance, Accounting, and Budgeting should be next on your ‘’highlight’’ agenda. A significant part of an Operations Manager job is to oversee the compilation and appropriate administering of budgets within each business area. You have to prove that you can estimate budgetary targets, curtail expenditure, and show competence in cost-benefit analysis exercises.

Another aspect to highlight is that of Workflow and Staffing. As an operations manager, you need to be aware of staffing requirements, approve employee development plans, and also stay abreast of staff satisfaction levels.

Finally, your affinity for continuous improvement practices is essential to make it to the shortlisting round. It would be best if you showcased your willingness to implement innovative processes and system streamlining initiatives to maximize the company’s return on investment and future sustainability. (there is no room for “old school” methods in the 4th Industrial Revolution nowadays).

*Cool Tip for a stellar resume

Automation, digitization, instant solutions, and timeous reporting challenges means that you have to be tech-savvy with the latest applications and software. You can really create an excellent first impression including a ‘’tools table’’ (see example below) in your Operations Manager Resume

Operations FunctionTools Used
Continuous ImprovementSix Sigma, DMAIC
Operational ManagementSAP, Lotus Notes, Cascade, TeamGuru, Agile Craft, Axiom
CommunicationSlack, Trello, Asana, Hangouts, Skype, Zoom, Webex, GoToMeeting
AccountingIntuit QuickBooks, Accpac, Sage 50 Accounting
AnalyticsIBM SPSS, Minitab; SAS, The MathWorks, MATLAB, Excel, IBM Cognos Impromptu, MicroStrategy, QlikView, Tableau
Enterprise Resource PlanningAtlassian JIRA, Microsoft Dynamics, NetSuite, Oracle, PeopleSoft, Splunk Enterprise

Operations Manager Summary & Examples

Operations Manager Photo

Executive Managers, CEOs, Company Owners, or Directors are usually the decision makers hiring Operations Managers for their organizations. A dull, generic career summary stating how flexible, dynamic, and hardworking you are will barely grasp their attention. Keep your career summary concise, punchy, and to the point.

Start your career summary with your years of experience in the industry and then highlight one or two ‘’wow factors’’ or accomplishments. The trick is to align your achievements to the main duties in the job description found in the ‘’purpose of the role’’ section of the vacancy advertisement. If the job you are applying to highlights continuous improvement and product innovation think of an event or scenario where you excelled in those aspects and incorporate these in your summary.

Next, add a line that showcases any outstanding soft skills or personality that will add value to the company. A hiring manager would be interested to know if you have “strong leadership skills, strategic thinking abilities, and a flair for statistics, metrics and production ratios.” It’s important to note that these qualities should be proven with examples in the professional experience section to re-enforce your message.

Finally, end your summary with your highest qualification or most prestigious memberships (work-related of course). ,

Examples of Operations Manager Career Summaries:

Career Summary 1

Innovative operations manager with 12 years of experience and a neck for overhauling stagnant operations processes with lean manufacturing and Kaizen integration strategies turning losses into profits. Slashed inventory costs by 32% in the last 19 months. A certified member of the American Management Association and currently completing a Ph.D. In Machine Learning with Stanford University.

Career Summary 2

Detail-oriented Operations Manager, a proven track record of doubling organization productivity with cutting-edge employee engagement and morale-boosting initiatives. A life-long scholar of leadership sciences and certified as a Six Sigma Black Belt. Holds a Masters's Degree in Engineering Sciences via MIT.

Career Summary 3

Performance-oriented operations professional with six years of experience in a fast-paced investment banking setting. An exemplary track record of reducing overheads by 20% after spearheading the transition from brick and mortar branches to online virtual banking services. A business graduate from Princeton University and a certified member of the Association for Operations Management.

Operations Manager Job Descriptions

Operations Manager roles are available in virtually every business sector, but we have selected a few examples below to get you started with your own unique resume.

Examples

An Operations Manager in an Architectural Environment may:
  • Plan, coordinate and manage employees of the accounting, human resources, and marketing departments to ensure the on-time and on-budget successful completion of projects
  • Review all project drafts, drawings, and regulatory documents to provide a clear understanding of work scope and clarify potential issues
  • Ensure adequate staff allocation for project requirements
  • Conduct SWOT analysis per project and for the company as a whole to identify risks and leverage on opportunities
  • Developed comprehensive project plans with action items, milestones, and work schedules
  • Oversee the monitoring and inspections of completed projects
  • Provide top management with weekly progress updates and month-end reports
An Operations Manager in a Food Franchise Environment may:
  • Oversee franchise recruitment and development programs
  • Analyze and review operational workflow processes of franchising systems
  • Scrutinize all sales metrics and food production figures
  • Implement time-motion analysis mechanisms to improve quality
  • Evaluate efficiencies and introduce automated wrapping tools to enhance economies of scale
  • Approve training curriculums for new franchisees
  • Conduct financial, and quality audits once per quarter
  • Report to the executive team monthly regarding the performance metrics of all franchises
A Business Operations Manager in Property Management may:
  • Compile multiple property budgets exceeding 1 million dollars per month
  • Conduct weekly performance reviews with property managers and report these to executive management
  • Implement best practice process flow models within the sales and marketing departments
  • Oversee contract negotiation with new clients
  • Manage property inspection schedules and maintenance projects
  • Responsible for negotiations with insurance companies and maintenance contractors

Highlight Your Accomplishments

Under your accomplishment section, you may be tempted to copy and paste the list of duties you performed, but this approach will do little to make you stand out from the other applicants.

Creating an accomplishment section is fairly simple if you follow the process:

Step 1: Your goal is to think about what sets you apart, what you are most proud of? (Feature)

Step 2: What was the value generated to the company by your actions? For instance, did you save time, decrease expenses, increase turnover, boost productivity, or improve employee morale?

Step 2: Provide proof by quantifying your statements to reflect numbers, metrics, percentages, or dollar values:

Examples:

  • Implemented a lean manufacturing process which improved total production output and decreased equipment expenditure by 15% without sacrificing international quality ratings
  • Established temporary service-level agreements with local suppliers to increase Just In Time delivery frames by 33% during busy seasonal periods such as Christmas and Easter.
  • Introduced the Appreciation Languages at Work program to all franchisees in the group, which boosted employee morale and satisfaction levels, ultimately decreasing staff turnover by 35% in the last year.

Operations Manager Education Section & Examples

The education section forms an integral part of your resume as this shows prospective employers that you have a solid theoretical foundation to fall back on. Apart from post-school qualifications, professional memberships, continuous professional development like workshops and courses can also be added.

Start with the commencement date and completion date for diplomas, associate degrees, and bachelor degrees. For courses, you can just list the date of completion. Next comes the full name of the qualification, then the full name of the institution and then the City or abbreviated State name.

Remember to include current qualifications you are in the process of completing.

Below is an example of an Operations Manager Resume’s education:

2019 Certified Manager (CM) designation, Institute of Certified Professional Managers, VA

2018 – Current Ph.D. in Business Administration, California University, CA

2016-2018 Masters in Business Administration, University of Indiana, Bloomington, IN

2014 – CSCP – Certified Supply Chain Professional, APICS, Chicago, IL

2013 – Six Sigma Black Belt Certification, American Association for Quality (ASQ), Milwaukee, WI

2012 – Member, Association for Operations Management (APICS), Chicago, IL

2009-2011 Bachelor of Science in Business Management, University of Arizona, AR

What to Write in the Skills Section

Although the operations management field requires specific technical skills, employers also look for other personality traits, called soft skills. These are the main types of skills that indicate to your fit as an operations manager who will add value, has adequate knowledge, sufficient work experience, and who will motivate and inspire teams.

Technical Skills Examples

  • Educational Attainment: A master’s degree is generally required to become an Operations Manager. The top suggested degrees are Business Management, Quality Management, Financial Management, and Logistics Management. If you are planning to progress to Director level or executive management, a Master’s in Business Administration is highly advisable
  • Technical Aptitude: Operations Managers need to be process orientated to create operational plans, streamline business processes and establish quality control protocols, They also require expertise in a wide array of business activities such as Financial Management, Manufacturing, Marketing, Sales, Hiring, Strategic Planning, Project Management, Logistics, Distribution, and Customer Relations
  • Managerial Ability: Operations Managers are challenged continuously by the variable flow of business cycles. Therefore, strong leadership skills are a must to motivate employees, drive innovation, and spearhead product excellence.
  • Other Technical Skills: Lean Thinking, Supply Chain Management, Inventory Reduction. Cost Cutting, Quality Control, Revenue Generation, Budgets, Strategic Marketing, Research, Analytics, Report Writing, Process Implementation, Budgets, Performance Tracking, Enterprise Resource Planning, Product Lifecycle Management, Strategy Development

Operations Manager Soft Skills

  • Leadership
  • Communication
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Listening
  • Delegation
  • Problem-Solving
  • Collaboration
  • Critical Thinking
  • Decision-Making
  • Psychology
  • Detail Oriented
  • Time Management
  • Attention to Detail
  • Integrity
  • Initiative
  • Empathy
  • Self-Control
  • Persuasion
  • Persistence
  • Social Perceptiveness
  • Service Orientation
  • Strategic Thinking
  • Creative
  • Dedicated
  • Realistic
  • Coaching
  • Objective
  • Team Work
  • Authoritative
  • Conflict Management
  • Business Negotiation
  • Organization
  • Deadline-Oriented
  • Stress Tolerance

Qualifications/Certifications associated with Operations Managers

Certified Manager (CM) or Certified Supervisor (CS)International Masters in Business AdministrationMaster of Science Degree in Managerial Leadership
Financial Management CertificateAdvanced Management Strategy CertificateAssociate Degree in Business Management
Bachelor’s in Operations Management & AnalysisBachelor’s in Human Resources ManagementBS in Business Studies – Operations & Project Management
CDL Class AOSHA 30PMP – Project Management Professional
ServSafeSix Sigma – Black BeltCSCP – Certified Supply Chain Professional
Project Management DiplomaLabor Relations CertificateBachelor’s Degree in Organizational Management

Action Verbs for your Operations Manager Resume

CoordinatingCoachingMonitoring
DrivingInitiatingIntroducing
ControllingProblem SolvingImproving
MentoringTrainingNegotiating
ReviewingPerceivingImplementing
LeadingListeningCommunicating

Professional information of Operations Managers

Sectors: Various
Career Type: Operations, Business Management, People Management, Process Management,
Person type: Leader, Motivator, Implementer, Reviewer, Planner
Education levels: Bachelor’s Degree and upwards
Salary indication: From $83,881 and $112,707 depending on experience and company size (*Salary.com)
Labor market: Estimated 9% from 2016 – 2026 dependent on the industry category (*bls.com)
Organizations: Small, Medium, Corporate, Fortune 500, Government, Multinational, NPO

Download Operations Manager Resumes

Operations Manager Resume

Resume – Operations Manager (0).PDF

Operations Manager Resume

Resume – Operations Manager (1).PDF

Operations Manager Resume Example

Resume – Operations Manager (2).PDF

Operations Manager Resume

Resume – Operations Manager (3).PDF

Operations Manager Resume

Resume – Operations Manager (4).PDF

Operations Manager Resume

Resume – Operations Manager (5).PDF

Operations Manager Sample Resume

Resume – Operations Manager (6).PDF

Operations Manager Resume

Resume – Operations Manager (7).PDF

Operations Manager Resume

Resume – Operations Manager (8).PDF

Operations Manager Resume

Resume – Operations Manager (9).PDF

Sample Resume Operations Manager

Resume – Operations Manager (10).PDF

Sample Resume Operations Manager

Resume – Operations Manager (11).PDF