Operations Careers

Operations Job Duties

In some organizations, joining at the operations level will give you responsibilities that may overlap those of chief executive officers. Depending upon the depth and breadth of the position, in general, operations professionals should have knowledge of the following:

• Administration and Management — Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
• Customer and Personal Service — Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
• Personnel and Human Resources — Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
• Economics and Accounting — Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
• Mathematics — Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

• Computers and Electronics — Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
• English Language — Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Clerical — Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
• Sales and Marketing — Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
• Production and Processing — Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

Operations Skills

Do you have a passion for people and processes? Then this could be the job for you.

• You must be able to see the big picture as well as the finer details, as your work is across the spectrum. You will deal in small daily matters, as well as larger aims and setting goals. A systematic organized approach to work is vital.
• Brilliant communication and interpersonal skills, for dealing with many types of people at all levels in a direct diplomatic way, are essential. An understanding of customer/client requirements is also necessary.
• You should be proficient in business planning software, in order to allow you to build financial projections, charts and reports in a short period of time.

• Strong leadership skills, including effective time management, prioritizing and delegation, are required. You must be able to lead, coach, inspire, support and motivate your team, and always seeking to improve best practice.
• Having natural creative flair and being full of ideas and energy to introduce new concepts and innovations would also be advantageous. A clean driving license is sometimes preferred.