Operations manager – tasks

Your tasks as an operations manager 

Operations management includes a huge number of responsibilities and is present in virtually every sector, since operations managers are needed in many different types of companies. The tasks in operations management are very diverse and highly industry-dependent, which is why it's difficult to give a general job description. 

A common operations management job description is: 

Operations managers are responsible for planning, controlling, monitoring and optimising processes and business procedures within a company. Operations managers work to ensure operations run smoothly, optimise processes and increase profitability. The prerequisites for operations manager jobs include strong organisational and analytical skills as well as communication and leadership skills.

If you're thinking about embarking on a career path as an operations manager, you should first take a look at the different industries you can work in. Your area of responsibility depends largely on whether you work in a manufacturing company, a logistics company or the hotel and catering industry.

Operations manager tasks in manufacturing companies

In industrial and manufacturing companies, operations management tasks are strongly process-related. As an operations manager, you work to identify weak points in production, optimise production processes, control machine utilisation and monitor quality.

Other operations manager tasks include: 

• Collecting, analysing and evaluating process data from production 
• Identifying weaknesses and defining improvement measures 
• Applying measures to increase efficiency (e.g. lean manufacturing) 
• Managing strategic capacity utilisation in production 
• Avoiding bottlenecks through coordination with supply chain management 
• KPI-based reporting and regular communication with management 
• Optimising the value chain at all levels 

Operations manager tasks in logistics companies 

Unlike in manufacturing companies, the focus of your work as an operations manager in logistics is on the flow of goods. The typical tasks of a logistics operations manager include: 

• Controlling and optimising logistical processes 
• Monitoring overall flows of goods with regard to timely deliveries 
• Negotiating with external logistics companies 
• Coordinating quality control for incoming and outgoing goods 
• Using logistics tools to monitor delivery times, quality and customer satisfaction 
• Developing logistics strategies to reduce environmental impact 

Requirements for an operations manager job 

Operations managers are organisational wizards who need to know the ins and outs of their company's production or logistics processes and be able to evaluate them from a business and technical point of view. The most important skills you'll need as an operations manager include: 

• Technical or business-related degree or relevant vocational training 
• Ideally experience in manufacturing or logistics companies, or in controlling 
• Confidence with IT tools 
• Analytical skills and a focus on key figures 
• Communication skills and confidence in dealing with suppliers, service providers and customers 
• Structured way of working and an eye for detail