Operations managers keep the company running. They manage all day-to-day activities and allow CEO’s and business owners to keep their eye on the big picture.

Because of operations managers, the company is able to focus attention in two areas at the same time: operations and future plans. While the job description for an operations manager differs by industry, some responsibilities remain the same. Other than managing daily tasks, they assess and supervise performance, take control of the inventory and manage personnel.

Operations managers – Inventory control

There is a lot of input and output in organizations. Materials, labor, products or services are coming and going at any given time, and if not managed properly, it can be total chaos. For this reason, an operations manager is needed to make sure everything is in order.

They focus entirely on managing raw materials and people, buying supplies, and overseeing inventory. Because they are familiar with the complete process of turning input into a product or service, they can use contextual knowledge to resolve hiccups along the way.

Operations managers – Personnel management

People are the biggest asset of any business. While hiring, firing and paying them is exclusively under the domain of the human resources department, their tasks and activity are directly managed by an operations manager.

They identify personnel needs of the organization and communicate their specifications to HR. During the hiring process, they are very much involved in selecting the final candidate. And after the applicant becomes an employee, training, assessments and staff development is overseen by the operations manager.

Operations managers – Administrative activities

Operations managers provide support to other managers and executives in the organization. They coordinate meetings and work schedules of the production staff to maximize efficiency. Furthermore, operations managers assess and create reports of changes in the workplace and performance. Through communication with other departments, they contribute to a steady workflow in the organization by sharing their assessments.