Anyone who wants to become an operations manager will need financial, technical and organizational skills. They must be familiar with quality guidelines, safety standards, employment laws, strategic planning and production business processes. Below is a step-by-step guide of how to become an operations manager.
Get a Bachelor’s Degree in Management
Some operations managers earn their position by working their way up through the company ranks. While this will allow them to accumulate the right skills and experience for their career, the best way to become an operations management is to get a degree related to business administration or organizational leadership. A Bachelor’s of Science in Management teaches students how to apply theories and best practices in diverse business environments to achieve operational objectives.
These programs teach students how to apply continuous improvement practices for achieving sustainable systems and solutions. Students will learn how to leverage quantitative tools and qualitative techniques for solving process, product and procedure problems. Management degrees will explore the internal and external factors that influence operational sustainability, competitive advantages and leadership decision making. Students will learn how to make decisions that create value, minimize risks, meet client requirements, promote accountability and increase organizational effectiveness and sustainability.
Get a Master’s Degree in Operational Management
Most bachelor’s degrees focus on general management, so a master’s degree in operational management is the best way to increase job market competitiveness. Classes on production operations will explore the supervisory processes and technical systems used for the creation of goods and services. Students will learn the industry standard concepts and techniques used in manufacturing organizations. Strategic management classes offer an interdisciplinary approach to problem solving that includes strategic analysis, planning, implementation, evaluation and control. Case studies use examples of successful and unsuccessful business ventures and corporation initiatives.
Studying human resources administration provides students with the interaction and observation skills needed to understand, discipline, manage, motivate and develop talent. Students learn about leadership conflicts, group dynamics, organizational development and transformational management. Classes on business systems design provide participants with the IT education required to understand, adjust and improve information systems in business organizations. Students will compare information collection concepts, limitations and methodologies used in manufacturing settings.
Work as an Operations Supervisor
An operations supervisor will plan daily daily and weekly activities, schedules and workloads. They must ensure a safe, clean and fair work environment for employees. They will deliver orientation to new hires, training to struggling employees and performance reviews for regular employees. They must continually work with hourly employees to ensure high levels of quality and production as well as low levels of turnover and accidents.
Operations supervisors must ensure that employees have access to the necessary tools and personal protective equipment (PPE) to properly and safely perform their assigned duties. Part of their duties involve process improvement activities like action planning, quality inspections, client feedback and assignment follow-up. They organize and lead production teams that focus on process benchmarking and streamlining. They must collaborate with other work sites to share safety, labor supervision and best practice ideas and initiatives.
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Those who want to become an operations manager with a bachelor’s degree in management may pursue careers as plant managers, production planners, quality analysts and inventory control supervisors. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, they may also work as materials, distribution, production, purchasing, warehouse and supply chain managers.