• Operations Manager

Operations Manager

Working nine til five, what a way to make a living!  Ms. Dolly Parton knew those office hours although probably never worked them herself!  However, if you fancy a challenging office-based career, please, do read on...

What exactly is Operations Management?  I've found breaking the title down to be the best method of working this complex career out.  Operations based within an organisation is concerned with functional departments i.e. accounts and human resources (HR) whereas management means to manage basically: plan and control.  Combine the two and you've got an Operations Manager concerned with performance improvement and operations strategy! 

Sounds all very tactical doesn't it?  The fact is though, that to be an Operations Manager you have to be interested in:

• Improving old methods
• Finding solutions
• Decision making

If you're interested in becoming an Operations Manager you'll have to be ripe and ready to deal with people at all levels.  It's a busy role and you'll be kept on your feet as you will be meeting new people every day - good communication and interpersonal skills are a must! 

So, if you're good with the public then see http://www.adamsmithcollege.ac.uk/governance/institutionalstructure/02/default.aspx for a list of Business courses.  There are lots of management courses out there and it's all about choosing the right course to suit you.  A good diploma or degree in Business or Admin and IT will help you towards gaining that ideal management role. 

Researching a bit into an Operations Manager's duties I found a similar role which is in growing demand at present - an Operational Researcher.  An Operational Researcher identifies and analyses problems and finds a solution to these problems.  To get into research, you usually need a good honours degree and preferably experience in the industry.  You should also have good negotiating skills as you will have to convince other people that the methods you are introducing are nothing but the best! 

A way in which to train as a Operational Researcher is to gain experience on-the-job with an employer and thankfully many employers run a graduate training programme.  The Operational Research Society provides a wide range of training courses.  So, if you are confident in your methods and can put forward a strong argument to support your solutions then go pour yourself a cup of ambition and check out http://www.orsoc.org.uk/orshop/(cr1ip1ejc0xjcv45kdarms45)/orhomepage2.aspx for more info.