How do I start a career in operations management?

To start a career in operations management, a person should pursue a bachelor's degree in business administration or a related field. While a student in college, a person should pursue an internship and experience in business and office environments.

How much should an operations manager be paid?

An operations manager should be paid $85,660 or higher. However, differences in pay rates can range from as high as $180,000 to as low as $50,000. The big discrepancy in salaries results from the differences in the operations manager's type of role from one industry to another.

Is an operations manager higher than an area manager?

Yes, an operations manager is higher than an area manager. Operations managers oversee the overall functioning of business processes, which includes a team of area managers.

What qualifications do you need to be an operations manager?

The qualifications needed for being an operations manager are a bachelor's degree and having prior experience in a management or leadership position. A deep understanding of financial management is also a plus.

How To Become An Area Operations Manager: What It Is and Career Path

What is an area operations manager and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted expert

Eric Olsen

An area operations manager is responsible for the oversight of the various processes and operations of a busineness. It is their primary goal to make sure that all is working as smoothly and efficiently as possible.

Their full responsibilities may vary from one position to the next, but they are generally supposed to support sales efforts and garnering of consumers and users, identify issues and other opportunities for improvement of efficiency and quality, develop strategies to reach goals, make sure that all work done complies with OSHA regulations, monitor and train employees, help with the creation, alteration, and enforcement of their departments's policies, processes, and goals, and generally manage budgets, schedules, and employees.

There is no generally agreed upon set of qualifications for an area operations manager, the job can vary quite a bit. Certain roles might need college-level education in subjects such as engineering or operations, while others may only require a high school degree or a GED. Area operations managers should have good management and interpersonal skills and computer literacy. On average, an area operations manager earns $59,709 a year.

What general advice would you give to an area operations manager?

Eric Olsen

Professor, Industrial Technology and Packaging, Orfalea College of Business

Times of change are also times of great opportunities. We are going to need new technical solutions to address problems we are just learning about. You have to lean into the issues. Don't be a technologist - be a problem solver. That is why we also emphasize soft skills like lean six sigma, teamwork, and change management.

ScoreArea Operations ManagerUS Average

Salary

3.8

Avg. Salary $49,256

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

9.6

Growth rate 6%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

3.5

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.47%

Asian 6.40%

Black or African American 6.22%

Hispanic or Latino 15.34%

Unknown 4.34%

White 67.22%

Gender

female 24.96%

male 75.04%

Age - 44

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 44

Stress level

9.6

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

9.2

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

3.6

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become an area operations manager

Explore area operations manager education requirements

Most common area operations manager degrees

Bachelor's

65.6 %

Associate

15.8 %

Master's

10.2 %

Start to develop specific area operations manager skills

Skills	Percentages
Logistics	15.16%
Customer Service	14.97%
Process Improvement	12.74%
Direct Reports	5.31%
OSHA	5.15%

Complete relevant area operations manager training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New area operations managers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an area operations manager based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real area operations manager resumes.

Gain additional area operations manager certifications

Area operations manager certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific area operations manager certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for area operations managers include Six Sigma Green Belt and OSHA Safety Certificate .

More About Certifications

Research area operations manager duties and responsibilities

Manage operational budget including payroll, operating, and capital expenses, and analyze financial reports.
Manage relationships, performance expectations, and equipment logistics with subcontractors, without compromising co-employment contractual obligations.
Finance and billing accountability across Medicaid, manage care commercial insurance, insurance verification, contract management, and benefits administration.
Task with putting together a team that successfully implement and pass ISO 14001 and ISO 18001 audit.

Prepare your area operations manager resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your area operations manager resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an area operations manager resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable area operations manager resume templates

Build a professional area operations manager resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your area operations manager resume.

Apply for area operations manager jobs

Now it's time to start searching for an area operations manager job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do area operations managers rate their job?

-/5

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Area operations manager reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Dec 2019

Cons

Operations never stops, its always up and running and you have to be available at any time

A zippia user wrote a review on Sep 2019

Pros

I love being able to mold my team and the distribution center to the culture of respect and accountability! Having senior and executive leadership support is a huge positive factor in making this happen!!