What does an assistant director of operations do?
An assistant director of operations is responsible for overseeing the effectiveness of the department's operational processes, ensuring that the policies provide the highest customer satisfaction and outputs. Assistant directors of operations strategize goals and objectives to reach departmental targets according to business functions and requirements. They also identify training opportunities and programs to increase the productivity and efficiency of the staff. An assistant director of operations monitors the cost and expenses report, allocates resources, and develop business plans that would increase revenues for the business.
Assistant director of operations responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real assistant director of operations resumes:
- Supervise and manage the deployment and redeployment of assign forces and equipment.
- Provide leadership to manufacturing organization by aligning overall KPIs to achieve near term and long term business objectives.
- Provide daily oversight of the college fiscal and administrative business operations ensuring compliance with federal/state/university guidelines.
- Create and maintain payroll budget through cost-effective operating procedures.
- Process audit information/donations, update payroll information, revise employee handbook
- Devise training and inspection methodologies in concert with DoD for modeling/simulation and exercise programs.
- Direct system re-architecture; enhancing DoD and commercial sector use of e-commerce and e-business.
- Provide daily supervision of operations and program oversight, relate to foster care and adoption service provisions.
- Leverage extensive technical subject matter expertise to evaluate and improve image quality; develop models to demonstrate improvements in establish KPIs.
- Develop, plan and direct intelligence analysis, surveillance and reconnaissance operations.
- Command first-ever overseas deployment for task force reconnaissance command and control element.
- Organize the collection of monthly payments and maintain accounts receivable/accounts payable and process evictions.
Assistant director of operations skills and personality traits
We calculated that 17% of Assistant Directors Of Operations are proficient in Customer Service, Patients, and Oversight. They’re also known for soft skills such as Communication skills, Leadership skills, and Management skills.
We break down the percentage of Assistant Directors Of Operations that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Customer Service, 17%
Developed and recommended a customer service action plan based on best practices and performance-based management principles to improve service levels.
- Patients, 11%
Performed assessments on new patients to determine necessity and qualification for non emergency stretcher transport.
- Oversight, 10%
Provided daily supervision of operations and program oversight, related to foster care and adoption service provisions.
- Human Resources, 7%
Managed Human Resources and administrative departments to ensure compliance with directives on personnel evaluations, awards, and financial documentation.
- Project Management, 6%
Demonstrated stellar project management skills in leading a variety of special distribution initiatives, resulting in promotion to Assistant Director.
- Direct Supervision, 6%
Directed the business development division including direct supervision of employees, software evaluation and program development.
Most assistant directors of operations use their skills in "customer service," "patients," and "oversight" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential assistant director of operations responsibilities here:
Communication skills. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for an assistant director of operations to have is communication skills. Their role and responsibilities require that "top executives must be able to convey information clearly and persuasively." Assistant directors of operations often use communication skills in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "implement staff, employee and facility training programs, coordinate and develop communication plans and documented guidelines/manuals. "
Leadership skills. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling assistant director of operations duties is leadership skills. The role rewards competence in this skill because "top executives must be able to shape and direct an organization by coordinating policies, people, and resources." According to an assistant director of operations resume, here's how assistant directors of operations can utilize leadership skills in their job responsibilities: "provided leadership and program oversight for four separate helicopter operations locations, comprising 25 helicopters and 120 military personnel. "
Problem-solving skills. A big part of what assistant directors of operations do relies on "problem-solving skills." You can see how essential it is to assistant director of operations responsibilities because "top executives need to identify and resolve issues within an organization." Here's an example of how this skill is used from a resume that represents typical assistant director of operations tasks: "implemented a standard data collection methodology solution reducing risk, error, and increased collection time. "
Time-management skills. Another common skill required for assistant director of operations responsibilities is "time-management skills." This skill comes up in the duties of assistant directors of operations all the time, as "top executives do many tasks concurrently to ensure that their work gets done and that the organization meets its goals." An excerpt from a real assistant director of operations resume shows how this skill is central to what an assistant director of operations does: "meet deadlines for billing and payroll purposes. "
The three companies that hire the most assistant director of operationss are:
- Compass Group USA17 assistant directors of operations jobs
- C&S Wholesale Grocers12 assistant directors of operations jobs
- Hyatt Hotels7 assistant directors of operations jobs
Choose from 10+ customizable assistant director of operations resume templates
Build a professional assistant director of operations resume in minutes. Our AI resume writing assistant will guide you through every step of the process, and you can choose from 10+ resume templates to create your assistant director of operations resume.
Compare different assistant directors of operations
Assistant director of operations vs. Operations vice president
The responsibilities of an operations vice president will revolve around overseeing business operations and ensuring workforce and workflow efficiency through evaluations and providing strategic plans that would drive the company to meet its vision and mission. An operations vice president, in adherence to the company policies and regulations, also has the power to hire and train employees, even to execute disciplinary actions such as termination or suspension when necessary. Furthermore, an operations vice president also has discretion in reviewing and approving reports and requirements in various aspects such as budgeting and new policies.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, assistant director of operations responsibilities require skills like "patients," "direct supervision," "professional development," and "facility management." Meanwhile a typical operations vice president has skills in areas such as "continuous improvement," "risk management," "logistics," and "regulatory compliance." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
Operations vice presidents really shine in the hospitality industry with an average salary of $167,073. Comparatively, assistant directors of operations tend to make the most money in the government industry with an average salary of $80,936.The education levels that operations vice presidents earn slightly differ from assistant directors of operations. In particular, operations vice presidents are 0.7% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than an assistant director of operations. Additionally, they're 0.6% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Assistant director of operations vs. Operations director
Operations directors oversee all company operations. They have the power to set the direction, change the course of the organization, and reform strategies to ensure efficiency in how the company operates. Operations directors manage business operations effectively by constantly analyzing company data and by anticipating any challenge that may come their way. As such, they make sound business decisions and recommendations that will help strengthen the organization. Operations directors oversee finances, quality control, and even human resources. They ensure that all aspects of the business are considered in making business operations decisions.
In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, assistant director of operations responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "direct supervision," "professional development," "facility management," and "powerpoint." Meanwhile, an operations director has duties that require skills in areas such as "continuous improvement," "logistics," "financial management," and "customer satisfaction." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.
On average, operations directors earn a higher salary than assistant directors of operations. Some industries support higher salaries in each profession. Interestingly enough, operations directors earn the most pay in the finance industry with an average salary of $120,460. Whereas assistant directors of operations have higher pay in the government industry, with an average salary of $80,936.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Operations directors tend to reach similar levels of education than assistant directors of operations. In fact, they're 0.1% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.6% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Assistant directors of operations in the next 3-5 years?
Eric Olsen
Professor, Industrial Technology and Packaging, Orfalea College of Business
Assistant director of operations vs. Operations manager
Operations managers are in charge of running the main business of the organization. They ensure that the business is running smoothly from an operations standpoint. They make sure that the processes in place produce the necessary output by implementing quality control measures. They also manage finances and ensure that there is enough budget to keep the operations of the business running. They also ensure that the production of goods or services is cost-efficient. Operations managers also handle people-related concerns. They are responsible for interviewing candidates, choosing the ones to hire, and ensuring that individuals assigned to operations are properly trained.
The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, assistant directors of operations are more likely to have skills like "patients," "direct supervision," "professional development," and "facility management." But a operations manager is more likely to have skills like "logistics," "continuous improvement," "customer satisfaction," and "iso."
Operations managers earn the highest salary when working in the technology industry, where they receive an average salary of $96,779. Comparatively, assistant directors of operations have the highest earning potential in the government industry, with an average salary of $80,936.When it comes to education, operations managers tend to earn lower degree levels compared to assistant directors of operations. In fact, they're 5.5% less likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.4% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Assistant director of operations vs. Operations officer
An operations officer is responsible for monitoring the staff performance, ensuring the efficiency of their tasks to support the project needs with maximum productivity, and strict compliance with the company's operational policies. Operations officers manage the department's budget, proper allocation of resources, and keeping the operational costs within the budget goals. They also conduct performance reviews, develop strategic procedures for the project's success, and handling the clients' inquiries and concerns. An operations officer must have excellent communication and leadership skills, focusing on client satisfaction while providing the best managerial support for the staff.
Types of assistant director of operations
Updated January 8, 2025
