How to hire a business operations associate

How to hire a business operations associate, step by step

Here's a step-by-step business operations associate hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a business operations associate job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new business operations associate
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a business operations associate do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a business operations associate, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A business operations associate's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, business operations associates from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list shows salaries for various types of business operations associates.

   Type of Business Operations Associate	Description	Hourly rate
   Business Operations Associate		$28-64
   Principal Consultant	A principal consultant is responsible for evaluating business' needs and opportunities, identifying potential leads to create project proposals, and maintaining strong business relationships that would generate revenues and increase the organization's profitability. Principal consultants must be up-to-date with the current market trends to ensure that the business adapts to the industry's changes... Show more	$43-72
   Contractor/Consultant	A contractor is a self-employed businessperson who agrees to work for a fixed price. His/her job involves the evaluation of clients' needs and actual performance of work... Show more	$27-59

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Business Operations
   • Customer Service
   • SQL
   • Project Management
   • PowerPoint
   • Data Analysis
   • Strong Analytical
   • Process Improvement
   • Customer Accounts
   • Business Development
   • Financial Data
   • Support Liaison
   • Conflict Resolution
   • Client Billing

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage data integrity of CRM contacts, opportunities, sales territories, custom objects, reports, dashboards.
   • Develop, implement and manage commission payroll for all associates within the telemarketing department.
   • Research customer payments on a daily basis using PeopleSoft.
   • Identify documented and work with developer to resolve test defects using SQL.
   • Perform weekly audits and client requests to ensure accurate billing and correct PeopleSoft information.
   • Champion the roll-out and adoption of business process redesign, and sales and CRM tools.

   More business operations associate duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your business operations associate job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A business operations associate can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, business operations associates' average salary in florida is 47% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level business operations associates 55% less than senior-level business operations associates.
   • Certifications. A business operations associate with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a business operations associate's salary.

   Average business operations associate salary

   $90,667yearly

   $43.59 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level business operations associate salary

   $60,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 23, 2026

   Average business operations associate salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$119,599	$58
   2	New York	$101,370	$49
   3	Pennsylvania	$96,668	$46
   4	Delaware	$86,390	$42
   5	Washington	$86,344	$42
   6	Massachusetts	$82,942	$40
   7	Rhode Island	$80,743	$39
   8	Illinois	$80,356	$39
   9	Maryland	$77,098	$37
   10	Arizona	$74,675	$36
   11	Texas	$68,602	$33
   12	Missouri	$67,820	$33
   13	North Carolina	$65,801	$32
   14	Colorado	$64,689	$31
   15	Georgia	$61,821	$30
   16	Florida	$58,339	$28

   Average business operations associate salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Meta	$119,619	$57.51	119
   2	Coinbase	$117,999	$56.73	162
   3	Google	$114,975	$55.28	77
   4	Square	$113,266	$54.45
   5	MongoDB	$106,938	$51.41	1
   6	Better	$105,730	$50.83	2
   7	Chegg	$105,587	$50.76
   8	NerdWallet	$103,626	$49.82	2
   9	Morgan Stanley	$103,169	$49.60	39
   10	BrightEdge	$102,807	$49.43
   11	Unity Technologies	$101,544	$48.82
   12	OCC	$101,511	$48.80
   13	Robinhood	$101,087	$48.60	1
   14	Citi	$99,418	$47.80	16
   15	Goldman Sachs	$98,424	$47.32	26
   16	In-Q-Tel	$98,031	$47.13
   17	Lucid Motors	$96,559	$46.42	11
   18	Tesla	$95,736	$46.03	11
   19	ZS	$95,577	$45.95	3
   20	Microsoft	$95,389	$45.86	18

4. Writing a business operations associate job description

   A good business operations associate job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a business operations associate job description:

   Business operations associate job description example

   Yearly Marketers spend over hundreds of billions on creating digital marketing content. This content means nothing if it can't be found online. At BrightEdge, we help companies connect their customers to the content that matters to them - transforming their business and driving more revenue.
   
   BrightEdge is widely recognized as a global leader in enterprise Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Digital Marketing. BrightEdge has thoroughly redefined the concept of SEO by developing an award-winning platform that precisely measures and optimizes marketing content in real-time across online channels.
   
   The continuous innovation of our product is supported by what we believe to be our most valuable assets: our people. Our employees are industry experts at the forefront of digital transformation. Come join us and help us share the future of SEO.
   Your Future at BrightEdge
   Do you want to work with some of the most innovative brands? Customers across more than 80 countries and all industries trust BrightEdge to modernize their digital marketing stack for today's transforming world. We're looking for our next teammate, a sales operations pro who loves to tell insightful stories through data.
   What We're Looking ForPartner with leadership and facilitate key operational meetings Analyze trends and pull insights from datasets and weekly meeting reports Help management achieve their functional goals and targets by providing key insights and performance indicators Provide weekly executive reports and track performance Optimize processes through CRM
   What this Job InvolvesBachelor's Degree0-2 years of relevant professional experience Commitment to delivering results Experience managing multiple tasks and priorities Excellent communication and collaboration skills Experience using MS Excel to analyze datasets Ability to break down, re-prioritize, and delegate complex tasks Excellent Presentation Skills utilizing PowerPoint and/or other software tools Attention to detail Execution oriented Confidence working under pressure in a fast-paced environment Unrelenting drive to succeed
   Benefits Tailored to YouPTOMedical PPO or HMO, Dental, and Vision Insurance 401K and Financial PlanningTeam networking and social events Friday LunchesStocked Kitchens
   About BrightEdge
   
   BrightEdge is widely recognized as a global leader in SEO and Digital marketing. The most innovative customers across more than 80 countries trust BrightEdge to modernize their Digital Marketing stack for today's digital world. We are helping thousands of organizations, including many of the world's largest companies, transform their businesses and drive more revenue.
   
   The continuous innovation of our product is supported by what we believe to be our most valuable assets: our people. Our employees are industry experts at the forefront of digital transformation. Come join us and help us share the future of SEO.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find business operations associates for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any business operations associates they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level business operations associates with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your business operations associate job on Zippia to find and recruit business operations associate candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with business operations associate candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new business operations associate

   Once you've found the business operations associate candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a business operations associate?