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What is a deputy director of operations and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

Using their leadership and organizational skills, a deputy director of operations helps optimize the operations of their company or organization. They are in charge of developing, implementing, and monitoring various operational procedures to ensure efficiency and performance. Moreover, they conduct research and analysis to develop new strategies that will help the company's operations improve even further.

The main job responsibilities of a deputy director of operations usually involve conducting research, analyzing current business practices, developing operational strategies, and communicating with senior management. Furthermore, a big part of their role involves ensuring that the company operates in compliance with federal, state, and local laws.

A master's degree in business, management, or another relevant field is what many employers look for when hiring for this role. Apart from that, they also prioritize candidates with years of industry experience and a proven track record in developing and implementing operational strategies.

Considering the high level of requirements and critical job duties of this position, it comes as no surprise that a deputy director of operations earns an average of $110,000 a year or more.

ScoreDeputy Director Of OperationsUS Average
Salary
7.8

Avg. Salary $109,124

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 6.35%

Black or African American 6.17%

Hispanic or Latino 15.14%

Unknown 4.34%

White 67.53%

Gender

female 19.00%

male 81.00%

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

Deputy director of operations career paths

Key steps to become a deputy director of operations

  1. Explore deputy director of operations education requirements

    Most common deputy director of operations degrees

    Bachelor's

    62.7 %

    Master's

    23.8 %

    Associate

    8.5 %
  2. Start to develop specific deputy director of operations skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Human Resources15.29%
    Direct Oversight8.02%
    Direct Reports6.37%
    DOD6.16%
    Program Management5.68%
  3. Complete relevant deputy director of operations training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New deputy directors of operations 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 a deputy director of operations based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real deputy director of operations resumes.
  4. Research deputy director of operations duties and responsibilities

    • Manage portfolio of lean projects initiate to improve nuclear operations support mission inspections and establish executive council to provide oversight.
    • Leverage extensive technical subject matter expertise to evaluate and improve image quality; develop models to demonstrate improvements in establish KPIs.
    • Maintain and approve corporate Facebook page.
  5. Get deputy director of operations experience

    Generally, it takes 4-6 years to become a deputy director of operations. The most common roles before becoming a deputy director of operations include operations officer, deputy director team lead and executive officer.
  6. Prepare your deputy director of operations resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your deputy director of operations 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 a deputy director of operations resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable deputy director of operations resume templates

    Build a professional deputy director of operations 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 deputy director of operations resume.
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    Deputy Director Of Operations Resume
    Deputy Director Of Operations Resume
    Deputy Director Of Operations Resume
    Deputy Director Of Operations Resume
    Deputy Director Of Operations Resume
    Deputy Director Of Operations Resume
    Deputy Director Of Operations Resume
    Deputy Director Of Operations Resume
  7. Apply for deputy director of operations jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a deputy director of operations job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

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

How did you land your first deputy director of operations job

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Average deputy director of operations salary

The average deputy director of operations salary in the United States is $109,124 per year or $52 per hour. Deputy director of operations salaries range between $75,000 and $156,000 per year.

Average deputy director of operations salary
$109,124 Yearly
$52.46 hourly

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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