How To Become A Director Global Operations: What It Is and Career Path

What is a director global operations and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

A director of global operations oversees and directs the international activities of their company. That said, a significant part of an organization's success rides on the director of global operation's shoulders, particularly, their skills as a leader, strategist, and motivator.

The typical duties of a director or global operations involve developing strategies for international operations, implementing best practices for optimal company performance, monitoring the progress of global activities, and scoping out new business opportunities for the company. Moreover, they delegate tasks to subordinate managers and serve as the main decision-maker when it comes to international company matters.

Directors of global operations usually have a college education in business, finance, management, and other relevant fields. They also have years, if not decades, of experience that will allow them to know their company and industry from the inside and out. Moreover, they possess excellent skills in leadership, communication, organization, and client relations, among other business abilities.

As a crucial pillar of the company, a director of global operations makes around $139,000 per year, on average.

ScoreDirector Global OperationsUS Average

Salary

8.1

Avg. Salary $119,436

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 6.37%

Black or African American 6.19%

Hispanic or Latino 15.22%

Unknown 4.34%

White 67.41%

Gender

female 23.50%

male 76.50%

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 a director global operations

Explore director global operations education requirements

Most common director global operations degrees

Bachelor's

70.0 %

Master's

19.9 %

Associate

7.0 %

Start to develop specific director global operations skills

Skills	Percentages
Oversight	9.81%
Customer Service	8.83%
Project Management	7.14%
Global Operations	5.61%
Continuous Improvement	5.15%

Complete relevant director global operations training and internships

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

Research director global operations duties and responsibilities

Manage outsourced operations and develop reporting oversight.
Identify regulatory risk for Mexico technology requirements and lead in-flight RFP for new provider to meet government digital certification requirements.
Implement best practices and metrics to centrally capture, monitor and improve customer experience within the CRM platform.
Develop global CRM migration strategy.

Get director global operations experience

Generally, it takes 4-6 years to become a director global operations. The most common roles before becoming a director global operations include director, manager team lead and operations director.

Prepare your director global operations resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your director global 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 director global 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 director global operations resume templates

Build a professional director global 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 director global operations resume.

Apply for director global operations jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a director global operations 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 did you land your first director global operations job

Bryan Higgs

Director Global Operations

I am an aspiring leader with a passion for driving organizational efficiency and fostering growth. I have navigated the complexities of supply chain operations with determination, honing my skills in logistics, procurement, and regulatory compliance while working at companies like Datascan, Vivify Health, and UnitedHealth Group.
As a pioneer in remote consulting, I have become a subject matter expert in optimizing operations across international distribution centers. In addition to this, I have embraced entrepreneurship and thrived in diverse landscapes, from hosting RV rentals to providing online cycling recommendations.
Today, I am currently searching for a role as a Director of Operations, and I am confident in my abilities to lead and inspire others to reach new heights of success. My journey exemplifies the power of resilience, innovation, and visionary leadership.

How do directors global operations rate their job?

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Director global operations reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Jun 2022

Cons

I am responsible for everything be it any side of the business