Director of plant operations vs operations manager

The differences between directors of plant operations and operations managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a director of plant operations and an operations manager. Additionally, a director of plant operations has an average salary of $118,735, which is higher than the $76,894 average annual salary of an operations manager.

The top three skills for a director of plant operations include plant operations, life safety and healthcare. The most important skills for an operations manager are customer service, logistics, and continuous improvement.

Director of plant operations vs operations manager overview

	Director Of Plant Operations	Operations Manager
Yearly salary	$118,735	$76,894
Hourly rate	$57.08	$36.97
Growth rate	6%	6%
Number of jobs	93,236	343,868
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 48%	Bachelor's Degree, 62%
Average age	44	44
Years of experience	6	6

What does a director of plant operations do?

A director of plant operations is responsible for monitoring daily production operations and manufacturing processes. Directors of plant operations manage the department's budgeting and allocation of resources to support business functions and product distribution. They also handle the adequacy of inventories, create purchase requests, and facilitating training and programs to maximize staff's productivity and efficiency. A director of plant operations must have excellent communication and organizational skills to track the operation's progress and minimize excessive loss.

What does an operations manager do?

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.

Director of plant operations vs operations manager salary

Directors of plant operations and operations managers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Director Of Plant Operations	Operations Manager
Average salary	$118,735	$76,894
Salary range	Between $85,000 And $165,000	Between $47,000 And $123,000
Highest paying City	Fremont, CA	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	California	Delaware
Best paying company	BridgePoint Healthcare	McKinsey & Company Inc
Best paying industry	Manufacturing	Technology

Differences between director of plant operations and operations manager education

There are a few differences between a director of plant operations and an operations manager in terms of educational background:

	Director Of Plant Operations	Operations Manager
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 48%	Bachelor's Degree, 62%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Director of plant operations vs operations manager demographics

Here are the differences between directors of plant operations' and operations managers' demographics:

	Director Of Plant Operations	Operations Manager
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 96.8% Female, 3.2%	Male, 69.4% Female, 30.6%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 6.1% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.1% Asian, 6.3% White, 67.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%	Black or African American, 6.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.4% Asian, 6.4% White, 67.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	10%	10%

Differences between director of plant operations and operations manager duties and responsibilities

Director of plant operations example responsibilities.

Implement comprehensive ERP solution to manage inventory, customer relationships and financial applications.
Institute major testing and documentation as required by CMS and TJC.
Execute minor repairs in plumbing, drywall, tile flooring, medical equipment, kitchen equipment, HVAC systems, etc.
Update corporate policies and procedures for compliance with, JCAHO, ADA, NFPA, and other governmental regulations and requirements.
Oversee regulations with regulatory agencies including OSHA.
Project management and oversight of all facility construction and renovation projects.

Operations manager example responsibilities.

Manage and lead operations that include performance management, organizational development, employment compliance, employee relations, payroll management.
Manage 2HVAC system retrofit replacement teams.
Manage all invoices, A/P, A/R and other accounting duties.
Manage computer operation teams supporting propriety and DoD programs at the Lewisville site.
Manage 45 person division and day to day operations of scheduling, communications, A/R, A/P and customer care.
Manage the export booking and documentation department ensuring smooth on-time delivery.

Director of plant operations vs operations manager skills

Common director of plant operations skills

Plant Operations, 10%
Life Safety, 7%
Healthcare, 7%
OSHA, 7%
Patients, 5%
HVAC, 4%

Common operations manager skills

Customer Service, 23%
Logistics, 7%
Continuous Improvement, 6%
Payroll, 5%
Project Management, 4%
Process Improvement, 4%

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Director Of Plant Operations
Director Of Plant Operations vs Operations Manager

Updated January 8, 2025

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