How To Become A Head Operator: What It Is and Career Path

What is a head operator and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted expert

Dr. Ben Littlepage

It is the head operator's responsibility to supervise all the operations in a company. At times, this may involve business development, inventory, and logistics. You will be in charge of the operations team and provide support for your organization's staff, among other responsibilities.

The head operator is also in charge of managing tasks, handling inventory, and overseeing the logistic departments. As a head operator, you will work to reduce business risks through the development and enforcement of security for the company's infrastructure. In addition, you are to make sure that the operation procedure and policies comply with both governmental and legal requirements. Head operators utilize performance indicators to identify and assess areas that can be improved.

The minimum educational requirement for this role is a bachelor's degree in a related field. The needed skills include project management, good communication, and leadership skills. In addition, you should be able an analytical thinker and be willing to work with a team. On average, head operators earn $96,424 averagely per year.

What general advice would you give to a head operator?

Dr. Ben Littlepage

Professor, Murray State University

I believe skills associated with organizational systems (e.g. procedures, processes) and hybridized management are essential for the field. Organizations (e.g. schools, institutions) will continue to be lean for a variety of reasons. The ability to achieve results by refining systems and maximizing resources cannot be understated. Hybrid work schedules and communication are not leaving education. Leaders that embrace hybridized technologies for assessment, employee satisfaction and development, and content delivery will remain competitive in the face of a private market looking to capitalize on laggard leaders.

ScoreHead OperatorUS Average

Salary

8.6

Avg. Salary $138,787

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 6.16%

Hispanic or Latino 15.13%

Unknown 4.33%

White 67.56%

Gender

female 21.36%

male 78.64%

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 head operator

Explore head operator education requirements

Most common head operator degrees

Bachelor's

58.9 %

Master's

17.0 %

Associate

8.6 %

Start to develop specific head operator skills

Skills	Percentages
Analytics	8.33%
Customer Service	7.07%
Project Management	6.99%
Oversight	6.79%
Continuous Improvement	6.17%

Complete relevant head operator training and internships

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

Gain additional head operator certifications

Head operator certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific head operator certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for head operators include Six Sigma Green Belt and Project Management Professional (PMP).

More About Certifications

Research head operator duties and responsibilities

Manage all social media outlets (Facebook.
Lead the road-map to SaaS offering and implement DevOps.
Manage technology build out of new office space and data center facilities for Americas.
Manage all purchase orders, inventory, A/P, A/R, payroll, and all credit card forms.

Prepare your head operator resume

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

Choose from 10+ customizable head operator resume templates

Build a professional head operator 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 head operator resume.