Operations manager vs operations director

The differences between operations managers and operations directors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both an operations manager and an operations director. Additionally, an operations director has an average salary of $104,050, which is higher than the $76,894 average annual salary of an operations manager.

The top three skills for an operations manager include customer service, logistics and continuous improvement. The most important skills for an operations director are customer service, continuous improvement, and oversight.

Operations manager vs operations director overview

	Operations Manager	Operations Director
Yearly salary	$76,894	$104,050
Hourly rate	$36.97	$50.02
Growth rate	6%	6%
Number of jobs	343,868	114,993
Job satisfaction	5	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 62%	Bachelor's Degree, 67%
Average age	44	44
Years of experience	6	6

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.

What does an operations director do?

Operations directors oversee all company operations. They have the power to set the direction, change the course of the organization, and reform strategies to ensure efficiency in how the company operates. Operations directors manage business operations effectively by constantly analyzing company data and by anticipating any challenge that may come their way. As such, they make sound business decisions and recommendations that will help strengthen the organization. Operations directors oversee finances, quality control, and even human resources. They ensure that all aspects of the business are considered in making business operations decisions.

Operations manager vs operations director salary

Operations managers and operations directors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Operations Manager	Operations Director
Average salary	$76,894	$104,050
Salary range	Between $47,000 And $123,000	Between $65,000 And $164,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	Delaware	California
Best paying company	McKinsey & Company Inc	Airbnb
Best paying industry	Technology	Finance

Differences between operations manager and operations director education

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

	Operations Manager	Operations Director
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 62%	Bachelor's Degree, 67%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Operations manager vs operations director demographics

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

	Operations Manager	Operations Director
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 69.4% Female, 30.6%	Male, 70.6% Female, 29.4%
Race ratio	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%	Black or African American, 6.1% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 14.9% Asian, 6.3% White, 67.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	10%	10%

Differences between operations manager and operations director duties and responsibilities

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.

Operations director example responsibilities.

Manage KPI reports from all warranty companies to ensure increasing sales and productivity.
Spearhead governance, security and compliance initiatives to achieve SOX and PCI compliance.
Manage a PMO style team to implement any changes across the global contact centers.
Develop all marketing strategies and materials as well as personally managing key OEM and national accounts.
Manage multiple vendor relationships for RFP development and review, contract negotiation, contract terms management, and accounts payable review.
Provide leadership to manufacturing organization by aligning overall KPIs to achieve near term and long term business objectives.

Operations manager vs operations director skills

Common operations manager skills

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

Common operations director skills

Customer Service, 12%
Continuous Improvement, 7%
Oversight, 7%
Patients, 6%
Project Management, 5%
Human Resources, 4%

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Operations Manager vs Operations Director

Updated January 8, 2025

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