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What is an operations officer and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted Expert
Eric Olsen
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Also known as operations managers, operations officers prioritize and manage company resources in order to meet the organization's goals and objectives.

They provide support to all business departments, including administration, finance, and human resources, by ensuring operational activities are executed within budget and timelines, performing budget allocation and expense management for all business operational activities, and conducting regular operational reviews and audits for preventive maintenance.

Operations officers also set operational goals, guide staff in resolving issues, and ensure resource assignment, work allocation, training development, and performance assessments are completed in a timely manner.

In addition, they conduct regular meetings with staff to discuss operational updates, ideas, and issues, ensure customer complaints are handled accurately, develop and implement plans to improve operational effectiveness and efficiency, and provide excellent customer service in order to build and maintain strong relationships with customers.

Operations officers need customer service, interpersonal, leadership, organizational, time management, and communication skills. They also need bachelor's degrees in business administration, finance, or accounting.

People in this role typically earn roughly $23.98 an hour, which translates to $49,800 a year.

What general advice would you give to an Operations Officer?

Eric OlsenEric Olsen LinkedIn Profile

Professor, Industrial Technology and Packaging, Orfalea College of Business

Times of change are also times of great opportunities. We are going to need new technical solutions to address problems we are just learning about. You have to lean into the issues. Don't be a technologist - be a problem solver. That is why we also emphasize soft skills like lean six sigma, teamwork, and change management.
ScoreOperations OfficerUS Average
Salary
3.7

Avg. Salary $46,813

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 6.32%

Black or African American 6.13%

Hispanic or Latino 15.03%

Unknown 4.33%

White 67.71%

Gender

female 21.95%

male 78.05%

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

Operations Officer career paths

Key steps to become an operations officer

  1. Explore operations officer education requirements

    Most common operations officer degrees

    Bachelor's

    68.5 %

    Master's

    16.2 %

    Associate

    9.3 %
  2. Start to develop specific operations officer skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Customer Service30.07%
    Security Operations16.82%
    Logistical Support5.11%
    Risk Management5.07%
    CI4.22%
  3. Complete relevant operations officer training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New operations officers 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 an operations officer based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real operations officer resumes.
  4. Gain additional operations officer certifications

    Operations officer 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 operations officer certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

    The most common certifications for operations officers include Project Management Professional (PMP) and Certified Aviation Manager (CAM).

    More About Certifications
  5. Research operations officer duties and responsibilities

    • Lead a detachment of 14 sailors and oversee a $45k operational budget and $3M in equipment.
    • Manage USAF base grind electronic telecommunications and data center operations.
    • Manage battalion-level resource allocations to include training facilities, ranges, and ammunition requirements.
    • Manage portfolio of lean projects initiate to improve nuclear operations support mission inspections and establish executive council to provide oversight.
  6. Prepare your operations officer resume

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

    Choose From 10+ Customizable Operations Officer Resume templates

    Build a professional Operations Officer 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 Operations Officer resume.
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  7. Apply for operations officer jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for an operations officer 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 Operations Officer Job

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Average operations officer salary

The average Operations Officer salary in the United States is $46,813 per year or $23 per hour. Operations officer salaries range between $22,000 and $98,000 per year.

Average Operations Officer Salary
$46,813 Yearly
$22.51 hourly

What Am I Worth?

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How do operations officers rate their job?

-/5

5 Stars

4 Stars

3 Stars

2 Stars

1 Star

Operations Officer reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Feb 2020
Pros

The interaction with different agencies and people from around the world the chance to learn the ins and outs of an airport also learning the different call signs and lighting's having the authority and responsibility over millions of dollars in equipment and the responsibility of keeping the lives of families safe

Cons

Nothing


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A zippia user wrote a review on Sep 2019
Pros

I love being able to mold my team and the distribution center to the culture of respect and accountability! Having senior and executive leadership support is a huge positive factor in making this happen!!

Cons

Long hours and calls outside of regular business hours are the norm!


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A zippia user wrote a review on Mar 2019
Pros

I love it and I wish I was back at my old job but I guess it is what it is

Cons

Not being loyal


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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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