What does an operations officer do?
An operations officer is responsible for monitoring the staff performance, ensuring the efficiency of their tasks to support the project needs with maximum productivity, and strict compliance with the company's operational policies. Operations officers manage the department's budget, proper allocation of resources, and keeping the operational costs within the budget goals. They also conduct performance reviews, develop strategic procedures for the project's success, and handling the clients' inquiries and concerns. An operations officer must have excellent communication and leadership skills, focusing on client satisfaction while providing the best managerial support for the staff.
Operations officer responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real operations officer resumes:
- 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.
- Manage SharePoint data system for facility safety inspections and inventory tracking; develop organizational plan and access for over 3K personnel.
- Manage payroll distribution process ensuring timeliness, accuracy, and confidentiality to protect client's privacy and prevent liability of exposure.
- Rank top platoon commander by the commanding officer.
- Assist in daily operations of an officer training battery.
- Analyze data discrepancies (SQL, data mining).
- Resolve all imagery issues including future systems and programs for HQ AIA.
- Coordinate with TF S3 in order to develop and execute logistics to support operations.
- Conduct training and on-site operational assistance to 12 USAF installations locate in a 15 state area.
- Ensure all aspects of human resource support, logistics, payroll, and training are met.
- Gather data and coordinate with HQ staff on revisions to and interpretation of command policies and regulations.
- Conduct performance tuning, analysis, and improve strategies for data loads, indexes, and SQL.
Operations officer skills and personality traits
We calculated that 30% of Operations Officers are proficient in Customer Service, Security Operations, and Logistical Support. They’re also known for soft skills such as Communication skills, Leadership skills, and Management skills.
We break down the percentage of Operations Officers that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Customer Service, 30%
Designed and implemented new policies and procedures for retail bank with a focus on ensuring customer service while maintaining financial responsibility.
- Security Operations, 17%
Developed intelligence sources and all-source collection requirements to obtain relevant feeds on emerging threats Security Operations and Incident Handling.
- Logistical Support, 5%
Provided continuous logistical support of 3,650 personnel and over 680 support vehicles in the organization consisting of five widely dispersed organizations.
- Risk Management, 5%
Implemented automated risk management reporting systems tracking market and volatility risk on a real-time basis of 10,000 customer market positions.
- CI, 4%
Conducted liaison with international and US National organizations, military and civilian Counterintelligence (CI) and security services.
- PowerPoint, 3%
Created and implemented new marketing strategies for company using Microsoft PowerPoint and Microsoft Word.
Most operations officers use their skills in "customer service," "security operations," and "logistical support" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential operations officer responsibilities here:
Communication skills. The most essential soft skill for an operations officer to carry out their responsibilities is communication skills. This skill is important for the role because "top executives must be able to convey information clearly and persuasively." Additionally, an operations officer resume shows how their duties depend on communication skills: "implemented/applied security policies in the following disciplines: information, personnel, communications, and physical security. "
Leadership skills. Another essential skill to perform operations officer duties is leadership skills. Operations officers responsibilities require that "top executives must be able to shape and direct an organization by coordinating policies, people, and resources." Operations officers also use leadership skills in their role according to a real resume snippet: "synchronized, staffed and monitored security operations while concurrently developing and advising executive leadership on information operations and public relations campaigns. "
Problem-solving skills. A big part of what operations officers do relies on "problem-solving skills." You can see how essential it is to operations officer responsibilities because "top executives need to identify and resolve issues within an organization." Here's an example of how this skill is used from a resume that represents typical operations officer tasks: "advise senior stakeholders across the dia enterprise on operational and analytic equities and solutions to scores of taskings. "
Time-management skills. Another common skill required for operations officer responsibilities is "time-management skills." This skill comes up in the duties of operations officers all the time, as "top executives do many tasks concurrently to ensure that their work gets done and that the organization meets its goals." An excerpt from a real operations officer resume shows how this skill is central to what an operations officer does: "ensured that helicopter maintenance, to include equipment modifications, was completed on time in support of deployment into combat operations. "
The three companies that hire the most operations officers are:
- Allied Universal
119 operations officers jobs
- Citi30 operations officers jobs
- BankUnited8 operations officers jobs
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Compare different operations officers
Operations officer vs. Assistant manager of operations
An assistant operations manager is responsible for supervising staff performance and operation processes under the guidance of an operations manager. The assistant operations manager ensures the efficiency and accuracy of project management to boost client satisfaction, drive revenues, and achieve the company's objectives and profitability goals. They also help with developing strategic procedures to increase productivity and identify business opportunities to build a strong company reputation. An assistant operations manager must have excellent communication and leadership skills, especially when meeting with existing and potential clients, close partnerships, and lead teams towards project goals.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, operations officer responsibilities require skills like "customer service," "security operations," "logistical support," and "risk management." Meanwhile a typical assistant manager of operations has skills in areas such as "sales floor," "front end," "cash handling," and "store associates." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
Assistant managers of operations tend to reach lower levels of education than operations officers. In fact, assistant managers of operations are 9.4% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.5% less likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Operations officer vs. General manager of operations
General managers of operations are employed to oversee the overall operations of businesses. Their responsibilities include the improvement of the efficiency of the operations and overall management. They coordinate the primary performance goals for direct reporting functions and set the strategies for the organization. It is their responsibility to communicate strategy as well as results to employees. They also engage with the corporate officers in the strategic planning and development of the organization or enterprise.
Each career also uses different skills, according to real operations officer resumes. While operations officer responsibilities can utilize skills like "security operations," "logistical support," "risk management," and "ci," general managers of operations use skills like "develop team," "financial statements," "logistics," and "payroll."
General managers of operations earn lower levels of education than operations officers in general. They're 5.7% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.5% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for operations officers in the next 3-5 years?
Eric Olsen
Professor, Industrial Technology and Packaging, Orfalea College of Business
Operations officer vs. Operations management specialist
An operations management specialist is responsible for ensuring that the company's day-to-day operations run smoothly and efficiently. Your duties may vary but will most likely include optimizing operational procedures and processes, looking for ways to enhance customer experience, and supervising the operations team. In addition, it is your duty to train new staff and interact with customers, answer their inquiries, and resolve issues. As an operations management specialist, it is also your duty to ensure that policies and procedures are maintained and complied with.
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, an operations officer is likely to be skilled in "customer service," "security operations," "logistical support," and "risk management," while a typical operations management specialist is skilled in "operations management," "logistics," "project management," and "excellent interpersonal."
Most operations management specialists achieve a lower degree level compared to operations officers. For example, they're 6.0% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.0% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Operations officer vs. Customer service/operations manager
A customer service/operations manager is primarily in charge of spearheading and overseeing the efforts of a customer service team, ensuring efficiency and client satisfaction. Their responsibilities include setting goals and objectives, establishing guidelines and schedules, managing the employees, creating new programs for customers, and developing strategies to optimize customer service operations. They may also participate in reaching out to clients through calls and correspondence, resolving issues promptly and professionally. Furthermore, as a manager, it is essential to lead and encourage teams to reach goals, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
Types of operations officer
Updated January 8, 2025
