What does an operations research manager do?
An operations research analysis manager is a key leader in an organization who oversees the collection and analysis of operations data, analyzes the information for deficiencies, and makes recommendations to improve. With a team of operations research analysts, the operations research analysis manager identifies inefficiencies in an operation and offers solutions to eliminate the inefficiencies detected. Operations research analysis managers provide leadership and strategy in the operations research department to help realize better efficiency.
Operations research manager responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real operations research manager resumes:
- Finance and billing accountability across Medicaid, manage care commercial insurance, insurance verification, contract management, and benefits administration.
- Assist in report preparation for IRB, CTRC, and other regulatory agencies and/or committees.7.
- Reorganize clinical research program, develop new process and procedure guidelines to provide optimal patient care and compliance with FDA standards.
- Assist in the preparation of IRB applications and regular correspondence with IRB regarding adverse events, annual renewals and protocol amendments.
- Conduct all aspects of the research process including methodology, questionnaire development, data tabulations/analysis through SPSS and final report presentation.
- Design and engineer station sortation layout to maximize productivity and to integrate new home delivery process in station during holiday season.
Operations research manager skills and personality traits
We calculated that 13% of Operations Research Managers are proficient in Research Operations, Research Projects, and Project Management. They’re also known for soft skills such as Leadership skills, Management skills, and Problem-solving skills.
We break down the percentage of Operations Research Managers that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Research Operations, 13%
Research Operations Manager at the DeForest, WI Research Station of Illinois Foundation Seeds, Inc. (IFSI).
- Research Projects, 10%
Create interactive budge template for industry-sponsored and NIH research projects.
- Project Management, 9%
Coordinate department meetings and prepare project management reports for the director of pulmonary research.
- Clinical Trials, 8%
Provide regular updates on clinical trial operations to the department administrator and department chairman.
- Oversight, 7%
Assisted the implementation team with systematic implementation of ERP modules, provided oversight with project management and facilitated change management process.
- Data Collection, 7%
Restructured data collection team that resulted in a threefold department expansion.
"research operations," "research projects," and "project management" are among the most common skills that operations research managers use at work. You can find even more operations research manager responsibilities below, including:
Leadership skills. One of the key soft skills for an operations research manager to have is leadership skills. You can see how this relates to what operations research managers do because "top executives must be able to shape and direct an organization by coordinating policies, people, and resources." Additionally, an operations research manager resume shows how operations research managers use leadership skills: "provided leadership on data collection, analysis and reporting. "
Problem-solving skills. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of operations research managers is problem-solving skills. This skill is critical to many everyday operations research manager duties, as "top executives need to identify and resolve issues within an organization." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "evaluated areas of operational concern and developed resolutions to same;provided support and oversight during the implementation of solutions. "
Time-management skills. For certain operations research manager responsibilities to be completed, the job requires competence in "time-management skills." The day-to-day duties of an operations research manager rely on this skill, as "top executives do many tasks concurrently to ensure that their work gets done and that the organization meets its goals." For example, this snippet was taken directly from a resume about how this skill applies to what operations research managers do: "focused on timely project management, including scope planning, visioning, business value recognition, and cost control. "
Communication skills. Another common skill required for operations research manager responsibilities is "communication skills." This skill comes up in the duties of operations research managers all the time, as "top executives must be able to convey information clearly and persuasively." An excerpt from a real operations research manager resume shows how this skill is central to what an operations research manager does: "establish operational policies and implement process improvements to ensure superior quality and outstanding output of print communication for the mortgage industry. "
The three companies that hire the most operations research managers are:
- First Cash Financial Services16 operations research managers jobs
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute6 operations research managers jobs
- University of Washington4 operations research managers jobs
Compare different operations research managers
Operations research manager 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.
These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of an operations research manager are more likely to require skills like "research operations," "research projects," "project management," and "clinical trials." On the other hand, a job as a general manager of operations requires skills like "customer service," "develop team," "payroll," and "continuous improvement." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.
On average, general managers of operations reach lower levels of education than operations research managers. General managers of operations are 7.6% less likely to earn a Master's Degree and 4.6% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Operations research manager vs. Senior director, operations
The senior director of operations generally works with other managers to set goals for the future of the company and evaluates performance to check whether certain goals are achieved. They are responsible for making sure that operational processes are within the prescribed budget and timeline. Also, they oversee, implement, and evaluate operation processes and procedures to see if they comply with the set standards and procedures of the company. Additionally, they lead in developing strategies and implementation plans to enhance and standardize all units of operations.
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that operations research manager responsibilities requires skills like "research operations," "research projects," "clinical trials," and "data collection." But a senior director, operations might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "customer service," "continuous improvement," "sr," and "customer satisfaction."
Senior directors, operations may earn a higher salary than operations research managers, but senior directors, operations earn the most pay in the hospitality industry with an average salary of $155,611. On the other hand, operations research managers receive higher pay in the pharmaceutical industry, where they earn an average salary of $113,573.senior directors, operations earn similar levels of education than operations research managers in general. They're 1.0% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 4.6% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Operations research manager vs. Manager, center operations
The duties of a manager of center operations depend on one's industry of employment. Typically, their responsibilities revolve around overseeing business operations, setting targets, assessing the workforce's performance, and performing corrective measures on any issues or concerns. Moreover, there are also instances where they have to produce progress reports, devise strategies for optimal business performance, delegate tasks, and even manage the budget. As a manager, it is crucial to lead and encourage the team to reach goals and sales targets while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, operations research managers are more likely to have skills like "research operations," "research projects," "clinical trials," and "oversight." But a manager, center operations is more likely to have skills like "infrastructure," "osha," "standard operating procedure," and "patients."
Managers, center operations make a very good living in the manufacturing industry with an average annual salary of $68,400. On the other hand, operations research managers are paid the highest salary in the pharmaceutical industry, with average annual pay of $113,573.Most managers, center operations achieve a lower degree level compared to operations research managers. For example, they're 6.9% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 4.5% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Operations research manager vs. Research director
Research Directors oversee the research initiatives of the company. They are usually deployed in the academe, research facilities, or companies with research and development departments. They set research goals aligned with the company's vision. They also ensure that all research activities are significant and would have an impact. They usually aim to complete research work that would contribute to the advancement of their field. Research Directors provide strategic direction on how to complete their research goals. They guide their team of researchers to work more efficiently and more productively. They also lead the team in networking activities.
Types of operations research manager
Updated January 8, 2025
