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Operations specialist vs operations associate

The differences between operations specialists and operations associates can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an operations specialist has an average salary of $54,752, which is higher than the $52,703 average annual salary of an operations associate.

The top three skills for an operations specialist include customer service, logistics and basic math. The most important skills for an operations associate are customer service, sales floor, and basic math.

Operations specialist vs operations associate overview

Operations SpecialistOperations Associate
Yearly salary$54,752$52,703
Hourly rate$26.32$25.34
Growth rate10%-8%
Number of jobs109,18170,275
Job satisfaction45
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 57%Bachelor's Degree, 65%
Average age4444
Years of experience--

What does an operations specialist do?

An operations specialist is responsible for optimizing the business' daily operations, ensuring smooth process flow to provide the best services to clients. Operations specialists' duties include analyzing business procedures, identifying opportunities for business improvement, tracking the department's metrics and activities, providing assistance to colleagues, suggesting strategies for operations efficiency, and managing customer's inquiries and complaints. An operations specialist must be an excellent team player and detail-oriented, as well as proven time-management and decision-making skills to meet clients' needs and support the business' objectives.

What does an operations associate do?

An operations associate is responsible for performing administrative and clerical tasks to support the organization's daily operations. An operations associate must have excellent organizational skills to perform various duties for different business functions under the supervision of an operations manager. Operations associates respond to clients' inquiries and concerns, prepare meeting reports, schedule appointments, assisting on payroll release, update employees' information on the database, process contract agreements, and help the senior management to identify business opportunities that would generate revenues.

Operations specialist vs operations associate salary

Operations specialists and operations associates have different pay scales, as shown below.

Operations SpecialistOperations Associate
Average salary$54,752$52,703
Salary rangeBetween $35,000 And $85,000Between $28,000 And $95,000
Highest paying CityWashington, DCNew York, NY
Highest paying stateRhode IslandNew York
Best paying companyCoatue ManagementBiogen
Best paying industryGovernment-

Differences between operations specialist and operations associate education

There are a few differences between an operations specialist and an operations associate in terms of educational background:

Operations SpecialistOperations Associate
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 57%Bachelor's Degree, 65%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeWestern Carolina UniversityWestern Carolina University

Operations specialist vs operations associate demographics

Here are the differences between operations specialists' and operations associates' demographics:

Operations SpecialistOperations Associate
Average age4444
Gender ratioMale, 50.6% Female, 49.4%Male, 50.2% Female, 49.8%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 6.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.4% Asian, 8.8% White, 70.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%Black or African American, 6.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.4% Asian, 8.8% White, 70.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage11%11%

Differences between operations specialist and operations associate duties and responsibilities

Operations specialist example responsibilities.

  • Develop and implement VBA scripts to automate tasks in financial reporting.
  • Manage all international A/R functions, reporting, sales, expense analysis and marketing campaigns as well as all royalties.
  • Manage and process 100 FDA electronic and paper submissions including safety reports, new investigator reports, amendments, and protocols.
  • Demonstrate ability to manage and organize clinical setting for patients and families.
  • Personalize and manage a customer SQL network database to consolidate all incoming orders from different marketplaces.
  • Manage a variety of operational tasks for moderately complex securities transactions that require knowledge of vary systems and processes.
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Operations associate example responsibilities.

  • Demonstrate ability to manage and organize clinical setting for patients and families.
  • Meet minimum standards for compliance with AML laws and regulations.
  • Organize and complete online LTL shipment orders for customers and vendors.
  • Create new access, removing access, and act as SME for offshore staff.
  • Perform preventative maintenance, as needed, to assist in the achievement of SLA contractual requirements.
  • Communicate with LTL, TL carriers regarding billing/invoice, class, re weigh and other discrepancies.
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Operations specialist vs operations associate skills

Common operations specialist skills
  • Customer Service, 21%
  • Logistics, 4%
  • Basic Math, 4%
  • PowerPoint, 4%
  • Customer Satisfaction, 4%
  • Operational Procedures, 4%
Common operations associate skills
  • Customer Service, 28%
  • Sales Floor, 16%
  • Basic Math, 14%
  • Portfolio, 13%
  • Work Ethic, 7%
  • Math, 6%

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