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.

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Operations Specialist Responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real operations specialist resumes representing typical tasks they are likely to perform in their roles.

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.
Build and grow relationships with customers by reaching out to them on social-networks (twitter, Facebook, YouTube).
Coordinate processing of EDI and other order entry tasks assuring data integrity and accuracy.
Generate sales quotes, booking packages and invoices using client-specific database/financial and internal CRM systems.
Perform portfolio analyses, process daily securities pricing procedures, issue internal performance reports, and fix discrepancies affecting performance.
Assist in hands-on pet care and kennel operations.
Comply with all safety policies, Hipaa regulations.
Support administrators in retrieval of online reports from SEI EBR.
Fix security compliance issues & SNMP settings on SAN products.
Migrate data from old CX3 to CX4-480 using SAN copy.

Operations Specialist Job Description

Perhaps the hardest question to answer when deciding on a career as an operations specialist is "should I become an operations specialist?" You might find this info to be helpful. When compared to other jobs, operations specialist careers are projected to have a growth rate described as "faster than average" at 10% from 2018 through 2028. This is in accordance with the Bureau of Labor Statistics. What's more, is that the projected number of opportunities that are predicted to become available for a operations specialist by 2028 is 83,100.

An operations specialist annual salary averages $54,752, which breaks down to $26.32 an hour. However, operations specialists can earn anywhere from upwards of $35,000 to $85,000 a year. This means that the top-earning operations specialists make $45,000 more than the lowest-earning ones.

As is the case with most jobs, it takes work to become an operations specialist. Sometimes people change their minds about their career after working in the profession. That's why we looked into some other professions that might help you find your next opportunity. These professions include an operations internship, fulfillment specialist, operations representative, and client service specialist.

Learn More About Operations Specialist Job Descriptions

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Operations Specialist Jobs You Might Like

12 Operations Specialist Resume Examples

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Emma Williams Operations Specialist Contact Information Quantico, VA (510) 555-2012 ewilliams@example.com Skills Internal Operations Communication Youtube Emergency Potential Customers Spss Data Analysis Flight Schedules Aviation Operations Business Operations Employment History Operations Specialist 2016 - Present United States Marine Quantico, VA Trained newly contracted providers and IPA's/MSO's in all of the features available in the online provider portal. Evaluate standards, work procedures and bulletins for DGCC integration. Reviewed job orders to assure correct processing and procedures, maintained accurate production in a timely fashion. Aviation Operations Specialist 2013 - 2016 Bank of America New York, NY Coached financial team to effectively maximize teller referrals, meet monthly and quarterly sales goals. Coach tellers to meet and exceed all sales goals. Work with tellers and platform associates to achieve sales goals. Business Development Internship 2012 - 2013 NBCUniversal New York, NY Worked directly with the Sales Marketing Director, Marketing and Strategic Partnerships Director, and other key Account Executives. Created and designed PowerPoint presentations for new business clients. Sole responsibility of opening new office in Austin, TX and managing/ramping up business development team. Participated in the sales process by identifying business development potential. Education Bachelor's Degree Marketing 2009 - 2012 New York University New York, NY


Joshua Daniels Operations Specialist Contact Info Windsor, CT (630) 555-5348 jdaniels@example.com Skills Project ManagementSpecial ProjectsCRMSales FloorPortfolioProceduresAccount ServicesTrust DepartmentInvestment ProductsDrug Screens Employment History Operations Specialist 2017 - Present Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance ... Windsor, CT Analyze loan Workout documentation including business plans, the HUD-1 and complex, at risk account information and validate program eligibility. Performed accounting and balancing to make sure payments were posted to customer accounts correctly. Trust Operations Assistant 2008 - 2017 Waste Management Windsor, CT Assisted with any special projects. Maintain communication with drivers through daily dispatching to resolving personal and professional issues. Create, Develop & Maintain Special Waste Policy, Protocol & Compliance Communication. Delegated tasks to employees to meet sales goals and drive the business. Coordinate logistics to ensure customer satisfaction. Client Service Associate 1998 - 2008 Bank of America New York, NY Coached team members to resolve challenging client service issues by both phone and email. Provided excellent assistance in client services within the securities industry. Promoted to Senior Registered Associate within 2 years of start of Client Service Associate role. Provide support to the Client Service Assistants when needed. Education High School Diploma 1998 - 1998


Joe Richardson Operations Specialist Baltimore, MD (890) 555-4657 jrichardson@example.com Experience Operations Specialist2019 - Present Morgan Stanley•Baltimore, MD Completed Global Procedures for FX option client service groups to standardize processes. Supervised entire teller line in achieving daily business sales goals. Assured all IBM and Xerox printers were operating at company standards by calibrating and repairing all hardware. Designed and delivered training to advisors on company policies and products. Established communication, training and report processing to ensure branches are operating to most current operational & security processes. Senior Operations Representative2017 - 2019 PHH ARVAL•Baltimore, MD Maintained up-to-date knowledge of regulatory and company policies and procedures Interpret and communicate work procedures and company policies to staff. Arranged end of day reconcilement verification procedures ensuring accurate submission to Federal Reserve Bank in order to receive exact amount credit. Served as backup for DDA settlement and assisted with research, record keeping and special projects as assigned by manager. Loan Processor2015 - 2017 PHH ARVAL•Baltimore, MD Verified all documents were received for mortgage loan applications. Ensured loan applications were in compliance with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Facilitated funding of closed loan applications through verification of accurate funding checks and wires, confirming documents were signed and closed. Skills Quality StandardsForeclosureCRMMedicaidLoan ApplicationsNew CustomersFinancial InstitutionsPayment ProcessingCommunicationJumbo Education High School Diploma 2015 - 2015

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Operations Specialist Skills and Personality Traits

We calculated that 21% of Operations Specialists are proficient in Customer Service, Logistics, and Basic Math. They’re also known for soft skills such as Customer-service skills, Listening skills, and Problem-solving skills.

We break down the percentage of Operations Specialists that have these skills listed on their resume here:

Customer Service, 21%
Developed operational process improvements based on customer service requirements
Logistics, 4%
Provided logistics support plans for testing workshops to include procurement of essential equipment, inspection of training areas and reservations management.
Basic Math, 4%
Use basic math skills and follow verbal instructions.
PowerPoint, 4%
Developed six-month study to analyze corporate culture and delivered conclusion in a PowerPoint presentation for senior management.
Customer Satisfaction, 4%
Provided one-on-one training for new associates, incorporating best practices, increasing customer satisfaction, and reducing organizational financial loss.
Operational Procedures, 4%
Coach associates to be efficient/in compliance with policies/procedures in customer service, operational procedures, transactions accuracy and customer engagement.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Operations Specialist Resume templates

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Some of the skills we found on operations specialist resumes included "customer service," "logistics," and "basic math." We have detailed the most important operations specialist responsibilities below.

Customer-service skills can be considered to be the most important personality trait for an operations specialist to have. According to a operations specialist resume, "computer support specialists must be patient and sympathetic" operations specialists are able to use customer-service skills in the following example we gathered from a resume: "collaborated with branch management to assure quality customer service was being upheld. "

While it may not be the most important skill, we found that many operations specialist duties rely on listening skills. This example from a operations specialist explains why: "support workers must be able to understand the problems that their customers are describing and know when to ask questions to clarify the situation." This resume example is just one of many ways operations specialists are able to utilize listening skills: "communicated to entire district any changes regarding to payroll, hr, policies and best practices. "

Operations specialists are also known for problem-solving skills, which can be critical when it comes to performing their duties. An example of why this skill is important is shown by this snippet that we found in a operations specialist resume: "support workers must identify both simple and complex computer problems, analyze them, and solve them." We also found this resume example that details how this skill is put to the test: "work directly with product development, customer support, vendors and end user to bring rapid resolution to production issues. "

A thorough review of lots of resumes revealed to us that "speaking skills" is important to completing operations specialist responsibilities. This resume example shows just one way operations specialists use this skill: "support workers must describe the solutions to computer problems in a way that a nontechnical person can understand." Here's an example of how this skill is used from a resume that represents typical operations specialist tasks: "entered wire transfers presented to treasury and meet all control requirements. "

Yet another important skill that an operations specialist must demonstrate is "writing skills." Strong writing skills are useful for preparing instructions and email responses for employees and customers, as well as for real-time web chat interactions. This is clearly demonstrated in this example from an operations specialist who stated: "prepare applications for data entry, determine specific requirements for underwriting. "

See the full list of operations specialist skills.

Before becoming an operations specialist, 57.1% earned their bachelor's degree. When it comes down to graduating with a master's degree, 6.6% operations specialists went for the extra education. If you're wanting to pursue this career, it may be possible to be successful with a high school degree. In fact, most operations specialists have a college degree. But about one out of every six operations specialists didn't attend college at all.

Those operations specialists who do attend college, typically earn either a business degree or a accounting degree. Less commonly earned degrees for operations specialists include a finance degree or a psychology degree.

Once you've obtained the level of education you're comfortable with, you might start applying to companies to become an operations specialist. We've found that most operations specialist resumes include experience from Petco Holdings, Inc., H&R; Block, and CDM Smith. Of recent, Petco Holdings, Inc. had 680 positions open for operations specialists. Meanwhile, there are 428 job openings at H&R; Block and 305 at CDM Smith.

But if you're interested in companies where you might earn a high salary, operations specialists tend to earn the biggest salaries at Coatue Management, Google, and Microsoft. Take Coatue Management for example. The median operations specialist salary is $107,307. At Google, operations specialists earn an average of $104,575, while the average at Microsoft is $102,295. You should take into consideration how difficult it might be to secure a job with one of these companies.

View more details on operations specialist salaries across the United States.

We also looked into companies who hire operations specialists from the top 100 educational institutions in the U.S. The top three companies that hire the most from these institutions include JPMorgan Chase & Co., Bank of America, and Us Navy.

In general, operations specialists fulfill roles in the professional and retail industries. While employment numbers are high in those industries, the operations specialist annual salary is the highest in the government industry with $65,446 as the average salary. Meanwhile, the technology and professional industries pay $61,988 and $57,822 respectively. This means that operations specialists who are employed in the government industry make 30.7% more than operations specialists who work in the retail Industry.

The three companies that hire the most prestigious operations specialists are:

Petco Holdings, Inc.680 Operations Specialists Jobs
H&R Block428 Operations Specialists Jobs
CDM Smith305 Operations Specialists Jobs

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What Operations Internships Do

Operations interns learn the management techniques on how to lead and supervise others. Interns usually gain experience by being an unpaid employee in the operational department. They should possess skills like attention to detail, excellent verbal and written communication skills, and strong phone presence. The operations internship objectives include career path exploration, work experience, skills development and refinement, and confidence buildup. The majority of the activities interns are absorbed by the company where they serve an internship.

In this section, we take a look at the annual salaries of other professions. Take operations internship for example. On average, the operations interns annual salary is $21,395 lower than what operations specialists make on average every year.

While their salaries may differ, one common ground between operations specialists and operations interns are a few of the skills required in each craft. In both careers, employees bring forth skills like customer service, data entry, and process improvement.

There are some key differences in responsibilities as well. For example, an operations specialist responsibilities require skills like "logistics," "basic math," "powerpoint," and "customer satisfaction." Meanwhile a typical operations internship has skills in areas such as "operations intern," "patients," "project management," and "administrative tasks." This difference in skills reveals how truly different these two careers really are.

Operations interns receive the highest salaries in the government industry coming in with an average yearly salary of $40,232. But operations specialists are paid more in the government industry with an average salary of $65,446.

The education levels that operations interns earn is a bit different than that of operations specialists. In particular, operations interns are 1.8% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than an operations specialist. Additionally, they're 0.1% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

What Are The Duties Of a Fulfillment Specialist?

In a warehouse setting, a fulfillment specialist is in charge of preparing and processing orders in a timely and efficient manner. Their responsibilities include receiving orders and invoices, understanding the needs of clients, participating in loading and unloading deliveries, locating and obtaining orders from particular areas, monitoring the inventory of products, and devising strategies to optimize order fulfillment procedures. Furthermore, as a fulfillment specialist, it is essential to maintain an active communication line with warehouse staff, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.

Now we're going to look at the fulfillment specialist profession. On average, fulfillment specialists earn a $26,187 lower salary than operations specialists a year.

While the salary may be different for these job positions, there is one similarity and that's a few of the skills needed to perform certain duties. We used info from lots of resumes to find that both operations specialists and fulfillment specialists are known to have skills such as "customer service," "powerpoint," and "data entry. "

While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, several resumes showed us that operations specialist responsibilities requires skills like "logistics," "basic math," "customer satisfaction," and "operational procedures." But a fulfillment specialist might use skills, such as, "pet," "pallets," "industrial trucks," and "warehouse environment."

On average, fulfillment specialists earn a lower salary than operations specialists. There are industries that support higher salaries in each profession respectively. Interestingly enough, fulfillment specialists earn the most pay in the manufacturing industry with an average salary of $48,690. Whereas, operations specialists have higher paychecks in the government industry where they earn an average of $65,446.

On the topic of education, fulfillment specialists earn similar levels of education than operations specialists. In general, they're 2.5% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.1% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

What Technology Do You Think Will Become More Important And Prevalent For Aviation Operations Specialists In The Next 3-5 Years?

Duane Habenicht Ph.D.

Airport Manager, Chair, Andrews University

Drone UAV's

How an Operations Representative Compares

As the name entails, an operations representative is responsible for assisting the operations managers. You will typically perform various tasks, including creating a customer database regularly, handling inquiries and office correspondence, and helping the operations managers in managing financial inquiries from clients. As an operations representative, you are responsible for attending meetings, assisting in strategic planning and implementation, and coordinating with other departments such as HR, marketing, and sales. You are also expected to identify areas of improvement and implement corrective measures.

The third profession we take a look at is operations representative. On an average scale, these workers bring in lower salaries than operations specialists. In fact, they make a $16,625 lower salary per year.

While looking through the resumes of several operations specialists and operations representatives we discovered that both professions have similar skills. These similarities include skills such as "powerpoint," "data entry," and "quality standards," but they differ when it comes to other required skills.

There are many key differences between these two careers as shown by resumes from each profession. Some of those differences include the skills required to complete responsibilities within each role. As an example of this, an operations specialist is likely to be skilled in "customer service," "logistics," "basic math," and "customer satisfaction," while a typical operations representative is skilled in "patients," "moderate supervision," "financial controls," and "processing transactions."

Additionally, operations representatives earn a higher salary in the technology industry compared to other industries. In this industry, they receive an average salary of $38,148. Additionally, operations specialists earn an average salary of $65,446 in the government industry.

When it comes to education, operations representatives tend to earn similar education levels than operations specialists. In fact, they're 2.5% less likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.1% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Description Of a Client Service Specialist

A client service specialist is a professional who fulfills tasks that are related to delivering a product or service to clients. Client service specialists are required to assist project managers in establishing parameters and requirements of a project or work with a particular client. They help in the development of training manuals and materials that are needed by the client to use the newly developed product. Client service specialists must also set up and create archives for client records.

The fourth career we look at typically earns lower pay than operations specialists. On average, client service specialists earn a difference of $14,709 lower per year.

According to resumes from both operations specialists and client service specialists, some of the skills necessary to complete the responsibilities of each role are similar. These skills include "basic math," "powerpoint," and "customer satisfaction. "

Each job requires different skills like "customer service," "logistics," "operational procedures," and "process improvement," which might show up on an operations specialist resume. Whereas client service specialist might include skills like "client service," "excellent interpersonal," "client facing," and "client issues."

Now, let's take a closer look at the financials in each career. The finance industry tends to pay more for client service specialists with an average of $40,907. While the highest operations specialist annual salary comes from the government industry.

The average resume of client service specialists showed that they earn similar levels of education to operations specialists. So much so that the likelihood of them earning a Master's Degree is 0.2% less. Additionally, they're less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree by 0.1%.

Updated October 2, 2020