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What does an operations support manager do?

Updated January 8, 2025
7 min read
Quoted expert
Eric Olsen
What does an operations support manager do

Operations Support Managers are employees who handle different support initiatives for the employees or operations-related departments. These support initiatives may come in people management and upskilling, IT infrastructure assistance, or process improvement, among others. Operations Support Managers must have a deep understanding of company operations and the employees' needs. They manage processes and standards to ensure that company operations are fully supported and will not be disrupted. They resolve concerns and anticipate problems that may come. They can plan and create safeguards to ensure that such problems will not arise in the future.

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Operations support manager responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real operations support manager resumes:

  • Manage employees to ensure efficient sortation of packages through the facility, minimizing operational cost and maximizing operational quality.
  • Develop desktop images for PC's and laptops.
  • Exceed team goals and KPIs despite reduction in force, budget, and increase work load.
  • Develop and maintain work schedules, interview and hire personnel, and monitored/control payroll expenses.
  • Develop customer experience strategy and translate it into operative plans and KPIs for each operator.
  • Design and develop online employee database / biography system including ldap-base auto updating capabilities to enable user upload of custom data.
  • Print direct mail catalog, develop and expand organization's website and e-commerce operation, and implement new donor database program.
  • Measure key data points for effective ROI on this project using Proclarity and internal toolsets.
  • Provide analysis and adjust strategy and tactics to increase program effectiveness and ROI.
  • Direct enhancement to incorporate MERS approval and notification for all litigation documents, to include requirements and UAT.
  • Design and engineer station sortation layout to maximize productivity and to integrate new home delivery process in station during holiday season.

Operations support manager skills and personality traits

We calculated that 15% of Operations Support Managers are proficient in Customer Service, Project Management, and Human Resources. They’re also known for soft skills such as Communication skills, Leadership skills, and Management skills.

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

  • Customer Service, 15%

    Developed operational solutions for implementing product releases and enhancements to the sales and customer service which resulted in increased customer retention.

  • Project Management, 6%

    Project management including data analysis for process improvements to enhance productivity and reduce costs and travel time for shipping and packaging.

  • Human Resources, 6%

    Manage employee communication program for human resources, information technology and privacy divisions.

  • Professional Development, 5%

    Managed productivity and professional development of thirty resources and two supervisors including both exempt and non-exempt employees.

  • Support Operations, 4%

    Reported directly to Director of Global Support operations and responsible for global software support operations and performance.

  • Process Improvement, 4%

    Coordinated the development and implementation of operational changes in production and process improvement projects to meet quality and efficiency objectives.

"customer service," "project management," and "human resources" are among the most common skills that operations support managers use at work. You can find even more operations support manager responsibilities below, including:

Communication skills. The most essential soft skill for an operations support manager 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 support manager resume shows how their duties depend on communication skills: "support initiatives to improve the business unit operational processes through persuasive communication skills. "

Leadership skills. Many operations support manager duties rely on leadership skills. "top executives must be able to shape and direct an organization by coordinating policies, people, and resources.," so an operations support manager will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways operations support manager responsibilities rely on leadership skills: "provided leadership to direct reports including reviews, project management functions and training and development initiatives. "

Problem-solving skills. operations support manager responsibilities often require "problem-solving skills." The duties that rely on this skill are shown by the fact that "top executives need to identify and resolve issues within an organization." This resume example shows what operations support managers do with problem-solving skills on a typical day: "ensured smooth and timely resolution of client issues in compliance with service level agreements and regulations. "

Time-management skills. Another crucial skill for an operations support manager to carry out their responsibilities is "time-management skills." A big part of what operations support managers relies on this skill, since "top executives do many tasks concurrently to ensure that their work gets done and that the organization meets its goals." How this skill relates to operations support manager duties can be seen in an example from an operations support manager resume snippet: "managed payroll implementation for 8,000 employees on time and within budget. "

All operations support manager skills

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Operations Support Manager Resume
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Operations Support Manager Resume
Operations Support Manager Resume
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Operations Support Manager Resume
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Operations Support Manager Resume
Operations Support Manager Resume
Operations Support Manager Resume
Operations Support Manager Resume
Operations Support Manager Resume

Compare different operations support managers

Operations support 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.

If we compare the average operations support manager annual salary with that of a general manager of operations, we find that general managers of operations typically earn a $9,792 higher salary than operations support managers make annually.While the two careers have a salary gap, they share some of the same responsibilities. Employees in both operations support manager and general manager of operations positions are skilled in customer service, human resources, and process improvement.

These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of an operations support manager are more likely to require skills like "project management," "professional development," "support operations," and "customer satisfaction." On the other hand, a job as a general manager of operations requires skills like "develop team," "financial statements," "logistics," and "continuous improvement." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.

General managers of operations tend to reach similar levels of education than operations support managers. In fact, general managers of operations are 1.4% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.1% more likely to have a Doctoral Degree.

Operations support 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.

On average, managers, center operations earn a $18,671 lower salary than operations support managers a year.While the salary may differ for these jobs, they share a few skills needed to perform their duties. Based on resume data, both operations support managers and managers, center operations have skills such as "project management," "process improvement," and "customer satisfaction. "

While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that operations support manager responsibilities requires skills like "customer service," "human resources," "professional development," and "support operations." But a manager, center operations might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "infrastructure," "osha," "standard operating procedure," and "quality standards."

Managers, center operations may earn a lower salary than operations support managers, but managers, center operations earn the most pay in the manufacturing industry with an average salary of $68,400. On the other hand, operations support managers receive higher pay in the technology industry, where they earn an average salary of $68,847.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Managers, center operations tend to reach similar levels of education than operations support managers. In fact, they're 0.7% 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 operations support managers in the next 3-5 years?

Eric OlsenEric Olsen LinkedIn profile

Professor, Industrial Technology and Packaging, Orfalea College of Business

We are doubling down on what we call "digital fabrication." Most manufacturing technologies we deal with now have a growing digital component that our students need to understand and be competent in. Of course, that means current hot exotics like additive manufacturing, but our students need to look at any process and realize there is probably a digitally enhanced path forward.

Operations support manager vs. Division manager

Division managers supervise a section of the company and are responsible for that division's success. General duties include organizing, planning, allocating resources, and managing the daily operations of the sector. Part of their duty is to evaluate the division's performance and develop strategies for performance improvement. They ensure that compliance to policies and procedures is maintained by the team members. Also, they assist in employee recruitment and performance evaluation for promotion, retention, and termination undertakings. Additionally, division managers need to fix issues that hinder achieving division goals and success.

On average, division managers earn higher salaries than operations support managers, with a $2,025 difference per year.Using the responsibilities included on operations support managers and division managers resumes, we found that both professions have similar skill requirements, such as "customer service," "project management," and "human resources.rdquo;

Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from operations support manager resumes include skills like "support operations," "customer satisfaction," "post implementation," and "itil," whereas a division manager is more likely to list skills in "safety program," "oversight," "financial statements," and "business plan. "

Division managers earn the best pay in the finance industry, where they command an average salary of $95,992. Operations support managers earn the highest pay from the technology industry, with an average salary of $68,847.Most division managers achieve a similar degree level compared to operations support managers. For example, they're 0.8% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.6% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Operations support manager vs. Area manager

An Area Manager's responsibility is to oversee the business operations of all company branches within a particular area. Among the tasks involve creating strategies to achieve the sales target, monitoring and evaluating the performance and progress of stores including their workforce, adhering to the budget and regulations of the company, and focus on attaining the image and financial goals. Moreover, an Area Manager must communicate and coordinate with fellow managers and hire employees that would be a vital member of the company.

Area managers tend to earn a lower pay than operations support managers by an average of $6,258 per year.While their salaries may vary, operations support managers and area managers both use similar skills to perform their duties. Resumes from both professions include skills like "customer service," "human resources," and "process improvement. "Each job also requires different skills to carry out their responsibilities. An operations support manager uses "project management," "professional development," "support operations," and "post implementation." Area managers are more likely to have duties that require skills in "safety standards," "logistics," "excellent interpersonal," and "business plan. "The technology industry tends to pay the highest salaries for area managers, with average annual pay of $77,221. Comparatively, the highest operations support manager annual salary comes from the technology industry.area managers reach similar levels of education compared to operations support managers, in general. The difference is that they're 3.8% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.1% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Types of operations support manager

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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