What Does an Operations Support Specialist Do?

The duties of an operations support specialist depend on one's line of work or industry of employment. Typically, their responsibilities revolve around addressing issues and concerns, troubleshooting, and conducting corrective measures, all while adhering to the company's policies and regulations. They may also evaluate the processes in a company, identifying vulnerabilities, and recommending improvements. Furthermore, an operations support specialist must also perform clerical tasks such as producing progress reports and presentations, arranging schedules, assessing workforce performance, and maintaining accurate records.

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Operations Support Specialist Responsibilities

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

Manage HTML developers to create and maintain FDIC Internet/Intranet.
Manage windows active directory, exchange, and file servers for user profiles and access.
Lead testing for all new store openings to ensure all POS and systems which support the retail team are fully operational.
Design and manage studies for alternative API qualification for commercial products.
Cable TV, Ethernet and phone cable runs and outlets
Load multiple versions of Linux onto multiple computers from scratch simultaneously.
Service delivery & SQL file transfer complete daily in compliance with PUC regulatory protocol.
Used SQL to create and maintain reports, research issues, and resolve store issues.
Install LAN; pull wire, install hubs, and install network cards in workstations.
Create and develop visual presentations (PowerPoint, charts, tables, graphs, etc . )
Fast pace Linux shop monitoring all of IB's hardware, software and back office operations.
Capture and create video clips for PowerPoint presentations and trial academy attorney development / trial use.
Support RS232, RS422 and ethernet interconnection schemes via wire, fiber optic and short haul modems.
Train in a classroom format onsite: new software release, machine qualifications, and software job-writing.
Administrate deposit automation products for business clients such as bill payment, ACH origination, and remote deposit.

Operations Support Specialist Job Description

Between the years 2018 and 2028, operations support specialist jobs are expected to undergo a growth rate described as "faster than average" at 10%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. So if the thought "should I become an operations support specialist?" Has crossed your mind, maybe you should take the growth rate into account. In addition, the number of operations support specialist opportunities that are projected to become available by 2028 is 83,100.

An operations support specialist annual salary averages $44,233, which breaks down to $21.27 an hour. However, operations support specialists can earn anywhere from upwards of $27,000 to $71,000 a year. This means that the top-earning operations support specialists make $44,000 more than the lowest-earning ones.

As is the case with most jobs, it takes work to become an operations support 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 a support lead, technical specialist, staff specialist, and support analyst.

Learn More About Operations Support Specialist Job Descriptions

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5 Operations Support Specialist Resume Examples

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Dennis Harrison Operations Support Specialist Contact Information Oakbrook Terrace, IL (620) 555-8716 dharrison@example.com Skills Internet Financial Transactions Customer Complaints Business Support Credit Checks Yardi Sales Floor Sales Goals HR Direct Support Employment History Operations Support Specialist 2019 - Present Aon Oakbrook Terrace, IL Monitor the location of travelers via Travel Management System in order to provide pertinent security, weather, and emergency alerts. Budget Management: Proficiently administered budgets of $1.5M in hardware assets and recovery systems and reliably controlled costs. Manage sensitive and confidential client communication and documents. Support of the Distribution management team and communications links from Roxboro facility to Distribution center. Operations Specialist 2018 - 2019 Coyote Logistics Oakbrook Terrace, IL Acquired knowledge of the logistics industry while interning with a company that moves over 5,000 loads per day. Trained and provided leadership to staff on day-to-day processes, policies and procedures within a time sensitive Global Securities Services department. Leasing Consultant 2015 - 2017 Steadfast Management Co DeKalb, IL Demonstrate community and apartment and apply product knowledge while assessing client needs. Developed and maintained all internet advertising tools. Trained and managed a staff of 3 leasing consultants. Gathered all necessary information to process applications and screenings. Education Master's Degree Business 2017 - 2018 DeVry University Oakbrook Terrace, IL Bachelor's Degree Marketing 2012 - 2015 Northern Illinois University DeKalb, IL


Charles Greene Operations Support Specialist Contact Info Columbus, OH (340) 555-0053 cgreene@example.com Skills User AccountsManagement SystemUnderwriting GuidelinesProceduresPayment ProcessingCredit ReportsBorrowersOnlineEnsure ComplianceSupport Services Employment History Operations Support Specialist 2018 - Present Chase Center on the Riverfront Columbus, OH Processed daily receipts and provided quality customer service to customer's telephone inquires. Provided support to Abbott customer as a primary contact for Abbott Diagnostics instruments. Train, support, and coordinate features of the Pathways Materials Management system applications among all user departments. Performed system administration on UNIX LAN Server and installed hardware and software on the server and Windows client PCs. Loan Servicing Specialist 2017 - 2018 JPMorgan Chase Columbus, OH Reconciled HUD-1 Settlement Statements to ensure accuracy before funding. Coordinate with buyers, sellers, title companies, escrow agents, surveyors and real estate agents to obtain additional documentation. Identify and resolve complex issues to avoid delays in the foreclosure process. Searched a data base for bankruptcy accounts. Processed loan applications including validation of all data entered into master database for new loan and existing client accounts. Service Support Specialist 2007 - 2017 J. C. Penney Columbus, OH Unpack merchandise and prepare it to be put onto the sales floor. Mastered POS system * Work multiple departments throughout the day Pull rails and cages of merchandise to sales floor and sort by brand name. Administered trouble shooting measures to eliminate connectivity recurrent issues. Education Associate's Degree Education 2000 - 2002 Central State University Wilberforce, OH


Charles Greene Operations Support Specialist Columbus, OH (340) 555-0053 cgreene@example.com Experience Operations Support Specialist2018 - Present Chase Center on the Riverfront•Columbus, OH Processed daily receipts and provided quality customer service to customer's telephone inquires. Provided support to Abbott customer as a primary contact for Abbott Diagnostics instruments. Train, support, and coordinate features of the Pathways Materials Management system applications among all user departments. Performed system administration on UNIX LAN Server and installed hardware and software on the server and Windows client PCs. Loan Servicing Specialist2017 - 2018 JPMorgan Chase•Columbus, OH Reconciled HUD-1 Settlement Statements to ensure accuracy before funding. Coordinate with buyers, sellers, title companies, escrow agents, surveyors and real estate agents to obtain additional documentation. Identify and resolve complex issues to avoid delays in the foreclosure process. Searched a data base for bankruptcy accounts. Processed loan applications including validation of all data entered into master database for new loan and existing client accounts. Service Support Specialist2007 - 2017 J. C. Penney•Columbus, OH Unpack merchandise and prepare it to be put onto the sales floor. Mastered POS system * Work multiple departments throughout the day Pull rails and cages of merchandise to sales floor and sort by brand name. Administered trouble shooting measures to eliminate connectivity recurrent issues. Skills User AccountsManagement SystemUnderwriting GuidelinesProceduresPayment ProcessingCredit ReportsBorrowersOnlineEnsure ComplianceSupport Services Education Associate's Degree Education2000 - 2002 Central State University•Wilberforce, OH

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Operations Support Specialist Skills and Personality Traits

We calculated that 19% of Operations Support Specialists are proficient in Operations Support, Customer Service, and Data Entry. 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 Support Specialists that have these skills listed on their resume here:

Operations Support, 19%
Perform management/supervisory responsibilities upon the absence of the Operations Support Manager and Site Services Manager with full delegation of authority.
Customer Service, 17%
Performed quantitative analysis of current operating plans, provided district management with cost control, productivity and customer service improvements.
Data Entry, 5%
Execute operational support tasks such as data entry, transaction processing/re-processing, investigation and administrative tasks.
PowerPoint, 4%
Handled all correspondence including memos, letters and special assignments using MS Word 6.0, Excel 5.0 and Microsoft PowerPoint.
Technical Support, 3%
Provided technical support for email marketing company specializing in email delivery and reputation management services to top tier email publishers.
DOD, 3%
Requested Letters of Authorization through the DoD SPOT system and ensured all data was updated as necessary.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Operations Support Specialist Resume templates

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Most operations support specialists list "operations support," "customer service," and "data entry" as skills on their resumes. We go into more details on the most important operations support specialist responsibilities here:

Customer-service skills can be considered to be the most important personality trait for an operations support specialist to have. According to a operations support specialist resume, "computer support specialists must be patient and sympathetic" operations support specialists are able to use customer-service skills in the following example we gathered from a resume: "supported domestic and international sales offices in their use of it systems to increase customer support and new order entry. "

While it may not be the most important skill, we found that many operations support specialist duties rely on listening skills. This example from a operations support 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 support specialists are able to utilize listening skills: "communicated effectively with engineering and other technical groups to enhance products and resolve customer issues. "

Operations support 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 support 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: "processed fedline ach and wires; inclearings, rdi's, ira auditing and member dispute resolution. "

In order for certain operations support specialist responsibilities to be completed, the job requires the skill "speaking skills." According to an operations support specialist resume, "support workers must describe the solutions to computer problems in a way that a nontechnical person can understand." As an example, this snippet was taken directly from a resume about how this skill applies: "provided customer service for spanish speaking home owners. "

As part of the operations support specialist description, you might find that one of the skills that might be helpful to the job is "writing skills." A operations support specialist resume included this snippet: "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 skill could be useful in this scenario: "interacted with application development teams to guide them for writing efficient sql queries. "

See the full list of operations support specialist skills.

After discovering the most helpful skills, we moved onto what kind of education might be helpful in becoming an operations support specialist. We found that 57.2% of operations support specialists have graduated with a bachelor's degree and 4.9% of people in this position have earned their master's degrees. While most operations support specialists have a college degree, you may find it's also true that generally it's possible to be successful in this career with only a high school degree. In fact, our research shows that one out of every six operations support specialists were not college graduates.

The operations support specialists who went onto college to earn a more in-depth education generally studied business and accounting, while a small population of operations support specialists studied computer science and psychology.

Once you're ready to become an operations support specialist, you should explore the companies that typically hire operations support specialists. According to operations support specialist resumes that we searched through, operations support specialists are hired the most by Guidehouse, Res-Care Premier, and Citi. Currently, Guidehouse has 51 operations support specialist job openings, while there are 22 at Res-Care Premier and 18 at Citi.

If you're interested in companies where operations support specialists make the most money, you'll want to apply for positions at KLA, Meta, and SAP. We found that at KLA, the average operations support specialist salary is $103,695. Whereas at Meta, operations support specialists earn roughly $97,504. And at SAP, they make an average salary of $90,141.

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

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

The industries that operations support specialists fulfill the most roles in are the technology and finance industries. But the highest operations support specialist annual salary is in the automotive industry, averaging $48,781. In the government industry they make $46,619 and average about $46,423 in the professional industry. In conclusion, operations support specialists who work in the automotive industry earn a 32.2% higher salary than operations support specialists in the health care industry.

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

Guidehouse51 Operations Support Specialists Jobs
Res-Care Premier22 Operations Support Specialists Jobs
Citi18 Operations Support Specialists Jobs

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What Support Leads Do

A support lead is typically in charge of overseeing the performance of a technical support team, ensuring efficiency and customer satisfaction. Their responsibilities revolve around assessing the performance of the workforce, resolving complex issues, identifying customer needs and sales opportunities, and training new team members. They may also perform calls and correspondence, respond to inquiries, and resolve issues promptly. Furthermore, as a support lead, it is essential to perform clerical tasks such as preparing progress reports, managing schedules, and maintaining records of transactions.

We looked at the average operations support specialist annual salary and compared it with the average of a support lead. Generally speaking, support leads receive $42,583 higher pay than operations support specialists per year.

While their salaries may differ, one common ground between operations support specialists and support leads are a few of the skills required in each craft. In both careers, employees bring forth skills like customer service, technical support, and patients.

These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. An operations support specialist responsibility is more likely to require skills like "operations support," "data entry," "powerpoint," and "dod." Whereas a support lead requires skills like "cash management," "sales floor," "infrastructure," and "math." Just by understanding these different skills you can see how different these careers are.

On average, support leads reach higher levels of education than operations support specialists. Support leads are 5.3% more likely to earn a Master's Degree and 0.6% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

What Are The Duties Of a Technical Specialist?

The role of technical specialists is to provide technical support for applications and programs to staff members and customers within an organization. They train staff and customers on products and apps and offer advice on the best practices for utilizing technical programs and applications. They also design training materials to teach other staff members the most effective methods of using its technology. It is also their job to reduce company costs by looking for ways to improve productivity and lessen expenses.

Now we're going to look at the technical specialist profession. On average, technical specialists earn a $44,540 higher salary than operations support specialists a year.

A similarity between the two careers of operations support specialists and technical specialists are a few of the skills associated with both roles. We used resumes from both professions to find that both use skills like "customer service," "powerpoint," and "technical support. "

But both careers also use different skills, according to real operations support specialist resumes. While operations support specialist responsibilities can utilize skills like "operations support," "data entry," "dod," and "windows," some technical specialists use skills like "project management," "c++," "c #," and "azure."

On average, technical specialists earn a higher salary than operations support specialists. There are industries that support higher salaries in each profession respectively. Interestingly enough, technical specialists earn the most pay in the technology industry with an average salary of $92,419. Whereas, operations support specialists have higher paychecks in the automotive industry where they earn an average of $48,781.

In general, technical specialists study at higher levels of education than operations support specialists. They're 5.3% more likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.6% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

How a Staff Specialist Compares

The duties of a staff specialist depend on their line of work or industry of employment. Typically, their responsibilities revolve around performing support tasks such as preparing and processing documents, answering calls and correspondence, arranging appointments and meetings, and maintaining records of all transactions. There are also instances where they must liaise with clients, offer products and services, close sales, participate in the hiring and training procedures, and develop strategies to optimize business performance. Furthermore, as a staff specialist, it is essential to maintain an active communication line with fellow staff, coordinating to ensure an efficient workflow.

The third profession we take a look at is staff specialist. On an average scale, these workers bring in higher salaries than operations support specialists. In fact, they make a $40,014 higher salary per year.

By looking over several operations support specialists and staff specialists resumes, we found that both roles utilize similar skills, such as "data entry," "powerpoint," and "patients." But beyond that the careers look very different.

Some important key differences between the two careers are a few of the skills necessary to fulfill responsibilities. Some examples from operations support specialist resumes include skills like "operations support," "customer service," "technical support," and "dod," whereas a staff specialist might be skilled in "iso," "financial statements," "duke," and "alumni. "

Staff specialists are known to earn higher educational levels when compared to operations support specialists. Additionally, they're 5.9% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 1.0% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Description Of a Support Analyst

The role of support analysts is to resolve problems with hardware, computer programs, and peripherals. They may focus on a particular aspect of the information technology (IT) department or give technical support to end-users. They mainly detect issues with IT equipment and software and devise solutions to resolve these issues. Also, they are responsible for answering queries from users, preparing service records, and handling escalations. Support analysts also support the company's IT operations and best practices by creating and distributing relevant IT documents.

Now, we'll look at support analysts, who generally average a higher pay when compared to operations support specialists annual salary. In fact, the difference is about $31,756 per year.

While their salaries may vary, operations support specialists and support analysts both use similar skills to perform their jobs. Resumes from both professions include skills like "customer service," "data entry," and "powerpoint. "

While some skills are shared by these professions, there are some differences to note. "operations support," "dod," "windows," and "operational procedures" are skills that have shown up on operations support specialists resumes. Additionally, support analyst uses skills like troubleshoot, application support, issue resolution, and phone calls on their resumes.

Support analysts earn a higher salary in the finance industry with an average of $93,871. Whereas, operations support specialists earn the highest salary in the automotive industry.

In general, support analysts reach similar levels of education when compared to operations support specialists resumes. Support analysts are 3.9% more likely to earn their Master's Degree and 0.4% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Updated October 2, 2020