Automatically apply for jobs with Zippia

Upload your resume to get started.

Plans and operations manager skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

6 min read

Quoted experts

Karen Kus,

Nina Woodard

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical plans and operations manager skills. We ranked the top skills for plans and operations managers based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 15.5% of plans and operations manager resumes contained customer service as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a plans and operations manager needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 plans and operations manager skills for your resume and career

1. Customer Service

Customer service is the process of offering assistance to all the current and potential customers -- answering questions, fixing problems, and providing excellent service. The main goal of customer service is to build a strong relationship with the customers so that they keep coming back for more business.

Here's how plans and operations managers use customer service:

Lead department activities, identified training and development opportunities and personnel issue resolution that ensured the highest level of customer service.
Developed and communicated weekly production plan based on demand to meet overall customer service levels as well as finished goods inventory.

2. Project Management

Here's how plans and operations managers use project management:

Position included project management, management reporting, financial support, and cost savings initiatives.
Provided constructive input in the areas of design and project management of the selected areas of responsibility.

3. Employee Development

Here's how plans and operations managers use employee development:

Facilitated succession planning and high potential employee development.
Managed four full-time Data Analysts, responsible for hiring, employee development, performance reviews, compensation & disciplinary actions.

4. Customer Satisfaction

Here's how plans and operations managers use customer satisfaction:

Developed recommendations, conducted leadership reviews and executed staffing strategies that improved customer satisfaction and generated cost savings.
Boosted customer satisfaction by 20% across 8 departments by developing a Customer Relationship Management Program.

5. Direct Reports

Here's how plans and operations managers use direct reports:

Developed successful succession planning process for direct reports.
Led Operations Planning and Logistics for large major profit driver with 12 direct reports and 30 indirect reports.

6. Process Improvement

Here's how plans and operations managers use process improvement:

Reduced operating costs through targeted manufacturing lean process improvements.
Identified drivers of new customer activity and driving process improvements which mitigated the customer's need to contact a representative.

7. KPIs

Here's how plans and operations managers use kpis:

Established business processes from the ground up and implemented Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to measure process efficiency and effectiveness.
Created and maintained scorecard to track objectives and performance via KPIs and reported monthly progress.

8. Logistics

Logistics is a complete organization and implementation of a problem. Logistics are often considered in a complex business operation, as some works need detailed plannings. Logistics are also used in military action.

Here's how plans and operations managers use logistics:

Coordinated logistics and operations for major engineering projects, including training, resource allocation / procurement, warehousing and transportation.
Implemented Studies and Project Team visits co-ordination and logistics for allocating limited resources to support business critical needs.

9. Continuous Improvement

Continuous improvement is an ongoing process of improvement of products, services, and processes with the help of innovative ideas. It is an organized approach that helps an organization to find its weaknesses and improve them.

Here's how plans and operations managers use continuous improvement:

Devised strategies for material management, procurement, capacity requirements planning, master scheduling, supplier relationships, and continuous improvements.
Designed and led the implementation of enterprise-wide programs to establish best and continuous improvement processes maximizing costs and supplier performance.

10. Oversight

Having oversight of someone means to monitor a process or a situation. If someone has oversight of something, they are responsible for the completion of the project. Oversight is usually given to experts as they monitor their juniors or newbies as they go through a project.

Here's how plans and operations managers use oversight:

Provided strategic direction for resolution of multiple vendor contract issues and oversight.
Provide support and expertise for the oversight of Lockheed Martin Corporation 401K Savings Plans and Non- Qualified Plans.

11. Financial Analysis

Here's how plans and operations managers use financial analysis:

Developed and implemented financial analysis tools including scorecards and performance dashboards to monitor and analyze business unit performance.
Coordinated operational analysis and financial forecasting processes with internal insurance financial analysis core team members.

12. Demand Planning

Demand planning is the process of forecasting demand for a product or service and implementing an operational strategy throughout the supply chain to meet it. The goal is to find a balance between having enough inventory to meet customer needs without overstocking. Demand planners work in different departments of an organization to make sales forecasts, adjusting inventory levels to seasonal demand, materials planning, and procurement forecasts.

Here's how plans and operations managers use demand planning:

Team leader of operations group which included members of allocation, demand planning and order entry departments.
Lead a team of 10 operations and demand planning analysts, which are customer and quality focused.

13. On-Time Delivery

On-Time Delivery, or OTD, is a metric that measures the rate at which finished goods and deliveries are completed on time. This rate is measured by the overall number of units shipped within a specified time frame agreed upon by the consumer and supplier. On-Time Delivery allows suppliers' compliance with delivery deadlines, and hence their consistency, to be assessed using a continuous and collaborative development approach.

Here's how plans and operations managers use on-time delivery:

Ensured on-time delivery through improved material positioning.
Analyzed and evaluated the forecasting and ordering process and identified areas of improvement for on-time delivery performance across 20+ factories.

14. Executive Management

Here's how plans and operations managers use executive management:

Evaluated Merger and Acquisition candidates, advised executive management on strategic fit and closed transactions.
Spearheaded full-scope budgeting, forecasting, financial business analysis and monthly reporting to executive management.

15. SharePoint

Here's how plans and operations managers use sharepoint:

Designed and managed the organization s planning team collaborative SharePoint portal enhancing information flow, and security of classified information.
Published documentation on the SharePoint portal; providing an efficient way for Upper Management to view disaster recovery/COOP processes.

What skills help Plans And Operations Managers find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What skills stand out on plans and operations manager resumes?

Karen Kus

Assistant Director of Career Services, SUNY Potsdam

Employers hiring candidates with a history degree are seeking transferable skills that can be applied in various roles and settings. These skills include writing, communication, research, organization, computer-based skills, and problem-solving. The best thing a candidate can do to increase marketability is to elaborate on how they obtained or utilized those skills, rather than simply listing them. Employers need to have an understanding of how you made use of your skill and what results came from your actions. Make these skills shine on your resume by giving them substance.

What plans and operations manager skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Nina Woodard

Senior Career Development Specialist, Belmont University

For entertainment, digital marketing and content creation skills are critical. Even if a role isn't specifically connected to digital marketing, social media is almost always involved in most entry-level roles. We strongly encourage students and recent graduates to learn basic graphic design platforms, video editing and audio editing. Learning how to maximize impact on social media platforms such as YouTube, Instagram or TikTok is also a worthy investment of time. There's a wide range of self-paced training resources online, many available for free or at reduced costs for students.

What type of skills will young plans and operations managers need?

Adrian Tan

Assistant Professor and Program Coordinator, Pennsylvania State University - New Kensington

The feedback from business leaders is that they wish to see a balanced mix of different skills in new graduates. An unexpected skill mentioned is the ability to use spreadsheets such as Excel. Companies do not expect to have to train new employees to use spreadsheets, though it turned out that spreadsheets are widely used (at varying levels of complexity) at all levels in organizations. An assumption here is that if a graduate already has good spreadsheet skills, then the graduate should also have the ability to quickly pick up on other more complex business IT skills required by the organization.
Businesses also need to know if their new employees can effectively interact with internal or external audiences. In this regard, excellent presentation skills are the minimum expectation from businesses. Presentation skills (both formal and informal) include the ability to read people, to communicate, and to covey information appropriately to the different types of audiences they may encounter - and these may sometimes include bored, skeptical, adversarial or even hostile audiences.
Every organization also requires graduates to show that they are good team-players. In addition to that, it is a big advantage if graduates can also demonstrate sound leadership skills in the context of teamwork. This is because new employees with leadership potential are viewed as those who are willing to go the extra mile, able to function with minimum supervision, can roll with the punches to jump back into the fray, and trusted to welcome (instead of to avoid) new assignments or challenges. Leadership skills are also seen as closely aligned with the possession of a corporate entrepreneurial mindset in that such employees are more willing to challenge the status quo, come up with out-of-the-box ideas, and help lead transformation efforts that can guide the organization in the future.

What technical skills for a plans and operations manager stand out to employers?

Dr. Mary Kern Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Zicklin School of Business at Baruch College - City University of New York

- Clearly, the ability to use different forms of communication technology has become key, and as these forms evolve rapidly, employers are look for an ability to adapt, adopt, and teach them to their colleagues.

- Evidence-based management and decision-making are playing a much larger role in organizations, and thus the ability to work with quantitative data to understand situations and to help make decisions is crucial.

What soft skills should all plans and operations managers possess?

Steven Bauer

Visiting Professor of Marketing, Pepperdine University, Seaver College

The new hybrid world will make leading teams more challenging. This reality will put a premium on interpersonal skills. When the NASA astronaut, Richard Arnold, spoke at Pepperdine in 2019, he mentioned that team building was the single most important ability undergraduates could develop to become a good astronaut. The same holds for graduates wanting to go into business, particularly in the post coronavirus era. As part of their skills in this area, graduates will also need to be able and committed to addressing issues in the areas of diversity, equity and inclusion.

Do you want to know more?

List of plans and operations manager skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for a plans and operations manager resume and required skills for a plans and operations manager to have include:

Customer Service
Project Management
Employee Development
Customer Satisfaction
Direct Reports
Process Improvement
KPIs
Logistics
Continuous Improvement
Oversight
Financial Analysis
Demand Planning
On-Time Delivery
Executive Management
SharePoint
Supply Chain Planning

Inventory Management
MRP
Sigma
ERP
Business Process
R
Executive Leadership
Capacity Planning
Operational Support
Human Resources
Production Planning
Health Plan
Medicaid
Inventory Control
CMS
Business Plan

ROI
Cost Savings
Operational Efficiency
Product Line
Production Schedules
Distribution Centers
RFP
Financial Performance
Strategic Direction
Training Programs
Master Scheduling
Goods Inventory
Opportunity Management
ISO
US Army

Updated January 8, 2025

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.

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse executive management jobs