How to hire a senior manager of business operations

How to hire a senior manager of business operations, step by step

Here's a step-by-step senior manager of business operations hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a senior manager of business operations job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new senior manager of business operations
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a senior manager of business operations do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a senior manager of business operations, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect senior manager of business operations also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   This list presents senior manager of business operations salaries for various positions.

   Type of Senior Manager Of Business Operations	Description	Hourly rate
   Senior Manager Of Business Operations	Top executives devise strategies and policies to ensure that an organization meets its goals. They plan, direct, and coordinate operational activities of companies and organizations.	$44-76
   Operations Program Manager	The role of operations program managers is to help improve organizational efficiency, particularly in the areas of administrative, financial, and programmatic operations. Their key duties and responsibilities include overseeing the collection, analysis, and reporting of data, overseeing and leading teams to achieve business goals, and managing the development and execution of operational procedures... Show more	$37-75
   Operations Support Manager	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... Show more	$22-63

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Business Operations
   • Continuous Improvement
   • Project Management
   • Cloud
   • KPIs
   • Process Improvement
   • SR
   • Program Management
   • Business Intelligence
   • Business Development
   • Business Processes
   • Lean Six Sigma
   • Visualization
   • Business Objectives

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage a global team that deliver executive dashboards, financial analysis and operational KPIs.
   • Manage a portfolio of inpatient and outpatient products market to major academic medical centers, community hospitals and nursing homes.
   • Create financial dashboard to provide real time sales metrics and KPIs by sales division.
   • Print direct mail catalog, develop and expand organization's website and e-commerce operation, and implement new donor database program.
   • Enable communications/showing of revenue programs across GSM Americas customer base.
   • Procure and return required equipment/supplies for all surgery cases.

   More senior manager of business operations duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your senior manager of business operations job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A senior manager of business operations can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, senior managers of business operations' average salary in oklahoma is 51% less than in district of columbia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level senior managers of business operations 42% less than senior-level senior managers of business operations.
   • Certifications. A senior manager of business operations with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a senior manager of business operations's salary.

   Average senior manager of business operations salary

   $122,562yearly

   $58.92 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level senior manager of business operations salary

   $93,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 19, 2025

   Average senior manager of business operations salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	District of Columbia	$182,955	$88
   2	California	$163,578	$79
   3	Alaska	$144,497	$69
   4	Washington	$143,184	$69
   5	Nevada	$138,560	$67
   6	New York	$134,140	$64
   7	Connecticut	$132,451	$64
   8	Colorado	$130,017	$63
   9	Oregon	$129,208	$62
   10	Virginia	$128,623	$62
   11	Massachusetts	$126,817	$61
   12	Pennsylvania	$124,676	$60
   13	Illinois	$122,866	$59
   14	Indiana	$120,452	$58
   15	Texas	$118,040	$57
   16	Arizona	$116,849	$56
   17	Ohio	$112,520	$54
   18	New Hampshire	$111,759	$54
   19	Idaho	$106,492	$51
   20	Utah	$99,327	$48

   Average senior manager of business operations salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Twitter	$169,688	$81.58	6
   2	Yelp	$168,855	$81.18
   3	Pinterest	$163,454	$78.58	9
   4	eBay	$161,412	$77.60	42
   5	The Walt Disney Company	$160,235	$77.04	53
   6	Zendesk	$159,871	$76.86	3
   7	PayPal	$156,487	$75.23	22
   8	NVIDIA	$156,351	$75.17	16
   9	Unity Technologies	$155,639	$74.83	1
   10	LinkedIn	$155,378	$74.70	15
   11	New Relic	$154,955	$74.50	2
   12	HashiCorp	$154,185	$74.13
   13	Intuit	$153,674	$73.88	72
   14	Twilio	$152,737	$73.43	2
   15	DoorDash	$152,357	$73.25	216
   16	Houzz	$150,914	$72.55
   17	VMware	$148,951	$71.61
   18	Adobe	$146,643	$70.50	57
   19	Nutanix	$146,203	$70.29	10
   20	Riot Games	$146,169	$70.27	1

4. Writing a senior manager of business operations job description

   A good senior manager of business operations job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a senior manager of business operations job description:

   Senior manager of business operations job description example

   Common Sense (commonsense.org) is the nation's leading independent nonprofit organization devoted to helping kids and families thrive in a world of media and technology.
   
   Every day, millions of families turn to Common Sense for trusted advice and unbiased ratings. We offer the largest library of independent, age-based, and educational ratings and reviews for everything your kids want to watch, play, read, and learn. Our movie and TV ratings are available on Target.com, Xfinity, Apple TV, and many other partner platforms helping families make smart media choices. Through our schools program, we provide educators with a curriculum that teaches the essential digital citizenship and literacy skills every student needs to succeed. We also work with policymakers, industry leaders, and concerned parents and teachers to improve the media and education landscape for kids, families, and schools.
   
   Common Sense Media's age-appropriate media reviews (of movies, TV shows, games, apps, books, podcasts, and websites) and parenting advice are licensed to leading media and technology companies that include Comcast, Target, Sky, Apple, and Vudu.com, among many others.
   
   We are seeking an experienced, talented, and dynamic Business Development & Operations professional to support new business opportunities in the media and tech space to broaden our distribution footprint and generate sustainable revenue for the organization.
   
   You will work closely with the VP of Business Development to execute on our new business strategy across high-profile entertainment, media, and tech companies. You will support the new business prospecting, cultivation, pitch, and deal development process. The ideal candidate for this position will have strong knowledge of the media and tech space, and experience developing compelling proposals, modeling financials, managing pipeline, and structuring deals. We are looking for considerable familiarity with the entertainment industry (platforms, business models, product functionality) and the ability to navigate the rapidly changing tech and media landscape, pivoting strategies and approaches as the industry evolves. Experience in business analysis and/or financial modeling, as well as contract development/negotiation and proposal development, is a must.
   
   EMPLOYMENT TYPE: Full-time, exempt REPORTS TO: VP, Business Development
   
   LOCATION: We will consider applicants for employment who are in commuting distance of one of the following regional locations: San Francisco Bay Area, Greater Los Angeles, New York Metropolitan (Tri-State) Area, Washington DC Metropolitan Area
   SOME OF WHAT YOU'LL DO: Develop materials to help us win new business relationships, including customized sales decks, compelling proposals, structuring contracts, and term sheets. Make recommendations for pricing/deal structures, negotiation approaches, and analysis documents to support new business opportunities in order to monetize and increase distribution of Common Sense content. Identify leads/prospects to target. Work with Partnerships team to develop strong renewal proposals. Engage in Salesforce activity that includes oversight of invoices, pipeline management, and revenue tracking. Conduct analysis of industry trends to inform recommendations for our positioning. Work closely with VP, Business Development, to support development of new business opportunities from start to finish, including research/prospecting, developing pitch materials, crafting proposals, helping to inform negotiation strategies, contract development, and close. WHAT WE NEED TO SEE ON YOUR RÉSUMÉ: 4-8 years of relevant experience supporting sales pipelines and sales cycles, including sales, business development, business analysis, and/or BD project management. Strong knowledge of the media/entertainment/tech landscape, including platforms, business models, and deal structuring. Excellent written communication skills and experience with proposal writing a must. Experience with contract redlining/reviews. Working knowledge of Salesforce functionality. Proven chops as an organized, entrepreneurial self-starter -- someone who swiftly identifies what needs to get done and is eager to make it happen. BA required; MBA or JD a plus. THE X FACTOR: You're savvy about the evolving media landscape and the product platforms that deliver entertainment content. You take ownership of your work, but also thrive in collaboration and contribute to a positive team culture. You're flexible and able to pivot quickly to shifting priorities and elevated opportunities. You are inspired by the Common Sense mission and the possibilities that prospective partnerships present. WHAT WE OFFER: Work with passionate professionals. Comprehensive health and wellness benefits: medical, dental, vision, and fitness. Matching 401(k). Work-life balance. The opportunity to make a difference in the lives of kids and families! Common Sense values the diversity of its employees and is an equal opportunity employer. For more information on our values, please visit our statement on diversity, equity, and inclusion. Common Sense will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records. However, job offers are made on the condition that the applicant subsequently passes a criminal background check. If the background check indicates a prior criminal conviction, we will conduct an individualized assessment to determine whether the conviction should result in denial of employment.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find senior managers of business operations for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your senior manager of business operations job on Zippia to find and recruit senior manager of business operations candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with senior manager of business operations candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new senior manager of business operations

   Once you've found the senior manager of business operations candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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