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What is a technical operations manager and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted expert
Eric Olsen
introduction image

The technical operation manager is in charge of the technical department of an organization. It is your responsibility to plan, coordinate, organize and lead technical processes. This implies that a technical operations manager has to work in collaboration with other employees of the organization like the engineers and project managers to manage technical operations.

You may also be required to analyze and supervise the development of technical processes or supervise projects. Your role as a technical operations manager often involves providing the equipment for technical operations and implementing plans to achieve organizational goals.

A bachelor's degree in engineering, computer science, or other related fields is the minimum educational qualification for this role. You need to be an excellent communicator, time manager, and motivator. Furthermore, your leadership skills must be top-notch. You also have to be able to make quick, effective decisions under pressure. The average salary of a technical operations manager is $85,670 per year.

What general advice would you give to a technical operations manager?

Eric OlsenEric Olsen LinkedIn profile

Professor, Industrial Technology and Packaging, Orfalea College of Business

Times of change are also times of great opportunities. We are going to need new technical solutions to address problems we are just learning about. You have to lean into the issues. Don't be a technologist - be a problem solver. That is why we also emphasize soft skills like lean six sigma, teamwork, and change management.
ScoreTechnical Operations ManagerUS Average
Salary
8.0

Avg. Salary $115,501

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
9.6

Growth rate 6%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
3.5
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.47%

Asian 6.34%

Black or African American 6.15%

Hispanic or Latino 15.08%

Unknown 4.33%

White 67.63%

Gender

female 13.48%

male 86.52%

Age - 44
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 44
Stress level
9.6

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
9.2

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance
3.6

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Technical operations manager career paths

Key steps to become a technical operations manager

  1. Explore technical operations manager education requirements

    Most common technical operations manager degrees

    Bachelor's

    60.8 %

    Associate

    18.3 %

    Master's

    10.4 %
  2. Start to develop specific technical operations manager skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Technical Operations10.33%
    Customer Service8.98%
    Project Management7.97%
    Oversight5.64%
    Process Improvement4.20%
  3. Complete relevant technical operations manager training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New technical operations managers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a technical operations manager based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real technical operations manager resumes.
  4. Gain additional technical operations manager certifications

    Technical operations manager certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific technical operations manager certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

    The most common certifications for technical operations managers include IT Information Library Foundations Certification (ITIL) and Master Certified Electronics Technician (CETma).

    More About Certifications
  5. Research technical operations manager duties and responsibilities

    • Manage the administration of both the UNIX and NT domains.
    • Reduce deployment times to ensure that production maintenance windows are achieved.
    • Perform installation and administration of VMware ESXi and manage virtual machines with VCenter.
    • Delegate assignments and tasks; manage plant reliability, outage repair, and CLI compliance.
  6. Prepare your technical operations manager resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your technical operations manager resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a technical operations manager resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable technical operations manager resume templates

    Build a professional technical operations manager resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your technical operations manager resume.
    Technical Operations Manager Resume
    Technical Operations Manager Resume
    Technical Operations Manager Resume
    Technical Operations Manager Resume
    Technical Operations Manager Resume
    Technical Operations Manager Resume
    Technical Operations Manager Resume
    Technical Operations Manager Resume
    Technical Operations Manager Resume
  7. Apply for technical operations manager jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a technical operations manager job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first technical operations manager job

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Average technical operations manager salary

The average technical operations manager salary in the United States is $115,501 per year or $56 per hour. Technical operations manager salaries range between $87,000 and $152,000 per year.

Average technical operations manager salary
$115,501 Yearly
$55.53 hourly

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How do technical operations managers rate their job?

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Technical operations manager reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Nov 2023
Pros

Lot's of things to implement, improve, new ways to work.


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A zippia user wrote a review on Sep 2019
Pros

I love being able to mold my team and the distribution center to the culture of respect and accountability! Having senior and executive leadership support is a huge positive factor in making this happen!!

Cons

Long hours and calls outside of regular business hours are the norm!


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A zippia user wrote a review on Mar 2019
Pros

I love it and I wish I was back at my old job but I guess it is what it is

Cons

Not being loyal


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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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