An operations director is typically a high-ranking executive in charge of a company’s day-to-day operations. Depending on the size of the company, this position may also be referred to as the director of operations or chief operations officer. Supervising employees, purchasing economic resources for production, negotiating with vendors and suppliers, research and development, marketing and sales, and other activities that directly affect the company’s regular business operations are all common responsibilities. In order to determine how well the company completes tasks and activities, the operations director will compute metrics for performance evaluation.
Most operations directors have advanced degrees and several years of experience in the industry in which their company operates, as large organizations often have specific educational and professional requirements for this position. Some directors may also hold professional certification, which allows them to concentrate on improving and defining goals and objectives. The director frequently collaborates with the chief financial officer, the CEO, and the board of directors. As a result, the operations director must have a professional demeanor that allows him to prepare reports and present information to the executives who make decisions.
While most companies and organizations have an upper-level operations management position, the scope of this position’s authority is determined the organization’s structure. Centralized and decentralized organizational structures are the two most common types. The span of control in a centralized company is often small, with the operations director directly supervising one to four employees. As a result, a tall organizational structure with multiple management layers will emerge. For their individual span of control, each manager will supervise a small number of employees.
The operations director will have a broader range of control in decentralized organizations. This could result in 10 or more direct reports, resulting in a flatter organizational structure. As a result, there are fewer management layers and more employee interaction.
Soft skills are also required for an operations director’s position. In business, soft skills refer to the intangibles that an individual brings to the job, such as personality traits, communication techniques, personal habits, and other unique characteristics. The ability to negotiate with other companies and resolve conflicts, which are common in larger organizations, is aided having this skill set. While education and experience are important, individuals in upper-level management positions must bring more to the table in order to advance the company’s mission, vision, or values in the business environment.