Career Profile of a Director of Operations
Job Descriptions December 6, 2012The day-to-day activities of an organization are overseen by the director of operations who are known as chief operating officer (COO) in larger firms and typically work under the chief executive’s directions. Majority of Chief Operating Officers holds a master degree in business administration.
Job Profile of a Director of Operations
The director of operations belongs to top management in the organization that employs them, and their focus is ensuring the smooth operation of the company’s daily activities. An organization need benchmarks to help evaluate whether it is being ran effectively and efficiently. The director of operations helps set these benchmarks or equivalent parameters.
The director of operations spends a lot of time in reviewing and evaluating business procedures; these would be a wide range including the company’s real estate assets as well as office expenses. By keeping up with the above responsibilities, the director of operations is required to oversee the performance of other senior management members within the company.
Job Responsibilities of a Director of Operations
The job responsibilities for the director of operations can differ tremendously depending on the organization in which they are employed. For instance, some companies require the director of operations to involve themselves in overseeing the sales, purchasing and manufacturing departments while other firms call upon the director of operations to focus on specific areas aimed at improving the company’s operational efficiency. In fulfilling these responsibilities; the director of operations may monitor workers’ productivity and revenue margins; they need to implement new directives aimed at boosting the company’s growth. Firms rely on the director of operations to establish guidelines for advancement, recruitment and evaluation of personnel.
Prerequisites for a Director of Operations
Prospective directors of operations usually hold a bachelor degree in finance, business or related field. They rely on school programs in order to obtain the required training relevant to these fields of specialization. Program coursework generally includes topics such as asset allocation, taxation, and principles of accounting, among other subjects. Macroeconomics, business management and organizational behavior are areas that some colleges focus on, in the programs they offer.
Post-secondary qualification
Some employers prefer candidates who have a fair amount of operational experience; others opt for applicants who come armed with advanced degrees such as a Master in Business Administration (MBA). MBA coursework focuses on topics such as healthcare administration and finance and programs usually take about one to two years to complete. MBA students could opt for other specialty areas such as supply chain management or energy that are relevant to specific industries or fields.
