Typical duties
- Set daily, weekly and monthly operating plans
- Lead production, warehouse and logistics supervisors
- Manage budgets, labour cost and productivity
- Own safety, quality and compliance performance
- Track KPIs such as output, service level and cost per unit
- Work with planning, procurement and customer teams
- Drive improvement projects and fix recurring problems
- Recruit, develop and manage the site team
Skills, licences & tickets
- Experience leading supervisors and large teams
- Understanding of production, warehousing and logistics
- Budgeting and cost control
- Safety leadership and compliance knowledge
- Continuous improvement methods such as Lean
- Clear communication up to senior management and down to the floor
An operations manager runs the day-to-day activity of a site or business. This operations manager job description explains the duties, the skills and the career path, with a focus on FMCG, manufacturing and logistics.
FMCG stands for fast-moving consumer goods, such as packaged food, drinks and household products. In those businesses, the operations manager keeps production, warehousing and delivery running so products reach customers on time and at the right cost.
What does an operations manager do?
The operations manager sets the plan for the site, tracks results against targets and removes obstacles. They lead production, warehouse and logistics managers or supervisors and work with planning, procurement, quality and finance.
Day to day, that means checking safety and output, reviewing KPIs, solving recurring problems and making decisions about labour, equipment and priorities. The operations manager also reports to senior leaders on performance and improvement plans.
Operations manager compared with related roles
- Operations manager looks after the whole site or business unit.
- Production manager looks after manufacturing output and the production team.
- Warehouse manager looks after storage, picking and dispatch.
- Procurement manager looks after buying and supplier relationships.
Skills and qualifications employers look for
Employers look for proven leadership of supervisors and large teams, strong knowledge of how production and warehousing work and a clear record on safety and cost. A diploma or degree in business, supply chain, engineering or logistics is common, but many operations managers progress through experience. Lean or continuous improvement training is valued.
Workforce and roster planning is a core skill. See workforce planning for manufacturers and warehouses for how operations leaders think about it.
Pay, hours and employment types
Operations manager roles are usually permanent and full-time, often with early starts, shift cover and on-call duties. Salary depends heavily on the size of the site, the industry and the number of people managed, and public earnings data groups these roles with very different jobs, so compare actual job advertisements for your sector.
How to become an operations manager
A common path runs from team member to leading hand, supervisor, then production or warehouse manager, and finally operations manager. Building experience across more than one function makes the step easier. The leading hand entry describes the first step into leadership, and the leadership development guide covers what comes next.
Related Resources
- Permanent recruitment in Melbourne
- Manufacturing and production labour hire in Melbourne
- Warehousing and logistics recruitment in Melbourne
- Workforce planning for manufacturers and warehouses
- Skills matrix for manufacturing and warehouse teams
- Leadership development in blue collar roles
Frequently Asked Questions
What does an operations manager do?
An operations manager runs the day-to-day activity of a site or business and is responsible for safety, quality, cost and service performance.
What qualifications do you need to be an operations manager?
A diploma or degree in business, supply chain, engineering or logistics is common, although many people reach the role through experience in supervision and management.
How is an operations manager different from a production manager?
A production manager focuses on manufacturing output. An operations manager covers the wider site, including warehousing, logistics and support functions.
What does an operations manager do in FMCG?
In FMCG, the operations manager keeps production, storage and delivery running so products reach retailers on time, within cost and to quality standards.
Know Every Function on the Floor
The operations managers who succeed understand production, warehousing and people, and can balance them. If you are building toward the role, see current openings on the job board or submit your CV.
