The Role of an Operations Manager in Business

Introduction: The Importance of Operations Management

The role of an operations manager is an important one in any business, regardless of size. According to the Houston Chronicle, the operations manager needs a "wide range" of interpersonal and professional skills in order to perform the job effectively (Farnen, 2010). The operations manager handles the management of raw materials and personnel, and — in many cases — conducts the interviewing and hiring of employees while overseeing the assignment of staff to specific tasks (Farnen, p. 1).

Operations managers also play an important part in the budgeting process and in other aspects of a company's finances (Farnen, 2010). They participate in the goal-setting process, cooperate with other department managers to coordinate sales promotions, and typically help resolve disputes or disagreements within their organizations. Strong communication skills are essential because operations managers are asked to "facilitate communications between employees and departments" (Farnen, p. 2).

Core Skills and Knowledge Requirements

Fatat Bouraad writes in the Project Management Journal that in terms of "know how," an operations manager must have: a) good interpersonal skills; b) a "holistic vision"; c) "long-term vision"; d) effective leadership abilities; e) a "propensity to innovation"; and f) a good work ethic (Bouraad, 2008).

The knowledge that an operations manager must possess is both complex and diverse. According to Bouraad, it includes managerial knowledge, internal business knowledge, external business knowledge, and technical knowledge (Bouraad, p. 75). In addition, the operations manager must be trained in technical matters and planning, and must have "organizational impacts assessment capability" (Bouraad, p. 75).

To remain current with today's technological advances, an operations manager should have a solid working knowledge of information technology, according to Bouraad. This does not mean the operations manager must be an IT expert, but he or she should be conversant with IT — because hiring an IT manager does not release the operations manager from responsibility for making decisions that have technological impacts on the organization.

Operations Management at Riordan Manufacturing

The operations manager for Riordan Manufacturing faces a demanding role with a steep learning curve for anyone taking on new responsibilities. He or she must quickly become familiar with inventory as it relates to digital hardware. Each location where Riordan operates must maintain secure Wide Area Network (WAN) and Local Area Network (LAN) connections to ensure the smooth functioning of online activities. Because each Riordan site handles constant requests from workstations — with ten or more users per workstation on the WAN or LAN — the company cannot tolerate lapses in technology. This means the operations manager at each Riordan site must be highly knowledgeable about information technology; at a minimum, he or she must know the right questions to ask of technicians applying for positions.

Because Riordan operates across many locations, operations managers must possess the interpersonal skills necessary for constant, effective communication with employees from diverse ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. The Hang Zhou location in China, for example, requires an operations manager with both a holistic vision and a long-term vision for success. Managing workers in China differs substantially from managing employees in Pontiac, Michigan, or Albany, Georgia. This is where effective leadership becomes critical, since all employees — whether unionized or not — deserve outstanding leadership, which Bouraad describes as "the ability to empower, motivate, and organize people to achieve a common objective" (Bouraad, p. 75).

Because Riordan's customers for its plastics products are widely varied — including the U.S. Department of Defense, automotive and aircraft parts manufacturers, beverage companies, and appliance manufacturers — the operations manager must possess strong planning capabilities, the ability to assess production timing, and excellent external business knowledge of what the market and competitors are doing or planning.

Conclusion

The job of an operations manager is among the most important positions in any company — in this case, Riordan Manufacturing — and the person who trains for the role must be capable and competent in both technologies and manufacturing issues. But he or she must also possess strong communication skills, vision, and leadership abilities. The demands of the position are broad, but so too is its impact on the overall success of the organization.