It is part of the Business Ops Manager`s job to support the various departments, increase visibility and guide them towards efficiency. Business operations managers usually have to rotate a lot. ElShawa: My job is to ask the right questions. Sometimes the manager of a department may not want to make a specific decision. It may be more work for their department, but it`s the right decision for the whole project or company. It`s my job to push them, to make sure they follow that path, rather than making decisions specifically for their own organization. In 2020, Built In interviewed several business operations professionals, including ElShawa; Sarah Ouyang, Sales and Operations at Lattice; and Ayesha Jaggi, Business Operations at Plaid – to explain what they do. Let`s say my company wants to invest in running a whole new industry. As COO of Biz, I will try to assess the size of the market in this industry, whether it makes economic sense to invest in the vertical, what kind of investment it might require and how much we might get as a return on that investment. A business operations manager must act – and adapt.
It`s a role that`s right for people who can be crucial while taking into account the overall goals of the business and the needs of different stakeholders. Biz Ops managers dive into the details to make the day-to-day work easier. Ouyang: A good problem-solving sense is really important. When I think about all the different projects or pain points I hear from managers, a lot of things are vague. Being able to understand what this problem is, and then internalize it, digest it and break it down into concrete projects is really helpful. A successful business operations manager has a knack for knowing what to do in complex situations. In some cases, business operations may be more focused on change management. In other cases, it may be metrics and the alignment of reports between different teams. Business operations managers are often involved in many different projects with different teams.
They are considered successful when these projects are effective and the teams achieve their goals. Ouyang: We are like internal consultants. When you think of a body, we are something like the spine. We have access to and knowledge at the senior management level and understand these priorities as well as managers` priorities. At the same time, we sit in the middle; We have access to the other moving parts of the body. We work on different projects, from high-level strategy to operational issues. We look at the company from two angles: What is the strategy and what are the infrastructural and operational requirements to implement this strategy? Measuring key performance indicators or targets and key findings related to the company`s operational effectiveness keeps everything on track. The Business Operations Manager can monitor this.
The responsibilities of a Director of Business Operations vary by industry and organization. But there are constant expectations for the role. There is no cookie-cutter personality that fits perfectly into the role of a Biz Ops manager, nor is there a shared career path that leads directly to it. However, successful people in this role are often quick decision makers, good problem solvers, and accomplished relationship builders. ElShawa: The best Biz Ops managers usually have a great mindset. They analyze situations and make decisions in the best interest of the company, not in the interest of any person or department. It is important to have someone who is able to turn around quickly and make decisions, who can keep a cool head, not go too high and not too low. There will be a lot of things thrown at you.
When it comes to managers, I always have to think of an image of construction workers standing around a construction pit and watching. One is the project manager, the others are the human resources manager, the IT manager, the facilities manager, the public relations manager, the security manager,. And a construction worker stands in the middle and digs. Meet Herbert! Business operations managers are like Swiss Army knives. Often, business operations managers not only work closely with their own Biz Ops teams (if applicable; sometimes Biz Ops managers are part of the executive teams), but also with executives in marketing, sales, customer success, HR, legal, etc. Jaggi: Another big part of the role is a strategic lens. The company is constantly evolving, so new needs are constantly emerging. For example, we could assess where we might want to launch a new initiative, or whether there is a gap in the business or a problem that we need to solve. Jaggi: We monitor everything that works as is, and then we continue to improve the efficiency and performance of the company.
We set quarterly targets. We measure metrics. We see if the strategies we have put in place are actually working to produce the desired results. Ouyang: When we specialize in sales, we are measured by the success of the sales team – when we have been able to save salespeople time and make the process more efficient for them. In addition, it is often part of an operations manager`s job to keep an eye on quality assurance. At least in part, he is also a kind of quality manager. Yes, GSD is a vague and all-encompassing term. But Biz Ops managers really have the explicit function of moving projects forward. Jaggi: Relationships are really important – being a nice person, having positivity at work, talking to others consciously. I think that`s a very important skill to be a good business partner.
“If you think you`re good at everything but not good, this is the job for you,” Emad ElShawa, senior director of business operations and strategy at Fundbox, told Built In in 2020 about the role. “The best Biz Ops managers usually have a great mindset. They analyze situations and make decisions in the best interest of the company, not in the interest of any person or department. By 2029, about 143,000 business operations manager positions are expected to be open, representing growth of about 5.8 percent, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts. Business operations managers are uniquely positioned. They are often associated with senior management, while they are also involved in different departments but different from them. They use their position to ensure that departmental success contributes to broader organization-wide objectives. Business operations managers are constantly communicating with people – colleagues, managers, executives. The task is to support other teams, so a Biz Ops manager must be able to communicate and empathize with them effectively. The ability to build relationships and create synergies within the organization is key to getting things done.
Business operations managers are looking for ways for the organization to seize new opportunities and reduce costs. Depending on the industry and the size and phase of the business, business activity can manifest itself in different ways. OM is therefore responsible, as a business function, for managing the process of creating goods and services. It includes the planning, organization, coordination and control of all resources necessary for the production of goods and services of a company. After all, ensuring safety at work through appropriate measures plays a decisive role in maintenance. This includes, among other things, good protective equipment and ensuring hygiene. In addition, proper signage during maintenance can ensure safety. Operations management plays a crucial role in a business, as it deals with and monitors topics such as the design, execution and maintenance of the system in the production of goods.
Operations manager job postings often require a university education or degree, such as a college or university degree in engineering or business administration. The responses have been edited and condensed for clarity. The most important knowledge and skills that an operations manager must bring are: My teammates are the best; We have such a good relationship and every Friday in our team meeting we laugh and share our lives. All because our team leader Robert is as positive, sensitive, cooperative and professional as all my colleagues. Working in such a multicultural environment is simply amazing. Basically, accompanying managers in the introduction of new processes is also part of his daily work. A farm manager often reports directly to company management and coordinates all employees involved in the service delivery process. In doing so, it identifies areas for improvement and informs the people concerned about the necessary steps. Depending on the position, the position of Director of Operations therefore also includes responsibility for leadership. This organizes, also in agreement with the personnel department, the tasks of the respective employees and ensures their morale and commitment. To work in the field of operations management, in-depth knowledge of process and project management and common workflow management software is required. A strong affinity for IT is therefore essential.
