Operations Manager
Also advertised as: Area Support Manager, business operations manager, Customer Operations Manager, division operations manager, Duty Manager, Graduate Operations Manager
Runs the day-to-day delivery of a site, service or department so it hits its targets safely and on budget.
What the job involves
Operations managers own how work actually gets done. You plan rotas and resources, watch performance figures, fix bottlenecks, keep standards and safety on track, and lead the supervisors below you. The job suits people who already run shifts or teams and want to move from doing the work to designing how the work runs.
Typical responsibilities
- Plan staffing, rotas and resources against demand
- Track KPIs such as cost, quality, service level and safety
- Lead and coach supervisors and team leaders
- Improve processes and remove bottlenecks
- Own budgets, stock and supplier performance
Common employers
- Retail groups
- Logistics and distribution firms
- NHS trusts
- Manufacturers
- Facilities providers
Pay, hours and working environment
Typical pay
£30,000 – £38,000 a year
With experience
£42,000 – £60,000 a year
Typical hours
Usually 40 hours, often including some early, late or weekend cover
Working environment
Mix of shop floor, warehouse or site and office
Remote working
on_site
Demand for this work
high
Pay ranges are indicative guidance drawn from advertised UK vacancies and published careers information. They are not an offer, and actual pay varies by employer, location and experience.
Skills and qualifications
Core skills
- Team leadership
- Performance management
- Budget control
- Process improvement
- Health and safety
- Problem solving
Transferable skills you may already have
- Rota planning
- Customer service
- Stock control
- Coaching colleagues
Requirements employers ask for
- Team leadership
- Performance management
- Budget control
- Process improvement
- Health and safety
- Problem solving
- No formal qualification required; proven supervisory experience expected
- ensure equipment maintenance
- ensure equipment availability
- follow company standards
- establish daily priorities
- manage logistics
- manage budgets
- plan health and safety procedures
- manage staff
- corporate social responsibility
- supervise daily information operations
- strive for company growth
- manage supplies
Useful but not essential
- Rota planning
- Customer service
- Stock control
- Coaching colleagues
- Level 5 Operations or Departmental Manager
- CMI or ILM management qualification
- Lean Six Sigma Green Belt
- manage profitability
- crowdsourcing strategy
- train employees
- insourcing strategy
- electrical power safety regulations
- ensure compliance with noise standards
- evaluate project plans
- quality assurance methodologies
Helpful qualifications
- Level 5 Operations or Departmental Manager
- CMI or ILM management qualification
- Lean Six Sigma Green Belt
Ways into this career
A degree is only one route. Where an apprenticeship, work-experience or qualification route exists, it is listed here alongside the academic option.
Apprenticeships and work-based routes
- Operations or Departmental Manager (Level 5)
- Improvement Practitioner (Level 4)
Degree and college routes
- Related subject: Business management
- Related subject: Logistics
- Related subject: Engineering
- Related subject: Hospitality management
Where this career can lead
next
Senior Operations Manager
next
Regional Manager
next
Head of Operations
The good parts and the hard parts
What people enjoy
- Strong route up from supervisory work without a degree
- Visible impact on results
- Transfers across many industries
What people find hard
- Accountable when things go wrong
- Shift and on-call cover is common
Common questions
- Do you need a degree to become a operations manager?
- No. As well as degree routes, this career can be entered through an apprenticeship or by building experience and qualifications on the job. not_required
- How much does a operations manager earn in the UK?
- Typical advertised pay runs from £30,000 to £38,000 a year, rising towards £60,000 with experience. Figures are indicative guidance rather than an offer.
- What skills transfer into this career?
- Skills that transfer well include Rota planning, Customer service, Stock control, Coaching colleagues.
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Where this information comes from
- National Careers Service
- Institute for Apprenticeships
Last reviewed 14 September 2026.
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