What an operations manager does
An operations manager is responsible for how the business runs day to day. Depending on your industry, that may cover production, warehousing, logistics, customer service, purchasing or facilities. They set processes, manage supervisors and staff, track performance measures, control operating costs and solve problems before they reach customers. In many growing companies, the operations manager is also the person who frees the owner from daily firefighting so they can focus on strategy and sales.
Operations roles differ significantly between a distribution centre, a manufacturing plant, a clinic network and a service business. Finch defines the scope of your role first, including team size, budget responsibility and the measures you track. We then screen candidates for comparable operational experience, their record of improving efficiency or quality, and their leadership style with frontline teams. Where relevant, we look for Lean or Six Sigma training and health and safety knowledge.
Typical responsibilities
- Oversee daily operations and make sure work meets quality, cost and service targets
- Lead and develop supervisors and frontline teams
- Set and track key performance indicators and report results
- Improve processes, workflows and use of systems
- Manage operating budgets, purchasing and vendor relationships
- Support health and safety programs and regulatory compliance
Qualifications and credentials
- Experience managing operations in a similar industry or environment
- A record of improving efficiency, quality or cost performance
- Strong people leadership, scheduling and problem-solving skills
- Lean, Six Sigma or similar process improvement training is often an asset
- Working knowledge of the Occupational Health and Safety Act and a supervisor's safety responsibilities
- A degree or diploma in business, operations or supply chain management is common
Who hires an operations manager
- Distribution, warehousing and logistics companies
- Manufacturers and food processors
- Multi-location service businesses and clinics
- Property management and facilities companies
- E-commerce and retail operations
Where we recruit operations manager candidates
We fill operations manager roles for employers across Toronto and the GTA, including North York, Scarborough, Etobicoke, Vaughan, Markham, Richmond Hill, Mississauga, Brampton, Oakville, Burlington, Oshawa and Pickering, and for employers across Canada. GTA employers can meet us at our North York office by appointment.
What Finch checks before you meet a candidate
- Scope of past roles, including team size, sites and budget responsibility
- Specific improvements they led and how they measured them
- Leadership with supervisors and frontline staff, confirmed through references
- Systems experience, such as ERP, warehouse or scheduling software
- Approach to health and safety and the regulatory requirements in your industry
Interview questions to ask
- Tell me about a process you changed that made a measurable difference. How did you get the team on board?
- Which performance measures do you look at every morning, and why?
- Describe a time you had to reduce operating costs without hurting service or quality.