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What Does a Director of Operations Do? And How to Become One

A director of operations oversees the day to day operations of a company. Discover the main duties of an operation director and what skills and education you’ll need to become one.

A director of operations leads and models expectations for each department within a company so that all departments can work together to create a successful, organized, and efficient business. As a result, a director of operations may work with a marketing manager to assess the effectiveness of marketing campaigns against the company’s marketing goals or discuss budgeting and forecasting with the financial department manager. 

In this article, you'll learn more about what a director of operations does, who they oversee, and how to become one. At the end, you'll also learn common career trajectories for operations directors and explore suggested courses that can help you gain job-relevant skills today.

If you're ready to advance the skills you'll need for this career path, consider enrolling in Operations Management: Organization and Analysis , a course from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

What is a director of operations?  

A director of operations is an executive who is in charge of managing the day-to-day operations of a company, which may include a wide range of tasks depending on the industry and size of the business. Typically, though, the director of operations is involved in improving efficiency, setting budgets, and implementing employee policies. 

Within a corporate hierarchy, the director of operations reports to the chief executive officer (CEO) and is an executive-level position, working with senior-level management and C-suite positions. Operations directors can be found in private, public, non-profit, or government sectors and job titles may differ depending on the industry.

Director of operations job description: Duties and responsibilities

The responsibility of the director of operations is to ensure that the company's overall goals, objectives, and mission are carried out through daily operations and customer interactions. Core duties and responsibilities may include:

Improving the cost efficiency of certain business operations through resource allocation

Creating and overseeing employee evaluation metrics and methods 

Conducting budget reviews and reporting findings

Implementing, reviewing, and modifying company policies and procedures 

Supporting the HR department in staff management, hiring, termination, and disciplinary actions 

Helping department managers set goals, manage employees, and improve efficiency 

Ensuring company operations meet financial goals and objectives

Identifying more cost-efficient ways to do business, setting and executing department and company-wide budgets, and forecasting efforts 

Read more: Operations Manager: 2024 Career Guide

Who does a director of operations manage?

A director of operations manages the company’s senior-level management, often those who lead individual departments or are responsible for a division. Such roles can include the marketing manager , office manager , sales manager , HR department manager , and manager of the financial department (also called a controller).

Each department manager reports to the director of operations to provide feedback and ask for support when needed. It’s important that managers see the operations director as someone who supports their efforts. A key responsibility for this role is to maintain consistency across all departments and that the company vision is carried out through the daily operations of all divisions. 

COO vs. Director of operations

The title of chief operations officer (COO) and director of operations are sometimes used interchangeably to refer to the same position, but these roles also have subtle (but important) differences. C-suite executive positions like COO, CFO, and CEO usually lead larger companies and corporations. Smaller companies may not have those titles, so the duties of company operations management fall on the director of operations, who essentially has the same tasks and responsibilities as a COO at a larger company on a smaller scale. 

Larger companies may also have both a COO and a director of operations, but their scope of management and oversight usually differs. For example, a company that already has a COO may hire a director of operations to oversee a specific procedure that needs more attention and focus, but the COO would be the more senior position. 

How to become a Director of Operations

The essential skills of a director of operations center around being a good leader, communicator, and problem solver. Technical skills are also important and differ by industry. Experience, training, and education will help you build these relevant skills. 

1. Earn your degree.

To become a director of operations, you need at least a bachelor’s degree in business or a related field, such as business administration or business management . According to Zippia, 70 percent of directors of business operations have a bachelor's degree, and 20 percent have a master's. Earning a master’s in business administration ( MBA ) degree may be required since a director of operations is a C-suite business management position. You’ll learn relevant skills through your MBA coursework, including business ethics, business analytics, decision-making in business, operations management, and leadership. 

The University of Illinois's iMBA program might be a good fit for you, if you're considering getting an advanced degree. Inside, you can build leadership skills, increase your earning potential, and prepare for an ever-changing business landscape.

2. Gain professional experience.

Relevant professional experience is a requirement to work as a director of operations, ideally in business management positions, but experience doesn’t necessarily have to be in the same industry. Employers will likely seek candidates with extensive leadership experience of 10 years or more. Relevant professional experience may include positions in lower-level management. Operations directors may also work up from less senior positions within the company. 

3. Consider certification.

Professional certifications are available for careers in business operations, including director of operations. The certification you choose may vary according to the industry you work in and your responsibilities. A few common certifications for director of operations include: 

Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP)

Project Management Professional (PMP)

Certified Manager Certification (CM)

As an operations director, certifications can positively affect your salary, improve your job prospects, and enhance your business management skills. 

Read more: How to List Certifications on Your Resume: Guide + Examples

4. Hone your skills.

A director of operations must be comfortable making decisions, possess leadership abilities, and be an effective communicator. If you're hoping to one day become a director of operations, here's how you can expect to use these job-critical skills in the role:

Decision-making: A director of operations must be able to make smart and efficient decisions when faced with scenarios that affect the company’s overall goals and objectives. Making the best choices that positively affect a company can include financial, staffing, or operational decisions like inventory management and cost. You may also use decision-making skills when tracking performance metrics regarding sales, customer service, employees, or a company's software system. 

Leadership: A director of operations leads managers within a company and other employees. Leadership often requires the ability to empathize, motivate, and guide. Having strong leadership skills is key in this executive management position. 

Communication: A director of operations will bring together different people and roles to work toward one common goal. As a result, communicating the needs of managers to key decision-makers in the company is an essential skill, as is informing new policies and procedures created by executives to the managers that implement them. 

Read more: What Is Effective Communication? Skills for Work, School, and Life

To focus specifically on leadership skills, consider taking the specialization, Leading People and Teams, from the University of Michigan.

5. Master business processes.

To effectively perform their duties, a director of operations must thoroughly understand business processes. Common business processes a director of operations must understand include:

Sales and marketing

Product development

Customer experience

Order processing

These processes vary by industry, but in general, are processes most businesses need to manage to ensure a smooth operation. Operations directors need an understanding of a company’s products or services, from production to purchasing, in order to perform their duties to the highest possible standard.

For more ideas on processes in operations, watch this video, "Thinking About Work as a Process."

Typical career trajectory

The typical career trajectory of a director of operations includes several years in entry-level business management positions. Some common management positions that directors of operations may hold early in their career include:

Human resources manager 

Office manager 

Marketing manager  

Project manager  

Another possible career path for this role may be working as a business operations manager at a small start-up company. Sometimes smaller companies will have fewer roles and divisions to manage, so you might find fewer requirements. These positions can give you the experience you need to catapult your career as a director of operations.  It’s possible to work toward your MBA while in an entry-level management position to satisfy the experiential and educational requirements when you’re ready to apply for a director of operations position.

Advance your skills with Coursera

A director of operations must pair a deep knowledge of business with effective leadership, managerial, and communication abilities. If you're interested in furthering your professional career, you may consider taking a cost-effective, flexible course through Coursera. Completing online courses can boost your resume and help you build essential skills for director of operations positions. 

In the Operations Management: Organization and Analysis course from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, you will learn about the role of operations and how it's connected to other business functions. When you're ready to go deeper, consider taking the full Value Chain Management Specialization .

Keep reading

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This content has been made available for informational purposes only. Learners are advised to conduct additional research to ensure that courses and other credentials pursued meet their personal, professional, and financial goals.

Operations Management 101 & 201: Definitions, Pro Tips, Trends

By Kate Eby | May 25, 2017 (updated March 3, 2023)

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The term operations management encompasses planning, implementing, and supervising the production of goods or services. Operations managers have responsibilities in both strategy and day-to-day production, in either manufacturing or services. Sometimes called production management, the field is cross-functional, tying in with other departments such as sales, marketing, and finance. It’s involved in product or service creation, development, production, and distribution. In effect, it connects dots along the value chain.

Technology, ever changing, plays a key role in springboarding constant advancements in operations management (OM). That’s truer now than ever before thanks to budding advancements like self-maintaining smart machines (for production) and drones (for distribution). Companies that use technology well can thrive, and those that don’t may not survive.

“The future of operations management is going to involve increasing automation to the point that we will hardly recognize the way new organizations function,’’ says Iris Tsidon, Co-Founder and CEO of Okapi Vision , a cloud-based key performance indicator (KPI) platform.

 This article will provide an overview of operations management: its history, importance, functions, strategies, principles, and types of production. You’ll also hear from seven operations management professionals about tips, challenges, trends, and the future.

Deeper Definitions: What Does Operations Management Mean?

Operations management refers to the activities involved in overseeing the process of creating goods and providing services, including resources, technology, people, and products. These elements must be well managed in order for the business to remain competitive.

 As we define operations management more fully, we consider these foundations of OM: 

• Planning: Operations managers must constantly forecast, plan, and adjust to optimize processes based on conditions.
• Process: Production of goods or services requires having strong, repeatable processes.
• Efficiency: Managers must troubleshoot bottlenecks, inadequate resources, and downtimes to create optimal efficiency.
• Cost Control: Production is typically a major part of a company’s cost structure, and you must manage it wisely.
• Quality: Good quality control is necessary to maintain customer satisfaction and the company’s reputation. Companies can greatly suffer without it.
• Continuous Improvement: To remain competitive, companies need to have processes in place to consistently seek better ways of doing things.
• Technology: Underlying all of these foundations is technology. Well-used technology keeps a company ahead of the curve.
• Profitability: Executed properly, all of the above foundations lead to a strong bottom line.

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The History of Operations Management

Operations management dates back to 5000 B.C. with the Sumerians, who tracked inventories, transactions, and taxes, and has evolved into modern day services like overnight and same-day deliveries. We’ve listed some notable historical highlights below:

• The Industrial Revolution (1760s to early 1800s) ushered in the foundations of division of labor and interchangeable parts, keys to efficient production. Eli Whitney, inventor of the cotton gin, also manufactured 10,000 muskets by using the concept of interchangeable parts.
• In 1883, Frederick Winslow Taylor used the stopwatch method to time tasks for complex jobs. This became key for studying efficiency and productivity.
• In about 1912, Frank and Lillian Gilbreth laid the foundation for predetermined motion time systems (PMTS), which predict the time it takes to complete tasks.
• In 1913, Henry Ford’s first moving assembly line started rolling, cutting production time for a car from 12 hours to less than three.
• In post-World War II Japan, Toyota developed just-in-time production (JIT), later called the Toyota Production System. The company designed it to eliminate waste and increase productivity and quality.
• In 1971, FedEx started overnight package deliveries. Nowadays, Amazon even offers same-day delivery on orders. 

The Importance of Operations Management

Operations management serves as an organization’s engine room , and plans and drives manufacturing and services. Operations managers maximize efficiency, productivity, and profit, which are vital to a company’s growth, survival, and competitive edge.

Most companies have an operations department with many employees and a large budget. Forbes magazine reported in 2011 that three-quarters of CEOs come from an operations background, which shows the importance of understanding how a company functions.

We can also see the importance of operations management in these aspects of a company’s success: 

• Customer service
• Product or service quality
• Correctly-functioning processes
• Market competitiveness
• Technological advances
• Profitability

 It’s no exaggeration to say everything depends on operations.

Functions and Roles in Operations Management

Operations management includes a diverse set of functions and roles, which can differ based on industry and company size. To carry out these tasks well, operations managers need to be organized, analytical, creative, resourceful, versatile, and have strong leadership skills. 

Now more than ever, operations managers need to be tech-savvy to compete in a rapidly changing market. Technical specialization can arm you with the analytical and problem-solving skills vital to succeeding in this field. We’ve listed the major functions and roles required of a modern operations manager below:

• Planning and implementing manufacturing plants
• Managing projects
• Planning information systems
• Helping to design and develop products and services
• Managing inventory through the supply chain
• Managing delivery to customers in a timely manner
• Optimizing quality control
• Conducting procurement and purchasing
• Managing logistics
• Managing transportation and distribution
• Managing and maintaining facilities
• Conducting enterprise resource planning (ERP)
• Forecasting for planning
• Capacity planning
• Navigating industrial labor relations
• Analyzing the value chain
• Optimizing resource allocation
• Eliminating waste and bottlenecks
• Continuously improving processes
• Executing a company’s strategic plan

The Relationship of Operations Management to Other Departments

Operations managers facilitate cooperation between departments and ensure that department and company goals are aligned, and to standardize logistical approaches to budget and project constraints. Operations teams must collaborate with all other departments to be effective.

Operations Management Strategies

Operations managers are deeply involved in strategy, in addition to their daily production roles. From designing and testing processes to facilitating interdepartmental collaboration, we have outlined some key strategy and tactics points below: 

• Data Use: Analytics are essential for strong planning, adjustments, and decision making. Two common types are efficiency metrics and effectiveness metrics.
• Inventory Analysis: To manage inventory in the supply chain, ABC analysis (also called Pareto analysis ) comes into play. This method divides inventory into three categories: A, B , and C . Category A has the highest value and tightest controls, and Category C has the lowest value and loosest controls.
• Data Challenges: Data is often siloed, which makes it difficult to compare. But newer systems and setups make this process easier and help analysts and managers to examine data in new, helpful ways.
• Process Design: Researching, forecasting, and developing a sound process takes expertise and energy, but the results can be lasting.
• Forecasting and Goal Setting: The best forecasting often combines a look at historical data with an analysis of changing conditions.
• Collaboration Among Departments: With good communication and collaboration, operations management can work effectively with finance, sales, marketing, human resources, and other departments.
• Being Green: Ecological soundness has become a strategic and legal necessity at companies nowadays, especially in manufacturing.
• Managing People: With all the advancements in machinery and technology, people remain critical to the equation, though often in different types of jobs.

Levels of Operations Management

Operations management includes three levels: strategic, tactical, and operational. The strategic level defines company goals, and the tactical level outlines a plan to implement that strategy. The operations level contains the daily operations required to produce the desired outcome.

Principles of Operations Management

There are many widely accepted principles of operations management. Most experts advise a focus on organization, risk management, and adaptation. We’ve outlined two prominent lists of principles by experts below:

Randall Schaefer, CPIM, described The 10 Principles of Operations Management at his presentation at the 2007 conference of the American Production and Inventory Control Society ( APICS ).

• Reality: There is no universal solution to the problems in your business.
• Organization: You must organize all aspects of production into a coherent whole.
• Fundamentals: Adhere to fundamentals, such as accurate inventory records.
• Accountability: People try harder when they’re held accountable.
• Variance: Variance is part of every process.
• Causality: Problems are often symptoms. Get to the root cause.
• Managed Passion: People with a passion for their jobs will drive your company.
• Humility: You don’t have to know everything.
• Success: Define success, and change with the market.
• Change: Every manufacturing solution is temporary.

 Another set of operations management principles comes from author Dr. Richard Schonberger . His 16 principles are: 

• Team up with customers. Know what they buy and use.
• Engage in continual, rapid improvement.
• Maintain a unified purpose. Involve employees in strategy.
• Know the competition.
• Organize resources.
• Invest in HR.
• Maintain equipment.
• Use the simplest, best equipment.
• Minimize human error.
• Cut times. Shorten the product path to the customer.
• Pull the system. Improve the workflow and cut the waste by producing on demand.
• Employ total quality control.
• Fix root causes.
• Manage visibility. Let the market know about your achievements.

Types of Production and Production Systems

You can categorize production and production systems in several ways, including by technical elements, processes, or lead time. Most modern production systems are software-based, meaning that planning, scheduling, and inventory control systems and processes are managed by software.

• Technical Elements: This includes machines, tools, and organizational behavior, such as people, division of labor, and information flow.
• Process Production versus Parts Production: Process production means the product undergoes a physical-chemical transformation, such as paper or cement. Parts production means parts are made and assembled into a product.
• Lead time: Categories include purchase to order, make to order, assemble to order, and make to stock.

The Biggest Operations Management Challenges

Some of the biggest operations management challenges include acquiring and maintaining the right workforce and the right technology. We’ve asked our experts to weigh in on some other common challenges below:

Iris Tsidon:  The CEO of Okapi Vision notes that, “Today's biggest challenges in operations are all related to keeping up with the pace of innovation. Millennials are the largest population entering the workforce. They expect that the companies they work for are going to be as tech savvy as they are, yet existing employees resist change and implementing new technologies. So there is a clash between generations, and operations management needs to balance between the two.”

Daisy Jing : CEO and founder of  Banish beauty product line  says the biggest challenges are “making sure that we get the right people and maintain their good performance for years to come.”  

Katharine Leonard:  Lean Six Sigma Black Belt and Co-Founder of  ShiftChange  says, “It's when you don’t have the right resources and the time or leadership support to solve business problems and instead [put] a Band-Aid on problems. Because of this, teams end up overcomplicating their processes and relying on a few experts, who become the single point of failure for your business.” 

Matt Wilhelmi:  Associate Business Consultant for  Individual Advantages Business Advisors  advises, “Managing the operations of small and medium-sized businesses comes down to effective communication. There are so many distractions in today’s workplace that we sometimes lose sight of how we communicate. In our experience, effective communication means being consistent and fair. The challenge in effective communication is that sometimes an operations manager needs to encourage and other times needs to discipline/coach. This all happens while maintaining the vision he or she casts for the team.” 

Chris Wiegand:  CEO of the  Jibestream “indoor navigation” platform , comments, The ‘Internet of Things’ — the interconnection of computerized devices via the Internet — has the potential to drive efficiency, but it also brings challenges in complexity and cost. To be efficient, companies need a location infrastructure using addressable maps and technologies, like Bluetooth beacons. An example is a hospital knowing the real-time location of its infusion pumps and other devices to organize their usage. A big challenge is that companies often store data in separate databases, leaving analysts to pull it into spreadsheets to compare. "There’s no single dashboard to bring it into.” 

Richard Lowe, Jr.:  The former Director of Computer Operations for Trader Joe’s and current Owner and Senior Writer of  The Writing King  says, “The technology is changing so quickly, it makes it hard on an operations manager to keep up...The whole model of the way things are working is changing." Using the example of trucking for product distribution, concepts such as robotic trucks and location-aware tracking bring challenges along with advancement. "It’s a lot more data to manage." Technology training presents challenges too. "How do you keep people up to speed with new technologies?”

David Shelton:  COO of healthcare service company  PatientMatters  lists these challenges: “Staffing: I'm convinced your staffing determines your success. A mixture of new employees combined with seasoned experts allows your operation to maintain stability while training staff, expanding sales opportunities, and identifying new solutions to existing problems. Technology: Whether a service provider or manufacturer, new technology and your ability to understand and react to internal data will dictate your operational success. Growth: Do you have the materials, vendor relationships, and labor to keep pace with your sales team and market demands?" 

Tips for Good Operations Management

Operations management is concerned with the quality of a company’s technology and people. Our experts provide their best tips for how to maintain quality resources to ensure efficient and effective operations management:

• Keep Current on Innovation Trends: “Take the time to listen to suggestions of tech-savvy employees; only use technology that is simple to use and engaging for employees at every skill level,” suggests Tsidon. “Invest in educating managers and employees on the goals of implementing new systems, and make sure to build in rewards so that everyone is motivated to learn and use new technology.” 
• Encourage Effective Communication: “Make sure that you communicate processes, rules, and policies to everyone. Have a smart marketing plan and be up to date. Pattern your marketing plan after whatever is on trend. Do it as soon as possible, and use that concrete plan with a timeline until a new trend arrives. Have weekly reports of everything about the company. Then, from there, manage everything based on the needs of each category,” says Jing.
• Collect Data Electronically: “Having team members write down their processing numbers for data collection can lead to inaccurate data and [will] not give you the results you need to run your operations efficiently,” explains Leonard. “Use report dashboards and rely on data and analytics. Determine what information you need to run your business, measure it, and use analysis to augment your process and continually improve your operations. Be customer-focused: Design your processes with the end customer in mind. Think about what they see as value and what they’re willing to pay for, as well as how quickly they expect to get results.”
• Listen to Your Teams: “Field-level employees, internal sales, and vendors have invaluable information and know what is going on with your product or services and the competition,” notes Shelton. “Measure and analyze. We are constantly examining our internal processing times and employee performance and measuring success rates. Measuring your internal performance allows you to exceed customer demand. Expand your network. Managers from competitive firms change jobs. A friendly relationship can become a key alliance. Vendor partnerships in developing new products or services allow you to grow your operations while controlling costs. Joint ventures that benefit both parties can substantially increase your knowledge base while increasing your speed to market.” 
• Slow Down: “It’s important to consider the side effects of each decision and how you relay communication to the team,” advises Wilhelmi. “People tend to like working for (and have higher engagement with) leaders who maintain a level head and aren’t too quick to pass judgment. Be proactive and strategic. It’s important that leaders aren’t reacting all day. The constant reactionary environment can turn great leaders into fire chasers, which tends to devolve their communication. Stay focused on the numbers. If something isn’t working as it should, it’s better to focus on the measurable data than on the emotion of disappointment or the result. When you can tweak a process and measure it along the way, you remove the subjectivity and remain objective.”
• Assign an Internal Owner: Make sure every project has an internal owner, or it can go off track,” says Wiegand. “Understand the key performance indicators that will drive the business. Just because you can measure it doesn’t mean it matters. Protect the data. Operations managers have to safeguard the info. Consider leveraging infrastructure as a service, with hosting, security, and redundancy built-in.”
• Keep Up With Your Field:  “Read a lot. Learn a lot. If you’re a logistics manager, connect with your tech people,” suggests Lowe, Jr.

Current Trends in Operations Management

The field of operations management has evolved over time to keep pace with technology and human behavior. From Lean manufacturing to sustainability, we’ve outlined some current and existing trends for operations managers:

• Business Process Reengineering (BPR): BPR helps companies revamp their organizations from the ground up by reorganizing and reassigning processes to better align with company goals.
• Lean Manufacturing: Lean, Six Sigma, and Agile are disciplines focused on efficient, adaptable production. They continue to be mainstay approaches.
• Reconfigurable Manufacturing Systems: These systems are designed to be flexible  and adaptable to sudden market changes.
• Behavioral Operations Management: This approach focuses on human behavior as it relates to operations management.
• Sustainability: This approach highlights maintaining ecologically-minded practices under changing laws.

Expert Opinions on Operations Management Trends

Most experts agree that computers and tech are at the center of operations management. We’ve gathered expert observations of current operations management trends, from data visualization and forecasting to further trends, below: 

• Data Visualization: “The key trend that I see is companies combining data visualization with key performance indicators to create real-time monitoring and management systems,” says Tsidon.
• Automation: “I see firms moving toward technology to solve the mundane, time- consuming, and error-prone tasks that inhibit operations teams from providing the best service to customers,” Leonard notes.
• Trend Forecasting: “How can you incorporate internal and external data to make decisions that are ahead of the curve?” asks Shelton. “The best sports analogy I know is ‘Skate where the puck is going.’ We've got to be planning ahead in order to anticipate customer needs and beat our competitors; managing resources and minimizing waste. Both product and service organizations wrestle with maximizing resources (materials or staff) to produce the best product for the consumer.”
• Collaboration: “I see operations management becoming more closely aligned with human resources as companies are increasingly aware of how important their culture and human capital are as they relate to operations and engagement,” observes Wilhelmi.
• Location Technology: “With hyper-accurate location services, one trend is using that technology for real-time alerts, such as for a dementia patient wandering off,” says Wiegand.
• Use of the Internet: “Internet shopping continues to be a big trend, involving pretty much any product, including food. Amazon sends some products within a few hours of being ordered. You better be able to match that. You have to be able to meet tighter inventories, such as just-in-time (JIT) stocking, with some food staples, such as bread and eggs, arriving two or three times per day,” notes Lowe, Jr.

What Is the Future for Operations Management?

The future of operations management can be inferred from its past. While no one can know for sure, our experts anticipate a future of ever-increasing data and technology, including self-drive vehicles and the automation of low-skilled jobs. 

• Automation: “With increasing automation will come sweeping organizational change,” Tsidon says. “Operations are going to reduce hierarchy and make management easier, so, while many are concerned about the loss of low-level jobs, I see that there will be a sweeping change at every level, including upper management. Previous positions that needed highly skilled workers will no longer exist because artificial intelligence will provide better results without human error. In the future, the most valuable management skills will be the ability to combine data analysis with emotional intelligence. This is something that no algorithm can replace and that will be more crucial than ever.”
• Remote Management: “The future will bring remotely-handled operations management. Nowadays, there's nothing a remote worker cannot do. It is possible, and it will be the next trend,” predicts Jing.
• May Require a Technical Background: “I envision operations management becoming a high-tech position, requiring a highly analytical skill set and product-focused mindset,” says Leonard. “With Amazon delivering packages on the same day, customers are coming to expect instantaneous results, and, to maintain competitiveness, operations needs to drive toward that type of success.” 
• Larger Focus on Quality Labor: “There are opportunities presented by technology to build or service faster, better, and cheaper. It’s critical to utilize technology, interpret data, source new materials, and identify talented labor. You must confront labor challenges and build a better workforce. How do you better utilize your labor force? Improved recruiting techniques allow you to draw in new labor, but how can you also better train existing staff to advance within the organization? This is a key area we are focusing on. We strongly believe we have an obligation to train our existing team to grow and advance internally,” explains Shelton.
• Human Resources: “The future of operations management is sliding toward creating data (so it can be measured and studied from an objective position) around the culture of a company’s human operations. Dozens of reports have come out in the past few years that are confirming that lack of engagement by employees leads to a substantial loss of productivity — or worse, high turnover. In the truest sense, it’s the operations manager’s responsibility to maximize their operations. The better your culture, the better your operations,” observes Wilhelmi.
• Location Based Services: “The future will include location-aware devices and smart buildings that will maintain themselves,” predicts Wiegand. “For example, an elevator could know that it needs service work through data inputs and could initiate the repair as part of a structured workflow. There will be greater use of artificial intelligence to recognize a problem and start a workflow. There will also be greater use of predictive analytics. Moreover, you’ll see greater protection of proprietary data, especially if problems result from data being too available. Finally, you’ll find greater gender equality in operations management. We certainly have great female leaders in operations today. That diversity brings a lot of value.”

Other Resources for Operations Management

• American Production and Inventory Control Society (APICS)
• Journal of Operations Management
• Professor Gad Allon's online course , Northwestern University
• Wharton online course
• University of Illinois online course
• Introducing Operations Management

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Operations Management

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Operations management involves utilizing resources from staff, materials, equipment, and technology. Operations managers acquire, develop, and deliver goods to clients based on client needs and the abilities of the company.

Operations management handles various strategic issues, including determining the size of manufacturing plants and project management methods and implementing the structure of information technology networks. Other operational issues include the management of inventory levels, including work-in-process levels and raw materials acquisition, quality control, materials handling, and maintenance policies.

Operations management entails studying the use of raw materials and ensuring minimal waste occurs. Operations managers utilize numerous formulas, such as the economic order quantity formula to determine when and how large of an inventory order to process and how much inventory to hold on hand.

A critical function of operations management relates to the management of inventory through the supply chain. To be an effective operations management professional, one must be able to understand the processes that are essential to what a company does and get them to flow and work together seamlessly. The coordination involved in setting up business processes in an efficient way requires a solid understanding of logistics. 

An operations management professional understands local and global trends, customer demand, and the available resources for production. Operations management approaches the acquisition of materials and the use of labor in a timely, cost-effective manner to deliver customer expectations. Inventory levels are monitored to ensure excessive quantities are on hand. Operations management is responsible for finding vendors that supply the appropriate goods at reasonable prices and have the ability to deliver the product when needed.

Another large facet of operations management involves the delivery of goods to customers. This includes ensuring products are delivered within the agreed time commitment. Operations management also typically follows up with customers to ensure the products meet quality and functionality needs. Finally, operations management takes the feedback received and distributes the relevant information to each department to use in process improvement.

Operations management is concerned with controlling the production process and business operations in the most efficient manner possible. Operations management professionals attempt to balance operating costs with revenue to maximize net operating profit.

This template will be useful for company leaders when preparing a company development strategy. Production managers can use this template when planning product releases. Project managers can detail timelines and milestones for new projects.

Logistics managers can use this template when preparing information about the supply chain of raw materials using sea and rail transport. Startup executives can use this template when preparing for a meeting with investors. Financiers and economists can use this template when preparing analytical reports on the efficient use of company resources.

Operations Management is a professional and modern template that contains six stylish and fully editable slides. If necessary, you can change all elements of the slide in accordance with your corporate requirements. This template will be useful for project managers, company leaders, startups. The Operations Management template will seamlessly complement your presentations and will be a great addition to your collection of professional presentations.

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What is a Operations Director?

Learn about the role of Operations Director, what they do on a daily basis, and what it's like to be one.

• What is a Operations Director
• How to Become
• Certifications
• Tools & Software
• LinkedIn Guide
• Interview Questions
• Work-Life Balance
• Professional Goals
• Resume Examples
• Cover Letter Examples

Start Your Operations Director Career with Teal

Definition of a Operations Director

What does a operations director do, key responsibilities of an operations director.

• Developing and implementing business strategies to improve operational efficiency and profitability
• Overseeing the design, planning, and enhancement of systems and processes to meet the goals of the organization
• Managing and optimizing supply chain operations, including procurement, inventory management, and logistics
• Leading and developing a diverse team, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and operational excellence
• Setting comprehensive goals for performance and growth, and evaluating performance by analyzing and interpreting data and metrics
• Ensuring compliance with legal, regulatory, and safety standards across all operational activities
• Collaborating with other senior leaders to make decisions for operational activities and set strategic goals
• Planning and managing operational budgets to promote fiscal responsibility
• Establishing policies that promote company culture and vision, and overseeing their adherence
• Liaising with HR to recruit, train, and guide staff, ensuring they have the necessary resources and support
• Identifying opportunities for new technology or methodologies to enhance operations and maintain a competitive edge
• Building and maintaining relationships with all stakeholders, including suppliers, partners, and customers, to ensure that operations meet their expectations and demands

Day to Day Activities for Operations Director at Different Levels

Daily responsibilities for entry level operations directors.

• Overseeing daily operations across various departments
• Implementing process improvements to enhance efficiency
• Monitoring and reporting on operational performance
• Collaborating with department heads to ensure workflow alignment
• Addressing operational issues and resolving problems as they arise
• Ensuring compliance with company policies and industry regulations

Daily Responsibilities for Mid Level Operations Directors

• Developing and implementing operational policies and strategic plans
• Leading cross-departmental initiatives to drive company-wide improvements
• Managing budgets and forecasting operational needs
• Building relationships with vendors and negotiating contracts
• Conducting in-depth data analysis to inform decision-making
• Identifying opportunities for cost savings and operational enhancements

Daily Responsibilities for Senior Operations Directors

• Setting long-term operational goals and aligning them with business objectives
• Leading major change initiatives and overseeing large-scale projects
• Collaborating with C-suite executives to inform company strategy
• Driving innovation in operational practices to maintain competitive advantage
• Developing talent and succession planning within the operations team
• Representing the company at industry events and contributing to thought leadership

Types of Operations Directors

Manufacturing operations director, service operations director, supply chain operations director, business process operations director, global operations director, digital operations director, what's it like to be a operations director , operations director work environment, operations director working conditions, how hard is it to be an operations director, is an operations director a good career path, faqs about operations directors, how do operations directors collaborate with other teams within a company, what are some common challenges faced by operations directors, what does the typical career progression look like for operations directors.

How To Become a Operations Director in 2024

Related Career Paths

Driving operational efficiency, leading teams to meet business goals and objectives

Driving efficiency and productivity, ensuring smooth business operations and growth

Driving operational efficiency, optimizing business processes for sustainable growth

Optimizing product flow, ensuring efficient delivery from supplier to consumer

Orchestrating efficient production processes, ensuring quality output meets deadlines

Orchestrating efficient supply chains, ensuring seamless product delivery journeys

What Every New Director of Operations Needs to Be Aware of

Operations are at the heart of the business, so becoming a first-time Director of Operations (DoO) is a project in itself. You’ll lead the strategic cornerstone for the whole organization and – hopefully – the successful culmination of years of company growth. On the one hand, it’s an opportunity to solidify the team’s effectiveness and efficiency. On the other hand, it’s only natural that you will hit some bumps along the way as processes need restructuring, cultural shifts occur, and new business models are established. No matter what area you fall under, if you have a DoO position, there is a lot to learn from others. In fact, those who are new to the Director of Operations role typically start in a less-than-ideal state. So we prepared this guide with critical mistakes, challenges, tips, and recommendations to help you succeed in your new role.

What does a Director of Operations do?

Lacking knowledge about the business, not knowing who the key stakeholders are.

• Failing to understand the processes
• An investigative and inquisitive mind
• An understanding of the entire value chain
• The ability to get in the trenches with the team
• Exceptional communication skills
• Laser focus on eliminating admin work
• One central location for managing project operations

If the organization is in chaos…

If you don’t know where to start....

While the title has taken on a more formal connotation in recent years, the duties of the Director of Operations still vary. One thing is clear, though: Whether they’re called VP of operations, Director of Operations, or COO, these executives have probably been kept awake at night by the same questions:

• How profitable is the business? 
• Are processes carried out as intended? 
• Is the company scaling efficiently and sustainably?

The DoO is not merely responsible for operations, and the laundry list of things they are supposed to oversee crosses between the operational with very tactical items (resources, processes, delivery, etc.) as well as strategic aspects (profitability, resilience, growth). In other words, a Director of Operations is the jack of all trades within the company, in a positive sense.

As a first-time Director of Operations, your role is not only to keep the company profitable but also to work with the CEO to build an efficient – and sustainable – business model. That means you'll be developing long-term operational strategies for where the organization is going, who will work there, and how to make things click. 

Common mistakes Directors of Operations make

Andy Mills , Director of Operations in the United Kingdom, has given us an overview of the most common challenges the operations leaders face when they join the company or are promoted internally.

Before we jump to the mistakes, let’s take a step back to see how Andy defines the role. According to Andy, “a Director of Operations is a pivotal role that sits at the heart of a business providing and receiving services from and to all other departments as well as maintaining a keen focus on external clients.” To enable these services, he believes, there are several challenges the DoOs face in the role. Namely, in getting to know the business, in understanding the needs of the key stakeholders, and in carrying out processes. Let’s dive into each of these.

While some DoOs get into their roles with a basic understanding of how the business and its departments operate, some have to play catch-up. The Director of Operations will have to understand where the company is currently, what they do, and how they do it.

It’s equally important to mention that every Director of Operations must have a strong understanding of those who are most likely to influence the company's decisions. “Failure to understand who the key stakeholders are, who the decisions makers are on the Board as well within the Senior Leadership team, and how to work with those individuals effectively,” shares Andy, “limits the impact a DoO can make on a business particularly, when attempting to contribute to the corporate strategy or implement new policies and procedures.”

Failing to understand the processes 

“There is a saying that if something is not broken, then do not fix it,” continues Andy. “The question is, do we know it needs fixing? It is likely that there will be several well-established processes within Operations and within products and services. However, are those processes carried out as they were intended, are they fit for purpose for today’s needs, or have workarounds been added to compensate for something that is operationally broken?”

“The DoO will need to work with their team to analyze these processes to identify these permanent additions as they can create overly complex and inefficient processes adding to unnecessary cost. The end-users and customers will notice impacts to quality and performance, which need to be addressed and ideally, before they notice!”

Key things for succeeding in the role of Director of Operations

Many first-time Directors of Operations are called into this role at short notice or are simply promoted from within. Nobody likes being unprepared for something as important as their job title implies, but with our list of must-haves below, you’ll be primed for your new job a lot quicker. 

1. An investigative and inquisitive mind

Being a Director of Operations also means that you have to understand what everyone does in a functional team, how they do their job, and how they interface with others around them. Understanding these aspects is crucial to understanding how each department works with the other. There can be a lot of politics involved so don't overlook this factor when evaluating whether you want this position or not. The main advice that every Director of Operations wishes he knew before becoming one is to have an investigative and inquisitive mind while enabling a global mindset approach for the entire organization.

The ability to consider all angles that affect your organization’s success should be your go-to mindset. This mindset can help aid in strategic planning and your long-term vision for the organization while also narrowing down some of the major issues that are causing problems within your organization. A curious mind will help you notice ‘little fires’ and put them out once they appear.

2. An understanding of the entire value chain

To work effectively, the Director of Operations must understand everything from employee relations to delivery. Successful DoOs have a sophisticated understanding of how systems fit together and are able to maintain strong focus on core values while also staying open to change. They understand the connections between people, business processes, and technology and are able to communicate across each of these areas.

3. The ability to get in the trenches with the team

For any Director of Operations, regardless of the industry, a successful first quarter starts with helping the team with their day-to-day duties from day one, so be prepared to wear many hats and be able to fill many roles! “To be an effective operations director,” says Elizabeth Toumajian , Operations Director & Manager in the US, “you need to be willing to do any task – no matter how big or how small. I have always been a leader who places a high value on her team and I go to great lengths to show them they are valued!” “It may not be crucial that the director has come from a specific industry,” explains Elizabeth, “but rather that they are willing to do the little jobs like doing intake paperwork with a customer, cleaning up a mess or spill (janitorial duties), fixing a printer or copy machine. And then, on the other end, this same person might be overseeing projects, doing payroll, handling HR issues, or doing budgeting. I think in order to set the right energy at the business, the leader needs to lead by example. I won’t ask an employee of mine to do something that I haven’t already done myself.”

4. Exceptional communication skills

It goes without saying that Directors of Operations won’t be able to succeed in their roles without being master communicators. Being a successful Director of Operations requires you to communicate with many different people for the sake of different business objectives. For example, you may need to rally employees together, foster stronger integration between two teams, or simply encourage your colleagues to adopt new processes. 

In each case, your work will be severely hampered if you are not good at communicating. However, being a good communicator isn’t enough in this role – because there is also a lot of paperwork involved; from issuing reports to regular communication with leadership. It is essential that you get used to communicating effectively in writing as well as in person. Getting your message across in the best way possible can take years of practice, but it should be one of the top priorities on your list. 

5. Laser focus on eliminating admin work

One of the goals of hiring a Director of Operations is to make sure that the organization runs efficiently. Admin work is often a silent killer of efficiency, and if you don’t chase it, it can easily chip away from your margins. The admin work itself is not the problem; it is something that needs to be done. Rather, it’s how companies get bogged down into ways of doing things that are inefficient. 

Take a consulting firm as an example. A lot of time goes to waste simply because too much of the administrative clerical work is sitting on your employees’ desks. Steve Glaveski , former EY consultant recalls “countless six-figure earning colleagues painstakingly laboring over perfecting Powerpoint proposals for days, if not weeks, only for the prospective engagement to go to a competitor” and “auditors carrying folders of client receipts and bank statements everywhere; automation tools not so much.”

As your team grows along with the business, it is inevitable that the daily tasks can become more monotonous. Whether it is creating timesheets, dealing with petty cash issues, traveling for client visits because you can’t afford to keep an on-site presence in different locations, or even chasing approval for an expense report – these are tasks that don’t help you grow your revenue.

In order to keep your operations running smoothly and efficiently, you need to be sure to pay attention to the projects and tasks that are adding value and eliminate the ones that aren’t.

6. One central location for managing project operations

Successful Directors of Operations always have one thing in common – they know how to visualize the health and performance of the company in an instant. This can only be achieved with a single location where you can keep tabs on everything that’s happening. You don’t need to upgrade a lot of tools to accomplish this feat – just one place you go for information about every aspect of the business.

More and more Directors of Operations are leveraging professional services automation software that unites projects, resources, and budgets in one complete suite and cuts on admin work. This way, they don’t have to flit from tool to tool to get an understanding of where the business is currently standing. Here’s why you need professional services automation and how everyone in your organization can benefit from it. 

Quick tips to kickstart the Director of Operations job

Obviously, the above is important to understand what operations are all about. But a million-dollar question remains: Where do you even start? Where do you spend your energy first? Here are two scenarios. 

Sometimes Directors of Operations are hired to bring the company from chaos to calm. They’ve had their wake-up calls and are now looking for someone who could make a better lead on processes and efficiency. Back in the days, Charlotte Collier , Head of Operations at Finally Agency , was asked to do exactly that. 

“There were three things that worked for us from an operations perspective, says Charlotte. “First, narrowing down our focus on a smaller list of areas that we do well played an instrumental part in improving our operations. If you really focus on what you do well as a company and work backward from it, you’re going to succeed in no time.”

Starting as a Director of Operations can be overwhelming, believes Charlotte, so not trying to improve all of the work people do at the same time was part of Finally’s strategy. The other two things followed: 1) getting clear data and reporting and 2) setting goals they could work towards. 

You’ll be involved with the day-to-day grind of running your organization, so having enough perspective to see the whole picture is essential. Learn more in the webinar From Chaos to Calm here .

“When you’ve got focus, you’ve got efficiency,” added Steve Howard , Finally’s CEO. “Working out our direction and focusing on our core positioning first helped us to figure out where to put our energy and what steps to take.”

This approach is similar to the mantra that Matt Nelson , Head of Operations at Holition advises every new Director of Operations to follow. “Always start simple,” suggests Matt, “and follow your own course. It may sound ridiculous but think back to the last time you did an A/B test. Testing one small thing at a time is always recommended to understand what worked and what didn’t work eventually.”

We asked Dr. Taoufik Samaka , a Vice President of Procurement Foundry, to give operations leaders other practical ideas to bootstrap in case they’re stuck. Here’s a checklist Taoufik provided, going down to the nitty-gritty of the job:

• Dive into the project statements.
• Organize a project review with a project core team.
• Stay aligned with stakeholders.
• Review risks.
• Align with project managers to understand their needs in short, mid, and long term perspectives.
• If not yet, set up a clear mission statement and objectives for the project managers, they should be tied to the overall operations and business strategy.
• If not yet, build project reporting.
• Foster transparency between the parties.
• Look for quick wins/low-hanging fruits and act on them, they are good for the troop’s morale.
• Ban the use of spreadsheets and duplicates of reporting and databases.
• Ensure the reporting tools and processes are efficient and reliable so that reported data can be trusted.
• Benchmark! Compare to other organizations and competition! 
• Train the people, it is well invested and will have a quick ROI (for every $1 spent on upskilling, businesses typically earn or save $2.6, according to PwC).
• Develop a succession plan for critical roles.
• If not yet, set up proper governance.
• Ask sales and project managers to define the top 5 things that don't allow them to sleep at night.
• Identify toxic people and neutralize them (if no time to remediate otherwise), if time allows, talk to them and keep monitoring.
• Always develop a plan B and C.
• Digitize, digitize, digitize!

On the final note, Taoufik mentions that it's really critical to ensure project monitoring. He recommends to define and review the KPIs, their definition, their pertinence, the way they are measured, the interpretation of the measure, the way they will be reported and the regularity. This should go together with defining KPi owners.

Nobody said becoming a successful Director of Business Operations would be easy. In fact, there's so much to consider in the first few months. However, it doesn’t change the fact that Directors of Operations are the unsung heroes of a business. Responsible for the smooth running of operations and reporting directly to the CEO, the Director of Operations is at the heart of all organizational success. If you’re on your way to improving operational efficiency, feel free to download our ebook as well here .

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Operations Plan Presentation Template

Need to keep your team on track towards a goal or objective? Use an operations plan to outline your business strategy. An operations plan presentation keeps all of your team members on the same page, ensuring that they understand their roles, responsibilities, and how they fit into the overall project. An operations plan is an essential component to your project’s success.

Use an operations plan to:

• Outline a project’s objectives, strategy, and goals
• Reflect on the project roll-out by team
• Show managers and executives how the project is progressing

Customize your Operations Plan Presentation

Every slide in your operations plan plays an important role in your business strategy. To drive your point home with each slide, you might add Venn diagrams, graphs, charts, sales funnels, and other graphics. You might include slides such as:

Pro Tips for an Operations Plan

When creating an operations plan presentation, there are a few things to keep in mind to make it as concise and impactful as possible.

Bar graphs, timelines, bullet lists, tables: graphics can make your information memorable and easy to digest.

Limit each slide to one idea or topic. When your slides are overcrowded, you’ll overwhelm the viewer.

Your team members will naturally have questions after you bring up certain topics. Leave some room in your presentation for discussion or Q&A.

An operations plan regroups your team so you can all reach a business objective. Be sure to include summaries and next steps for everyone on the project so that no one is left wondering about their role.

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Data & Finance for Work & Life

Management Presentation: 8 Tips, Examples & a Template

In a corporate context, presenting works wonders for a career. Most professionals get exposure to presenting to informed colleagues and department managers. It’s an ideal way to get visibility and show value. But a management presentation to senior executives who aren’t familiar department nuances is a different ballgame.

A management presentation is a high-level summary to senior executive that optimizes reports to include only the details relevant to directorial decisions . They are notoriously difficult to navigate for two reasons: 1. most executives do not have working knowledge of the nuances in each department , 2. presenters rarely have time to understand executives’ preferences .

More than anything else, good management presenters learn how to strike a balance in the degree of detail: they provide enough detail so executives make informed decisions, but not so much detail that they cause confusion.

This article explores how to make a good management presentations in PowerPoint using 4 management presenting best practices , 4 management presenting techniques , providing examples for each, and finishing with a management presentation template you can apply in real life. You can use it as a jumping off point for deeper communication curriculum .

5 management presenting best practices are:

• Ask what managers prefer ahead of time.
• Have 1 message, and 1 message Only.
• The only words should be “Thought Starters.”
• Keep it short.
• Practice 7 times in advance.

4 management presenting techniques are:

• Use a CSP model – Challenge, Solution, Progress.
• Begin with a summary of exactly 3 points.
• Use only these 3 chart types: bar, line, scatter.
• Design slides with the company logo.

I will use a financial analyst perspective in this article, but everything here applies to data and business analysts as well.

Ask Executives Their Preference Ahead of Time

If you’ve ever taken a class on presentation techniques, you’ve heard the old adage “know your audience.” It’s true, the best way to deliver a great presentation is to align your message with what your audience already understands. The same applies to a management presentation.

The challenge is that, more often than not, executives are too busy for you to get to know them well. This means you hardly get the chance to understand how they like presentations. So what can you do? Well, ask them! There’s no harm in sending an email to understand better. And what’s more, once you know, you can always defer to their preferences in the future.

For a financial management presentation, common questions to ask include the following:

• Do you prefer to see raw data, or only visualizations?
• Do you prefer charts or table summaries?
• Would you like a written explanation on paper for each slide?
• Do you like averages alone, or do you prefer means, or standard deviation?
• What interests you most in a presentation?

If you gather some helpful insights, then your presentation will be that much better. That said, you may not get a response, or it may be quick and not insightful. But most senior executives will appreciate you asking .

The best part is you will be able to surprise them. Using the best practices and techniques below, in additional to any insights gathered form your email, will work wonders for you.

Have 1 Message, and 1 Message Only

The easiest mistake to make on a management presentation is trying to deliver multiple messages. Senior executives go through loads of meetings every day, and each meeting they have includes a wave of information. Your mission should be to deliver 1 essential message so they can easily understand and compartmentalize it.

This is no easy task. When I try to narrow down the focus of my management presentation message, it seems like I leave out critical information along the way. The key is to tell a story to incorporate critical information as part of a story towards the essential message.

For example, imagine you work for a wholesale watch company called Batch Watch . You want to explain a financing operation in which the company has the option of two loans to fund the initial costs of 10,000 watches. These loans have different interest rates and maturity dates. Loan A is better if the company expects to sell the watches within 3 months, while Loan B is better if the company expects to sell over more than 3 months. Each has cancellation fees and cash flow impacts.

Instead of showing the cancellation fees and cash flow impact of the each loan, all you need to say is “ we expect the company to sell them within 3 months, and we recommend loan A for that reason.” If the executives disagree on the sale timeline, they will ask for more information.

This is how you keep senior executives engaged, by integrating them in the story you tell. Ultimately, the essential message of your presentation should be how much profit the company will make from the watch funding operation. Senior executives should leave feeling like the project is in good hands with you, and they only feel that way when you tell a story around the essential message .

Whatever the Message, Use Data

Whatever message you want to send, it needs to be backed up by data. In the example above the data was financial, but it’s not always that simple. Context may require you to provide KPIs and perform extensive data analysis that culminates in a small output that your viewers can easily digest.

You need to be strong with data to deliver a good management presentation. To get started or refresh your memory, you can read AnalystAnswers’ free Intro to Data Analysis eBook .

The Only Words Should be “Thought Starters”

As a general presentation principle, you should not write many thoughts down on presentation slides. Words have two negative impacts on the audience: they demand energy from the reader, and they make the reader feel compelled to read, lest they misunderstand.

If you can avoid putting text blocks altogether, do. If you don’t need any writing at all, don’t. However, if you need guidance as you speak or want to provide reminders for a later data, use “Thought Starters.”

Thought starters are phrases of 3 words maximum that contain ideas leading to the essential message. People often call them “bullet points,” which is common for list-style thought starters. Personally, I prefer to place thought starters at different places on a slide. When I use a chart, for example, I put thought starters at relevant places on the slide.

Keep it Short

Your presentation should never consume more than 80% of the allotted timeframe. This means that if you plan a 5 minutes meeting, deliver the presentation in 4 minutes. If you’re given 30 minutes, do it in 25 minutes. If you have 1 hour, do it in 45 minutes.

By keeping the presentation short, you relieve the audience and you allow for some question buffer. Have you ever sat in a meeting planned for 1 hour, and at 45m it ends early? It’s a pleasure for everyone. Most of us feel like we’re running behind — when you put us ahead of schedule, we love you!

At the same time, senior executives may bombard you with questions throughout the presentation. If you planned to fill the whole timeframe, you won’t finish. But if you planned to finish early, you still have a chance.

And if you use the rest of these best practices and techniques, those senior executives shouldn’t need to ask too many questions!

Practice 7 Times in Advance

There’s a mix of opinions on the number of times you should rehearse a presentation before doing it live, but most people agree that it’s somewhere between 5 and 10 times. If you take nothing else from this article, take this. To deliver a good presentation, prepare excellent slides; to deliver a great presentation, practice presenting them 7 times.

To deliver a good presentation, prepare excellent slides; to deliver a great presentation, practice presenting them 7 times. AnalystAnswers.com

But just practicing isn’t enough, there are a few criteria you must meet:

• Practice in the room you will present in. There’s something about envisioning yourself live that really makes a difference. When you practice in a space other that where you’ll present, it’s good. But when you practice in the “live” room, you’re able to sensitize yourself to the environment, which calms nerves so you can focus on the message.
• Have an audience. We all behave differently when there’s stimulus of other people around. Whenever possible, get one or two people to whom you can present. In addition to getting used to having an audience, you’ll also get some feedback.
• Use the same volume of voice. When we’re not “live,” we have a tendency to hold back on our voice. This is detrimental to the presentation because you feel taken off guard by your own voice. Make sure to envision yourself in front of the senior execs when you practice.

Best Practices Recap

We’ve addressed 5 best practices — now let’s turn our attention to 4 specific techniques you can easily implement. And when you do, that work wonders for management presenting.

Use a CSP Model (Challenge, Solution, Progress)

Every presentation needs structure, but it’s easy to forget that we need to guide our audience. A great way to structure management reports is using the CSP model. CSP stands for Challenge, Solution, Progress, and it’s exactly what it sounds like.

You need to explain the challenge or goal, explain what the solution to the challenge is (or how to achieve the goal), and show where you are in the steps to completing that goal.

For example, let’s look at our Batch Watch case. Imagine you need to find funding for a new product launch — $100,000 to be exact. A sample CSP model for this would be a slide that shows:

By using the CSP model, you guide the audience. However, it’s important to note that the CSP model is not a summary . It’s an overview of the process, but a summary should always come before. Let’s talk about it now.

Begin with a Summary of Exactly 3 Points

Any good presentation begins with a summary. And a good summary communicates the essential message simply in 3 points. However, the summary is not the same thing as the CSP model. Instead, it provides an alternative view on the challenge and and solution.

For example, using our Batch Watch case of funding a new product, you could address a summary in the following way:

• Challenge, Solution, Progress
• Funding acquisition
• Project Timeline

This provides additional details that are most relevant to the project and carry added value to the CSP model.

Use only Bar Charts (aka Column Charts), Line Graphs, and Scatter Plots

Whether it’s for data, financial, and business analyst topics , management presentations should only ever have bar charts, line graphs, and scatter plots. They are common, rich in information, and well understood. Any other kind of graph is distracting more than anything else.

A bar graph is useful when you want to compare like variables. For example, if you want to show the average size of Canadian trout versus American trout. A common mistake, though, is to use bar graphs to show change over time. While it’s not incorrect to do so, line graphs are better for this purpose.

A line graph is useful when you want to show change in one variable over time (we call this time series data). For example, if you want to show the progression of revenues over time, line graphs are the perfect way to do so.

A scatter plot is best when you want to compare a set of observations of one variable to a set of observations of another. It’s the ideal way to quickly visualize the relationship between two variables. For example, if you want to see how company revenues compare to GDP, you could use a scatter plot like this:

For example, let’s look at our Batch Watch case. If we want to see how our company is performing compared to the economy as a whole, we could use this scatter plot. As you can see, we have a positive (bottom left to top right) relationship, but a weak one (points not clustered closely).

Design Slides Using the Company Logo

When you’re presenting to senior executives, you want your slides to look professional. The best way to do that is by putting your company logo on them, including any corporate design standards (colors, fonts, etc). Show through your presentation that you belong to the same company, and that you’re in it in spirit. For example, let’s add the AnalystAnswers.com logo to our CSP slide:

Techniques Recap

Here’s a sample management presentation template below. I hope you understand after reading this article that management presentation is more about your delivery than it is about the slides you prepare.

Download Management Presentation Template for Free

While the techniques we’ve discussed will help you build a good presentation, your success really depends on how well you deliver the ideas needed to help senior executives make decisions. At the end of the day, it’s all about balance.

If you only remember two things from this article, remember that great management presenters give enough detail to inform senior executive but not too much that they cause confusion, and great management presenters make sure they do so by practicing 7 times in advance. You’ll have to practice, practice, practice.

About the Author

Noah is the founder & Editor-in-Chief at AnalystAnswers. He is a transatlantic professional and entrepreneur with 5+ years of corporate finance and data analytics experience, as well as 3+ years in consumer financial products and business software. He started AnalystAnswers to provide aspiring professionals with accessible explanations of otherwise dense finance and data concepts. Noah believes everyone can benefit from an analytical mindset in growing digital world. When he's not busy at work, Noah likes to explore new European cities, exercise, and spend time with friends and family.

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Top 10 Operational Report Templates To Monitor Daily Business Activities!

Naveen Kumar

The day you start a business, a question is perennially with you. Friends, neighbors, distant relatives, and even passers-by will ask it. The question (with rippling waves of different emotions) every now and then is —  How is your business going?  The casual answer ends in one word, “fine,” or a sentence or two; at the most, a short conversation results. However, when the same question rears its head in formal meetings, the answer will be nothing less than a significant business document —  An operational report or operation report. 

The answer is a matter of interest for a long list of people, including you. The list starts with employees/colleagues and goes on to business partners, boards of directors, stakeholders, clients, investors, lenders, financial, government, and regulatory authorities or institutions.

What is an operational report, and why is it important for the business industry? Let’s find out.

Operations and  Reporting

Operations are the processes and activities involved in the production and distribution of a company’s goods or services. These include everything from the procurement of raw materials and the manufacturing of goods to the warehousing and distribution of finished products. Essential product development to supply chain management activities refers to business operations. 

An operational report is a management document that records and presents the performance of these processes and activities. It also includes metrics to measure production levels, efficiency, quality, cost, and other business operational elements.

Importance of Operational Reports

These reports are important for business industries to monitor the effectiveness of operations and identify areas for improvement. They provide visibility and help in performance tracking of the business — from the organization level to specific departments, teams, or processes. In general, operation reports are used for the following:

• Identifying areas for improvement: Using operational reports for key performance indicators (KPIs) tracking, businesses can zero in on their underperforming areas and take actions to improve. It will increase efficiency and reduce costs.
• Making informed decisions: Valuable data and insights gained from operational report analysis will enable informed decision-making. This includes everything from strategic planning to operational improvements.
• Meeting operational goals: Tracking and reporting on key metrics helps businesses meet their operational goals and objectives. The business stays on track to meet its long-term objectives.
• Communicating performance:  These reports communicate operational performance to stakeholders, higher management, and investors. It builds confidence and trust in the business.

Operational reports include tools or components like dashboards, metrics, and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). These tools provide a clear, visual representation of operational performance, allowing managers to identify issues or challenges and take quick yet data-driven actions to address them.

Operational Report Templates

These operation management documents hold great importance and broad-spectrum use for businesses but are challenging to prepare, especially from scratch and manually. You need the right tools, like our  pre-designed operational report templates , that help draft these documents with the least effort and cost. These PPT Designs are compatible with data management software and tools like MS Excel, Google Analytics, Tableau, and Salesforce. It will help you automate the report data update process and provide regular insights.

Get an easy way to create operational reports with these customizable templates!

Bonus: Business Operations Review PowerPoint Presentation Deck 

This presentation deck will assist you with in-depth business operation review and optimization. It provides you with a 5S business review checklist for manufacturing, IT operations review framework, protocols, financial integration review model, sales operation review matrix, and four-phased review deployment process. Download it now!

Download this template

1. Daily Operational Reporting Worksheet Template For Production

What heartbeat is to humans, operations are to a business! No business can thrive if they are ill-managed. Get our pre-designed PPT Template to address key operations that move the needle in your organization. It offers a ready-to-use table for data presentation of various operational activities like manufacturing and quality control. Get it now!

2. Monthly Project Operations Report Template With Status

Operations management focuses on the effective planning, coordination, and control of business processes to increase efficiency and productivity. This PPT Template will help you track the monthly progress of your operation activities along with the current status and risks. It also provides you space to mention the project/task summary for clear understanding. Grab it now!

Keep management, stakeholders, clients, and team members updated about the latest progress with the help of monthly reports. Use our punch-packed monthly work report templates to share progress information in a delightful manner.

3. Sales Operational Reporting Template for Leading Categories

Retail businesses use operational reports to track sales and identify trends & patterns in customer behavior. It helps them make informed decisions about inventory management and drive marketing efforts to boost customer satisfaction. This presentation template will help you to identify top and bottom sales categories and break down their marketing or sales expenses. Download it now!

4. Sales Operational Report PPT Presentation Template

This PowerPoint Layout will help businesses monitor sales performance and maximize their profit margins. It entails operation components like sales YTD, yearly gross profit, cost, and sales. You will be able to categorize and exhibit sales data by region, product, account manager, and top 10 customers. Get it now!

5. Operational Report Template for Maintenance Department

With this template, you will be able to optimize the daily activities of the maintenance team. It will help you record important data about labor, equipment, material, and transportation. This PPT layout has a pre-designed section for an hourly rate, social security number, description & cost, hours of use, etc. Grab it today!

6. Business Operation Expenses Report Dashboard PPT Template

Use this business report dashboard design to track revenue and expenditure of operation activities. This presentation template exhibit the statistics and insights in a comprehensive manner with the help of graphs, charts, and neat tables. It will present your operational expenditures (Opex), monthly YTD, earnings before interest & taxes (EBIT), revenue, COGS, and other financial figures. Grab it today!

7. One-page Operations Status Report Presentation Template

Present the operation status report in a concise and straightforward manner using this one-pager PPT template. It is a home for a detailed operation report with all essential components like executive summary, overall progress, overdue tasks, and deadlines. This template also has a pre-designed space to add the name of an employee or responsible person for tasks. Download it today!

8. Business Operation Report Metrics PPT Presentation Template

Operation reports include various key metrics to reflect the overall business’s health and stability. With this template, managers can track operations progress in terms of planning, design, development, and product/service testing. It also reflects other vital information like the project launch date, budget, overdue tasks, workload per employee, and deadlines. Get it now!

9. One-page Operation Readiness Plan Report Presentation Template

How will you know that your business operations are ready for an advanced stage? An operation readiness report is an answer. Use this one-pager report template to present the preparation and analysis of your business operational adaptation for upcoming changes. It will help you exhibit data on various phases, pre-feasibility, feasibility, product execution, and finally, new operations. Grab it today!

10. One-pager Annual Operational Task Planning Report Template

Plan operational activities in advance for the entire next year with the help of this planning report template. It contains pre-designed slots to mark phases or milestones for more than ten key operational activities each month. The one-page format of this PPT Template gives you the benefit of easy storage and navigation. Download it now!

The One-stop S hop To Efficiency

Operation reports answer many important questions (including the above one) of shareholders, management, clients, and other key personnel for your business. They enable businesses to identify improvement opportunities and stay on track to achieve their objectives. With the help of our editable operational report templates, you can prepare detailed statements that cater to the needs of your business and audience. They will optimize your advanced operation reporting process in the most cost-effective manner.

Download these operational reports templates from the above links and easily support, monitor, and track your business’ daily core activities!

FAQs on Operational Reports

1. what is an operation report.

An operation report is a business management document that records, monitors, and presents your main business activities like product development, sales, customer support, raw material procurement, and supply chain processes. These reports include visual aids like dashboards, charts, graphs, and tables to present data. Operation managers use these reports to communicate business performance and data to stakeholders, investors, and other key board members.

2. What are the key elements of an operation report?

The key elements vary based on specific business needs and report objectives, but some common elements are:

• Executive summary: A brief overview of the key points and findings of the report. It is placed at the beginning of the report to provide a quick executive summary to the reader.
• Objectives: These include the ‘what’ and the ‘how’ part of the operational report’s use and achievements with a clear final objective description.
• Data and analysis:  This is the main body of the report that includes the data and analysis used to draw conclusions and make recommendations. It contains charts, graphs, and tables to illustrate the data.
• Conclusions and recommendations: This section summarizes the main findings of the report and makes data analysis-driven recommendations about making improvements to operations. 
• Appendices : It has additional supporting material, like detailed calculations, data tables, and other information that is not essential but may be a matter of interest to (special category) viewers.

Overall, an operational report should be clear, concise, and easy to understand and should provide actionable insights and recommendations for improving business operations.

3. What are the 4 types of operational reports?

The type of operational report used depends on specifics and the goals of the business. Some common types of operational reports in the business industry are:

• Performance reports: These reports track key performance indicators (KPIs) such as production levels, efficiency, and cost. They include data on past performance and future projections.
• Status reports: These are the reports that provide updates about the status of a project/process. They include information on significant progress, challenges, and any issues.
• Trend reports:  These reports track changes in performance over time and contain data on trends, patterns, and significant business changes.

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